Lion Facts

About the lion

Lions have broad chests, short rounded heads, round ears and a dark tuft at the end of the tail. Males are larger than females, and their mane runs from the head over the shoulders and chest. They live in grasslands, savannahs and shrublands and hunt mostly medium and large hoofed mammals. They are usually more active by day than other wild cats but turn nocturnal when persecuted.

A pride is made of related females, their cubs and one or a few unrelated adult males, who must compete to stay in. Females often hunt as a team. In the Neolithic, lions ranged from southeastern Europe to India, but now survive in scattered African groups and one population in western India. African numbers fell by about 43% since the early 1990s.

Did you know?

• Since 1996, the IUCN Red List has rated lions as Vulnerable.
• People have held lions in menageries going back to the Roman Empire.
• Scientists call the lion Panthera leo, a member of the big cat genus.