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LION

LION

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23 views

LION

LION

Uploaded by

ardelia.vidal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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lion, (Panthera leo), large, powerfully built cat (family Felidae) that is second in size

only to the tiger; it is a famous apex predator (meaning without a natural predator or
enemy). The proverbial “king of beasts,” the lion has been one of the best-known wild
animals since earliest times. Lions are most active at night and live in a variety of
habitats but prefer grassland, savanna, dense scrub, and open woodland. Historically,
they ranged across much of Europe, Asia, and Africa, but now they are found mainly in
parts of Africa south of the Sahara. An isolated population of about between 500 and
700 wild Asiatic lions constitute a slightly smaller population that lives under strict
protection in India’s Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.
General characteristics

lionLioness (Panthera leo).


The lion is a well-muscled cat with a long body, large head, and short legs. Size and
appearance vary considerably between the sexes. The male’s outstanding
characteristic is his mane, which varies between different individuals and populations. It
may be entirely lacking; it may fringe the face; or it may be full and shaggy, covering the
back of the head, neck, and shoulders and continuing onto the throat and chest to join a
fringe along the belly. In some lions the mane and fringe are very dark, almost black,
giving the cat a majestic appearance. Manes make males look larger and may serve to
intimidate rivals or impress prospective mates. A full-grown male is about 1.8–2.1
metres (6–7 feet) long, excluding the 1-metre tail; he stands about 1.2 metres high at
the shoulder and weighs 170–230 kg (370–500 pounds). The female, or lioness, is
smaller, with a body length of 1.5 metres, a shoulder height of 0.9–1.1 metres, and a
weight of 120–180 kg. The lion’s coat is short and varies in colour from buff yellow,
orange-brown, or silvery gray to dark brown, with a tuft on the tail tip that is usually
darker than the rest of the coat.
Prides

pride of lionsPride of lions (Panthera leo).


Lions are unique among cats in that they live in a group, or pride. The members of a
pride typically spend the day in several scattered groups that may unite to hunt or share
a meal. A pride consists of several generations of lionesses, some of which are related,
a smaller number of breeding males, and their cubs. The group may consist of as few
as 4 or as many as 37 members, but about 15 is the average size. Each pride has a
well-defined territory consisting of a core area that is strictly defended against intruding
lions and a fringe area where some overlap is tolerated. Where prey is abundant, a
territory area may be as small as 20 square km (8 square miles), but if game is sparse,
it may cover up to 400 square km. Some prides have been known to use the same
territory for decades, passing the area on between females. Lions proclaim their territory
by roaring and by scent marking. Their distinctive roar is generally delivered in the
evening before a night’s hunting and again before getting up at dawn. Males also
proclaim their presence by urinating on bushes, trees, or simply on the ground, leaving
a pungent scent behind. Defecation and rubbing against bushes leave different scent
markings.
There are a number of competing evolutionary explanations for why lions form groups.
Large body size and high density of their main prey probably make group life more
efficient for females in terms of energy expenditure. Groups of females, for example,
hunt more effectively and are better able to defend cubs against infanticidal males and
their hunting territory against other females. The relative importance of these factors is
debated, and it is not clear which was responsible for the establishment of group life
and which are secondary benefits.
Hunting

lions chasing a warthog


Lions prey on a large variety of animals ranging in size from rodents and baboons
to Cape (or African) buffalo and hippopotamuses, but they predominantly hunt medium-
to large-sized hoofed animals such as wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes. Prey
preferences vary geographically as well as between neighbouring prides. Lions are
known to take elephants and giraffes, but only if the individual is young or especially
sick. They readily eat any meat they can find, including carrion and fresh kills that they
scavenge or forcefully steal from hyenas, cheetahs, or wild dogs. Lionesses living in
open savanna do most of the hunting, whereas males typically appropriate their meals
from the female’s kills. However, male lions are also adept hunters, and in some areas
they hunt frequently. Pride males in scrub or wooded habitat spend less time with the
females and hunt most of their own meals. Nomadic males must always secure their
own food.

Britannica Quiz
Animal Group Names

Taxonomy
 Kingdom: Animalia
 Class: Mammalia
 Order: Carnivora
 Family: Felidae
 Genus: Panthera
 Species: Panthera leo
Vulnerable
Though a group of hunting lions is potentially nature’s most formidable predatory force
on land, a high proportion of their hunts fail. The cats pay no attention to the wind’s
direction (which can carry their scent to their prey), and they tire after running short
distances. Typically, they stalk prey from nearby cover and then burst forth to run it
down in a short, rapid rush. After leaping on the prey, the lion lunges at its neck and
bites until the animal has been strangled. Other members of the pride quickly crowd
around to feed on the kill, usually fighting for access. Hunts are sometimes conducted in
groups, with members of a pride encircling a herd or approaching it from opposite
directions, then closing in for a kill in the resulting panic. The cats
typically gorge themselves and then rest for several days in its vicinity. An adult male
can consume more than 34 kg (75 pounds) of meat at a single meal and rest for a week
before resuming the hunt. If prey is abundant, both sexes typically spend 21 to 22 hours
a day resting, sleeping, or sitting and hunt for only 2 or 3 hours a day.

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