• Characteristics of the lion
• Habits of the lion
• Curiosities about the lion

Characteristics of the lion

The lion ( Panthera leo ) is a carnivorous mammal belonging to the felidae family . Lions inhabit the savannahs and prairies in some regions of Africa and India and, although it prefers arid areas, it can also adapt to forests and bushy areas. Once these big cats also inhabited the Mediterranean basin, but today they are extinct in these geographical areas.

It is the second largest feline in the world after the tiger: its body can reach three meters for a weight ranging from 150 to 250 kilograms in males.

The lion’s coat is short and has a uniform beige color all over the body, with the exception of the darker tail at the tip. Male lion specimens also have a thick mane around the head, more conspicuous in adults and in animals living in Africa.

Lionesses , on the other hand, lack a mane , have a smaller build than males and reach a body weight between 120 and 180 kilograms.

There are also white lions , whose coat appears clear due to a genetic mutation. The average life span of a lion is about 12 years in the wild, while in captivity it can even reach 20 years. In nature, in fact, lions are more exposed to risks, as well as to poaching by humans.

Habits of the lion

Lions live in herds of up to thirty individuals consisting of the alpha male accompanied by two other males, about twelve females and the young offspring, born in the last year. Normally the herd is made up of related specimens, but the cubs are estranged from their father when they reach sexual maturity. Unlike lionesses, who remain in the herd in which they were born for their entire lives, young lions go in search of a new herd to conquer by killing the other males who defended it.

As for eating habits , lions are predators that rank at the top of the food chain, so they have no predators in the wild. They could potentially feed on any species, but they mainly hunt zebras and antelopes.

Females hunt: males rarely hunt and prefer to feed on prey captured by lionesses. Lionesses hunt at night in small groups, using the stalking technique. These are
fast and fast animals, with a particularly strong bite but with little resistance , so if they can’t kill the prey at the first shot, they avoid chasing it.

While the females have the task of procuring food, the males are responsible for the defense of the territory , which covers an area of ​​about 30 square kilometers.

Although it lives in packs with several females, the lion is monogamous and chooses a lioness throughout the year. The pack includes several females as a matter of collaboration. The mating period , in fact, coincides in all the specimens of the herd and the young, born after a gestation of just over three months, need to be cared for for a year.

Each lioness can give birth to up to three cubs and the presence of multiple females in the herd ensures assistance to the others in nursing, raising and protecting the young, so that they can reach sexual maturity in the highest possible number. Despite this, fewer than half manage to survive attacks by males from other herds, disease, starvation and poaching.

Curiosities about the lion

The lion’s roar is particularly loud in both males and females and can be heard even 8-9 kilometers away. Since the hunt takes place at night, lions have a particularly efficient night vision : thanks to a coating present inside the eyes, they capture the little night light and are able to see up to six times better in the dark.

Although the hunt is for the females, it is usually the alpha male who eats first. After him it is the turn of the other males, females and puppies. While always remaining alert, lions spend most of their time resting by sleeping for 16 to 22 hours over the course of a day.