Lions

Basic Information

Lions are the second-largest big cat species in the world, just after tigers.

Lions belong to the species Panthera leo, the family Felidae, and the class Mammalia.

A group of lions is called a “pride,” which can have up to 40 lions living together.

Lions currently live wild in parts of Africa and one small region of India.

Wild lions typically live between 10–14 years, while lions in captivity can live up to 20 years.

Male lions can weigh between 330–550 pounds (150-250 kg), about as heavy as a small piano.

Adult male lions are called “lions,” females are called “lionesses,” and babies are called “cubs.”

Lions are carnivores, which means they only eat meat and cannot digest plant material.

The scientific classification of lions puts them in the same genus (Panthera) as tigers, jaguars, and leopards.

The earliest lion-like fossils are from East Africa and are about 3.5 million years old.

Physical Characteristics

Adult male lions grow impressive manes around their heads that can be blonde, brown, or nearly black in color.

Lions have excellent night vision and can see six times better in the dark than humans can.

A lion’s roar can be heard up to 5 miles (8 kilometers) away, which is about the distance across a small city.

Lions have rough tongues covered with tiny backward-facing spines called papillae that help them scrape meat from bones and groom their fur.

Lions have 30 teeth, including four long, sharp canine teeth that can be up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) in length.

Female lions (lionesses) are about 20% smaller than males but are usually faster and do most of the hunting.

Lions have muscular, flexible bodies that allow them to leap up to 36 feet (11 meters) horizontally in a single bound, which is about the length of a school bus.

A lion’s paw print is about 5.5 inches (14 cm) wide, about the size of an adult human’s hand.

Lions have retractable claws, meaning they can pull them in when not using them, which helps keep them sharp.

A lion’s heart makes up only about 0.5% of its body weight, compared to about 0.6% in humans.

Adult lions have no natural predators, though they might be killed by other lions during territory disputes.

Lions have whiskers (called vibrissae) that are extremely sensitive and help them sense nearby objects, even in complete darkness.

The average female lion weighs between 270–400 pounds (120-180 kg), about as heavy as a refrigerator.

Lions can learn to hunt new types of prey and adapt their techniques, showing they have problem-solving intelligence.

An adult lion’s head stretches about 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) wide — close to the size of a medium pizza!

Behavior & Intelligence

Lions are the only truly social cats, living in groups and hunting cooperatively.

Lionesses in the same pride often give birth around the same time and raise their cubs together in a group called a crèche.

Lions communicate using sounds, visual signals, scents, and touch, with more than 20 different types of vocalizations.

Lions spend 16–20 hours each day resting or sleeping, making them one of the laziest of all cat species.

Male lions defend the pride’s territory, which can cover up to 100 square miles (260 square kilometers).

Lions can recognize each other by the distinctive patterns on their whiskers.

When lions greet each other, they rub heads and sides together as a form of bonding, similar to how house cats greet their owners.

Lions are excellent strategists when hunting, often creating ambushes with some lionesses acting as “drivers” to push prey toward others hiding in “blinds.”

Young male lions leave their birth pride when they’re about 2–3 years old and often form small bachelor groups with other males.

Young lions learn hunting skills by playing, with games like pouncing and stalking helping develop muscles and coordination.

Lions remember and recognize other individuals, both fellow lions and potential threats, for many years.

Male lions announce their presence and claim territory by roaring and scent-marking.

Lions sometimes work together with other lions to steal food from hyenas or other predators.

Lions have excellent spatial memory, remembering where water sources and territory boundaries are located across vast areas.

Habitat & Survival

Lions can live in various habitats, including grasslands, savannas, dense brush, and woodlands.

Lions once lived across much of Africa, the Middle East, and southern Europe, but their range has decreased severely.

The only wild lions living outside Africa are a small population of Asiatic lions in the Gir Forest of India, numbering about 700 individuals.

Lions are excellent swimmers and can cross rivers up to 1 mile (1.6 km) wide.

Lions hunt mostly at night, dawn, or dusk because their eyes are designed for low-light conditions.

Lions are not afraid of water and will readily enter rivers or lakes to catch prey or cool down.

Lions live alongside many other predators including hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs, but are usually dominant because of their size and group living.

Lions have a special relationship with vultures, often following these birds to find carcasses for an easy meal.

Lions are capable of surviving for up to 14 days without drinking water by getting moisture from their prey.

When food is scarce, lions may scavenge up to 50% of their diet, taking kills from other predators or eating already dead animals.

Lions thrive in hot climates, like the scorching African savanna where temperatures can reach up to 120°F (49°C), and they can handle cooler weather down to around 50°F (10°C).