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.
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