§ Scientific name for a lion is Panthera Leo.
§ Lions are the 2nd largest cat species on the world. Tigers are number 1.
§ Lion’s are known as king of the jungle, but they really don’t live in
jungles.
§ Lions mostly live in the grasslands, savanna and open woodlands of Africa
but they also live in the Gir Forest in India.
§ Lions are social animals. They often rub their heads together with other
lions and purr to each other.
§ They live in prides. A pride is a group of lions.
§ A pride usually consists of 15-30 lions; however they can be as small as
3 lions or as big as 40 lions.
§ A male lion is called a lion.
§ A female lion is called a lioness.
§ You can tell the males and females apart by how they look. A male
lion has a mane and a female does not.
§ A male’s mane will begin to grow at 18 months and will continue to grow
until they are 5.
§ A male lion can weigh between 400-500 pounds and sometimes more.
§ A female lion can weigh 290-350 pounds.
§ Lions are carnivorous animals – meaning they eat meat.
§ The female lions are the hunters. They usually hunt at dusk or at night.
§ The female lion will bring the food back to the pride. The male
will eat first than the females and last the cubs.
§ While the female hunts the male protects the territory and pride.
§ A lion can runs at speeds up to 50 miles per hour but not for long
distances.
§ When a lion walks their heels do not touch the ground.
§ Unlike other cats lions are great swimmers.
§ A lion’s roar can be heard as far as 5 miles away!
§ Lions rest for up to 20 hours a day.
Remember Simba from Disney’s Lion
King? mountain lion cubs Did
you know that the Swahili (a language in Africa) word for Lion is Simba!
§ A mother lion gives give to 1-4 cubs every 2 years.
§ Some cubs don’t live because they starve or get eaten.
§ Some animals that eat cubs are eagles, snakes, hyenas and leopards.
§ Lions usually live 12-15 years in the wild and 20-25 years in captivity.
§ The little front paws of the cub will tend to grow stronger and gradually
be able to break bones of small animals such as Impalas, antelopes and even
foxes.
Since most hunting baby lion cubs takes place during cloudy conditions or early hours
of the evening or morning.
§ During the rainy seasons when there is always plenty of lion's food, when
the king of jungle has a full stomach which can last him for 3 to days and can
stay hungry for more than a week, the lion king can be very tolerant towards
baby lions playing or nagging the papa lion. The king lion would lets the cubs
bite and scratch him and lick his face, ears and nose.
