About the Lion Animal

The lion, a large species in the cat family, inspires fear because of its roar and size. The animals may have existed as far back as 10,000 years ago, in parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe, according to an article by John Seidensticker and Susan Lumpkin for the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. Although they once existed in large numbers, hunting and habitat destruction have reduced lion populations, according to the African Conservatory. Today most lions, except the ones that exist in Africa and India, live in zoos.

  1. Physical Characteristics

    • Male lions usually grow to be around 10 feet long and between 330 and 530 pounds, according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. In contrast, females grow to be about nine feet long and between 270 and 300 pounds. Male lions feature a large mane of hair at the top of their head.

    Behavior

    • Lions live in groups called prides, which often feature up to 12 female lions, their cubs and two to three males, states Defenders of Wildlife. Other male lions, especially ones over 2 years old, sometimes live in groups called coalitions. In nature, new lions take over a pride every two to three years. Females work together, taking care of their cubs and hunting for food for their pride. Males hold responsibility for protecting the land that a pride lives on, which they do by marking their pride's territory. In a pride, male and female lions and cubs often communicate with each other through gestures, such as rubbing against each other or holding a certain stance.

    Feeding

    • Animals that serve as prey for lions include wildebeests, elephants, rhinos, antelopes, giraffes, gazelles and zebras. Lions often scavenge food from other animals, such as hyenas, wild dogs or vultures, and ambush their prey.

    Environment

    • In nature, lions exist in warmer environments, such as savannas, grasslands, forests and deserts.

    Reproduction

    • Females mate during a heat cycle known as estrus, which lasts for around four days. During this cycle, they mate with multiple male partners in their pride, according to Seidensticker and Lumpkin. After mating with a male, a female goes off by herself to have her babies, which takes place about 110 days after she mates. Lions usually have between one and four cubs. When new males take over a pride, they often kill cubs that other males fathered. Soon after, females have babies with the new males.

    Cubs

    • Cubs live with their mother and siblings until they join the pride, which occurs when they are around 5 or 6 weeks old, according to the University of Minnesota Lion Research Center. Male lions often leave their pride when they are 2 years old, while females stay in the same pride for their full life. Both males and females become fully developed at around 4 years old in natural environments and 2 years old in captivity, states the Honolulu Zoo.

    Lifespan

    • Lions often live between 10 and 15 years in natural environments and between 20 and 25 years in captivity, according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park.