The lion | Facts & Information

Although until about 10,000 years ago the magnificent lion was, after man, the most widespread large land mammal, today the Asian lion is on the verge of extinction, and the African lion is declared a vulnerable species.

No other animal has received more attention in art and literature. In the Bible it is mentioned 130 times. In Stone Age art, especially in cave paintings, drawings of lions are frequently encountered.

Feeding The Lion

Lions are exclusive carnivorous predators, very powerful, who hunt large mammals, among their favorites being: wildebeest, impala antelopes, zebras, buffaloes, Wild Boars, etc.female lions usually hunt in groups, applying the strategy of sneaking up near the victims. Most often, several females encircle the herd from several points, going to suddenly and violently attack the nearest individual.

Although the lion's tusks are very sharp and have impressive dimensions (up to 8cm long), the prey is most often killed by strangulation.

A lion can eat at one meal even 30kg of meat. Small-sized leeks are eaten on the spot, and large ones are often branched all the way to group territory.

Appearance Lion

The lion is the second largest feline, after the Tiger. The color of its fur varies from light yellow to Brown-ocher or even reddish. The coat on the abdomen is lighter in color, and the tuft of hair at the tip of the tail is black. Puppies have brown spots on the fur, similar to those of leopards. There are also white lions, the light color of their fur due to a recessive gene.

The size of lions can vary depending on the area they live in, but on average, females weigh 120-180kg and males 150-230kg.

Shoulder height is about 98cm for females and 120cm for males. Body length (including head) in females varies between 140 and 175cm, and in males between 170 and 250cm.

The sexual dimorphism of lions is very obvious: males are the only ones who have manes, around the neck and on the chest. The Mane varies both in terms of color and size and its characteristics are influenced by the degree of sexual maturity, climate, genetic baggage of the specimen, but also by the secretion of testosterone.

Thus, a healthy lion has a rich Mane and dark color. Although there have been recorded cases of females who have lived for 20 years, in freedom Lions rarely exceed the age of 8 years. In captivity, they can live up to 20 years.

Lion Behavior

Lions are the only felines whose sexual dimorphism is visually evident.

The lion is the only feline that has the tip of its tail covered with a tuft of hair. The role of this tuft is still unknown. It is absent at birth and begins to develop only around the age of 5 months.

The male lion is the only feline that has a mane. Among felines, the lion has the strongest roar.

Although it is called the king of the Jungle, The Lion prefers savannas and wide plains, but it can also be found in scrubs and forests. Acacia trees scattered through savannahs allow Lions to retreat into the shade. Male lions spend most of their time resting and are inactive for 20 hours a day, sometimes 24 hours a day. They can sleep for a whole day, and after waking up they eat a large amount of food.

All this time the females do all the work, they hunt. From the point of view of social organization they can be divided into two categories: residents and nomads.

Lions are very territorial and both male and female will ferociously defend their territory. The females in the group are the ones that usually hunt, the males patrolling the territory of the group.

Communication within a group of lions is diverse, including vocalizations (bellows, roars, growls, meows, hisses, etc.), but also touches, licks, rubbing parts of the body or body postures.

The lion's Roar is very strong and can be heard from a distance of 8 km, it is emitted especially at night and has the role of signaling the presence of the animal in a certain region.

Breeding The Lion

Lionesses reach sexual maturity around the age of 3-4 years. Lions do not have a specific mating period and can breed several times a year. Females can mate with several males, and during the mating period (which can last several days) a couple can copulate 20-40 times, leaving aside any other activity (including feeding).

The gestation period lasts about 110 days, at the end of it the female giving birth to 1-4 Cubs, blind and almost totally helpless. The female sets up a nest in an isolated and protected region, away from the rest of the group, and the chicks are introduced into the group only at the age of 6 weeks. Weaning of offspring occurs at the age of 6-7 months.

Often, females in a group synchronize their periods of estrus in such a way that they all give birth to offspring at about the same time. Thus, they will take care of the chicks together and they will have more chances of survival.

Lion populations are currently decreasing rapidly, the cause of this phenomenon is not fully understood. However, it seems that the most important factor is man and his actions that result in the shrinking of the species ' habitats.

The authorities have developed various programs to protect this extraordinary animal, focusing in particular on the African species. Breeding in captivity is attempted in order to reintroduce the species to its original habitats. A serious problem faced by researchers, however, is ensuring the genetic diversity of captive lion populations.

But the same problem exists in the wild, as West African lion populations are isolated from Central African populations and thus cannot freshen up their genes.