Although known as the ‘king of the jungle’, most lions live on open grasslands or savannah. Only one group of wild forest-dwelling lions remains in the Gir Forest in India.

Female lions do 85-90% of the hunting, whilst the males patrol the territory and protect the pride.

Lions are the most sociable of all big cats. They live in groups of 10-15 lions, known as prides.

An adult male’s roar can be heard up to 8km away.

Female lions reach two-thirds of their adult size by the time they are two years old.

The Lion’s scientific name is Panthero Leo.

A female lion needs 5kg of meat a day. A male needs 7kg or more a day.

Lions hunt large animals such as zebra and wildebeest.

The name for a baby lion is a cub, whelp or lionet.

Lions used to be spread across most of Africa, but now are only found in sub-Saharan Africa. Lions have disappeared from 12 sub-Saharan countries in recent decades.

With only around 20,000 left in the wild, lions are now officially classified as ‘vulnerable’.

Lions run at a speed of up to 81km/h.