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Lion animal. Lion's lifestyle and habitat. African lion Black lion habitat

A lion ( Panthera leo) - an animal of the class mammals, such as chordates, the order Carnivora, the cat family, the genus panther, the subfamily Big cats.

The natives who lived side by side with the lion called the predatory lion “wild cat.” The lion received its modern name, consonant in many languages, in the 18th century from the Latin word leo.

Description of the lion, appearance, characteristics, photographs of the animal

Of the existing wild cats, the lion is second only to the tiger in size. An adult male lion weighs on average up to 250 kg with a body length of 2.5 m. The flexible, mobile body of a lion has well-developed muscles of the neck and front legs. The lion's claws reach 7 cm in length.

The massive head of a lion with an elongated muzzle is endowed with strong jaws. The lion has 30 teeth, canines up to 8 cm in size allow him to successfully hunt large animals: roe deer, wild boar, zebra and antelope.

A tongue covered with tubercles helps to quickly get rid of blood-sucking insects and care for the fur.

On the lion's face there are several rows of whiskers with dark spots at the base, forming a pattern unique to each individual. Newborn lion cubs are spotted, like leopards, but the spots disappear at maturity. The color of a lion's fur can be sand, brown or with a red tint. The tail ends in a striking black tassel.

Some individuals have a “spur” inside the brush - a fused vertebral ending.

A unique feature of lions is their exceptional sexual dimorphism. Male lions are much larger in size than females and are endowed with a luxurious mane, which appears as early as six-month old lion cubs. By the age of three, the pile on a lion’s mane grows to 35-40 cm. Color, length and fullness depend on genetics, habitat and the amount of testosterone. Old seasoned lions have the thickest and shaggiest manes.

It may seem surprising, but lions are animals that have the smallest heart among large predators. That is why they are not particularly resilient, although when running short distances, lions reach speeds of up to 80 km/h. In natural conditions, lions live 12-15 years; in captivity, life expectancy increases by 5-7 years.

Types and classification of lions

The classification of lions includes 8 subspecies:

  • Asiatic(Persian, Indian) lion (Panthera leo persica)

It is distinguished by a squat body and a sleek, not too thick mane. The weight of a lion is 150-220 kg, for males from 160 to 190 kg, for females from 90 kg to 120 kg. The height of the Asiatic lion at the withers reaches 1.05 meters. The record length of the lion reached 2.92 meters. Just over 500 representatives of this lion species live in the Indian Girsky Nature Reserve. The largest Asiatic lion was recorded to be 2.92 meters long;

Asiatic (Persian, Indian) lion

  • Barbary lion (Panthera leo leo)

the most massive predator with a dark thick mane. Inhabited throughout the African continent. Unfortunately, it was finally exterminated by man at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, descendants of the Barbary lion live in captivity, but there is no need to talk about the purebred of the species. The weight of a male lion reaches 160-270 kg, the weight of a female is 100-170 kg. It was the largest predator of all lion species;

  • Senegalese (West African) lion (Panthera leo senegalensis)

Males are distinguished by a light, short mane (or lack thereof), light fur and small size. Prides of this predator are smaller, and the shape of the skull is different from other species of lions. The habitat is located south of the Sahara from Senegal in the west and in the east to the Central African Republic. About a thousand representatives live in the savannas of Guinea, Nigeria and Senegal. This lion species is endangered;

Senegalese lion

  • Northern Congo lion ( Panthera leo azandica)

in appearance it is similar to other African relatives. Lives in the savannas of northeastern Congo. The population of this lion species is gradually decreasing;

  • East African(Masai) lion (Panthera leo nubica)

subspecies of African lion. Males are distinguished by elongated limbs and a combed-back mane. Male lions reach a length of 2.5 - 3 meters, including the tail. The length of lionesses with a tail is 2.3 - 2.6 meters. The weight of a male lion is 150 - 230 kg, females 100 - 165 kg. Lions and lionesses have a withers height of 90 - 115 cm. The habitat of this species of lions is Zambia, Uganda, Mozambique and other states in eastern Africa, and also inhabit the Kenyan Masai Mara reserve;

  • southwest african(Katangese) lion (Panthera leo bleyenberghi)

differs in light color. It lives in southwestern Africa from Angola to Zimbabwe. The length of a male lion including his tail is 2.5 – 3.1 meters, the length of a lioness is 2.3 – 2.65 meters. The weight of a male lion is 140-240 kg, the weight of females is 105-170 kg. An endangered species of lions, on the verge of extinction;

  • southeast african(Transvaal) lion (Panthera leo krugeri)

large individuals, males have a long dark mane. Some representatives exhibit leucism, a mutation associated with the absence of melanocytes. These exotics have white fur and pink skin. The body length of the Transvaal lion with a tail is 2.6 - 3.2 meters, the lioness's dimensions are more modest - 2.35 - 2.75 meters. The weight of a male reaches 150-250 kg, females - 110-180 kg. More than 2 thousand lions live in the Kruger National Park, as well as in the southern part of the African continent and in the Kalahari Desert;

  • cape lion ( Panthera leo melanochaita)

A subspecies that disappeared in the 19th century. The last Cape lion was shot in 1858. These lions lived in the Cape Province at the Cape of Good Hope, which is located in southern Africa. This species of lion was distinguished by black-tipped ears, and the lion's mane covered the belly and shoulders of the mammal.

Extinct Cape Lion

Together with the tiger, leopard and jaguar, the lion forms the genus Panthera, members of which can interbreed to form viable hybrids: ligers (tigers), leopons (leopard + lion) and jaguls (jaguar + lion).

White Lion

White lions are not a subspecies, but a genetic disorder called leucism, which causes the coat to turn white. White individuals live in the Kruger National Park and the Timbavati Reserve, which are located in the east of South Africa. Basically, such animals are kept in captivity.

Occasionally, lions attack hippos and small elephants, and do not shy away from livestock.

Leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, alive, sick or killed by other, weaker predators, become food for lions. A lion eats about 7-8 kg of meat per day, the female’s need is less - five kilograms of meat is enough for her.

Lion - breeding in the wild

Lions breed regardless of the time of year. Males become sexually mature at the age of 6 years, females at 4 years. Lions engage in fierce fights for the female, often leading to the death of their competitor. A lioness's pregnancy lasts 110 days. Before giving birth, the lioness leaves the pride, taking refuge in a safe place. 1-4 helpless and blind cubs weighing up to 2 kilograms are born. The cubs' eyes open after 7 days.

In order not to attract other predators, the mother lioness transfers her offspring to another place several times and hunts not far from the safely hidden babies.

Breastfeeding lasts 6-7 months. At one and a half months, lion cubs are allowed to hunt, and meat feeding begins. Then the mother and cubs return to the pride.

  • More than a thousand African and about a hundred Asiatic lions are kept in captivity today for breeding, conservation and exhibition purposes.
  • The first mentions of domesticated predators date back to the 8th century BC.
  • The lion is the king of beasts, a symbol of exceptional courage, strength and power in many European and Asian cultures. In heraldry, the lion represents greatness and nobility, valor, pride and justice.

Area: East Africa, India (Gujarat). Previously, lions lived throughout much of Africa, the Middle East and Hindustan.

Description: The lion has the most distinctive appearance of all cats - it is a huge predator with a strong and flexible muscular body. The paws are strong, with well-developed muscles on the front paws, with which the lion captures and holds prey. The tail is long and has a tassel at the end with dark hairs at the end.
The head is very massive, the muzzle is long, the jaws are powerful with huge fangs (30 teeth in total). The tongue is rough, covered with tubercles in the form of sharp spines, which help the animal lick off fleas and ticks, as well as care for its skin. The ears are rounded, black on the outside with a yellow spot in the middle.
Sexual dimorphism is pronounced: males are larger than females and are approximately 50% heavier in weight. The adult male has a long mane covering the neck, shoulders and chest. The rest of the body is covered with short hair. In older lions, the mane sometimes grows and covers the shoulders and belly.
Each lion has 4-5 rows of vibrissae (whiskers) on its face. At the base of each antennae there is a dark spot that forms a special pattern, unique for each individual.

Color: the main color of the upper body is white-gray (Asiatic lions), cream, sandy yellow and dark ocher. The lower part of the body is painted in lighter colors. Adult lions have dark brown manes. Sometimes very light or completely white lion cubs are born, without the red eye color characteristic of albinos, indicating the absence of coloring pigment.

Size: length of a lion - 2.7-3 m, lionesses up to 2.7 m, height at the withers up to 122 cm.

Weight: males - up to 250 kg, females - up to 180 kg.

Lifespan: in nature up to 17-20 years, in captivity - up to 30 years.

The lion is quite “talkative”; its repertoire includes sounds such as grunting, growling, hissing, groaning and roaring. The roar is used to mark territory or intimidate competitors. The male's roar is louder and deeper than that of the lioness and can be heard at a distance of up to 5-7 km. Females make low grunts when calling their young. Lions can purr, like a domestic cat. Habitat: open plains (prefers parkland and grassy savannas with an abundance of ungulates and watering holes) and semi-deserts. The mountains rise up to 3000 m above sea level.

Enemies: the main one is a person. Herds of elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, and huge crocodiles (which can attack a lion at a watering hole) pose a certain danger. Old lonely lions often die from the teeth of hyena dogs.
Lion cubs are hunted by both predatory mammals and birds of prey.

Food: lions are predators that hunt medium and large animals: antelopes, zebras, gazelles, wildebeests, young elephants, livestock. If there is a shortage of prey, it can eat carrion and small animals (mouse-like rodents, fish, birds, and ostrich eggs). They do not disdain other people’s prey, taking it away from other, weaker predators (dogs and hyenas).

Behavior: During daylight hours, the pride rests in the shade, and at dusk goes out hunting.
In a pride, the main breadwinners are lionesses, while lions themselves almost never hunt. Males guard the territory and protect it from other animals encroaching on it.
Lioness hunt large prey in a group; at first they try to isolate the victim from the herd, and then attack and kill it. During a throw (over short distances), lionesses can reach speeds of up to 55 km/h.
Having approached the victim very close, the lioness knocks her down with a strong blow of her paws and digs her teeth into her throat. If the prey escapes, predators look for new prey. On average, every fourth attack ends in victory.
Lions kill prey in three ways: small prey by instantly destroying the cervical vertebrae, medium ones by tearing the throat, and large ones by holding a death grip on the throat and strangling them.
Males begin to eat the prey first, then females occupying the highest places in the hierarchy, low-ranking females and kittens eat last. Therefore, the main cause of mortality among lion cubs is hunger. In one sitting, an adult lion eats up to 20 kg of meat.
Having had their fill, the lions quench their thirst and lie down to rest. For a pride of four lions, one successful hunt per week is enough. Sick or decrepit lions, unable to hunt ungulates, may attack people.
Lions jump well - three-meter fences and cliffs are no obstacle for them.

Social structure: Lions are social animals that spend their entire lives in a pack. They have an elaborate greeting ceremony, during which the lions shake their heads from side to side and hold their tails high as they approach each other. Social licking of the head, shoulders and neck is also a sign of affection and good relationships.
A pride usually has 1-2 adult males, several adult lionesses and youngsters (up to 7-13 individuals). Alien lionesses are reluctantly accepted into the pride. Male lion cubs begin to learn to hunt much later than lionesses, sometimes only at 4-5 years of age, but usually young males are expelled from the pride earlier. Driven by instincts, males go to prides where lionesses live, and there they try to fight for leadership.
Animals of both sexes mark the boundaries of their territory with urine and excrement. Individual sites can occupy 100-400 km 2 (depending on the abundance of food).

Reproduction: During this period, males fight very fiercely with each other for females, which sometimes leads to the death of one of the competitors. The winner pursues the female and tries to mate with her at every opportunity. If the lion is persistent enough, the female allows him to mount her. During mating, the lion holds the female by the back of her neck with his teeth. Mating itself lasts 1-2 minutes, and a day the pair mates up to 100 times.
Females in the same pride give birth to their cubs at the same time, which helps protect them from other predators and foreign male lions. Lionesses feed their cubs without dividing them into friends and foes. If one female dies, the others take care of the deceased's cubs.
Childbirth occurs outside the pride. The lair is made in caves, rock crevices or pits located in hard-to-reach places.

Breeding season/period: during the whole year.

Puberty: females mature at 4 years, males at 6 years.

Pregnancy: lasts 105-112 days.

Offspring: There are 2-4 spotted kittens in a litter. Newborn lion cubs weigh up to 450 g, their size is about 30 cm. Later, the spotted color is replaced by a single color. Eyes open on days 3-11. The cubs begin to walk on the 10th day. Milk teeth erupt at one month of age. When the kittens are about 1.5 months old, the mother begins to take them hunting with her and feeds them with meat. Lactation lasts up to 6 months.

Benefit/harm for humans: lions rarely attack humans and mainly when they are sick or wounded. Young lions are easily tamed and trained.
Since ancient times, man considered the lion to be the king of beasts. In ancient Egypt, the lion was an emblem of divine and royal power. Among the Assyrians and Greeks, the lion was the constant companion of the goddesses. And in early Christian art the lion symbolized Saints Mark and Jerome, and later even Christ himself. Over time, lions become an integral decoration of the coats of arms of some principalities and states.

Population/Conservation Status: Approximate lion population size is 30,000 - 100,000 individuals.
There are two subspecies: African (East Africa) and Asian (India, Gir Forest Reserve).
Science knows crosses of lions and tigresses (ligers), as well as offspring of tigers and lionesses (tigeons).

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The power and strength of the lion are covered in legends. Because he looks truly regal. The imagination first of all pictures a lion in its prime. His incomparable dark gold or black-brown mane gives him the majesty of a monarch. And the lion's voice is no less impressive than his appearance. On a quiet night, a lion's roar causes awe in everyone who hears it - even eight kilometers away. In his behavior, the lion also shows many royal qualities.

The lion is a huge predator, with a strong, flexible, agile and muscular body. He runs well. This is a large predatory cat that has well-developed muscles in the neck and front legs, with which it captures and holds its prey. The lion's jaws are powerful, with huge fangs. The lion's grip with just its teeth is very strong. It can even hold animals as large as wildebeest. The tongue is rough and covered with tubercles in the form of sharp spines, which help it grab and tear off pieces of meat, literally tearing its prey apart. These same spines help the lion catch fleas and remove ticks when he grooms his skin. Lions hunt large animals: zebras, gazelles, wildebeests, and do not hesitate to steal, taking prey from other predators.
The male lion is much larger than the female and is 50 percent heavier in weight. He is easily recognized by his massive mane.

The huge weight of the lion gives crushing force to its blow. He easily scatters females when he takes prey from them. Many males live by feeding exclusively on food obtained by females, and almost never try to get anything themselves. Typically, the main role of males is to protect the territory from other animals encroaching on it. Females are mainly engaged in hunting. Lions differ from other cats in that they do not hunt alone, but in groups. They first try to isolate the prey from the herd, and then attack and kill it. They usually hunt at night, especially on the plains where the grass is short and it is difficult for a predator to hide in it.


Several lionesses surround the target animal, approaching it to within about 30 meters, and in this way they finally determine their choice. When the lioness comes very close to the victim, she will knock her down with a strong blow from her huge paws and immediately sink her teeth into her throat. Every fourth attack usually ends in complete victory for the predators. When the hunters eagerly pounce on their prey, the male lion appears. It is possible that a pack of hyenas may be nearby. Usually lions, having dealt with a large killed animal, generously allow others to feast on the prey. The habitat is usually defended by male lions. Within one territory, a flock of lions can live, consisting of six male lions, twelve adult lionesses and young lion cubs.

Depending on living conditions in a given territory and the number of other animals, a flock can occupy an area of ​​up to 400 square km.

However, where there is more than enough food, this area may be significantly smaller. Lions breed at any time of the year, however, females of one pack (pride) prefer to have cubs at the same time (to make it easier to protect them from other predators and male lions of another pride). They even feed them, without dividing them into friends and foes. If one female dies, the others take care of the deceased's cubs. On average, a lioness brings up to three cubs in one litter. The cubs stay with their mother for up to six months while they suckle her. From the age of three months they begin to eat meat little by little. Lionesses in a pride are almost always related to each other and are reluctant to accept strangers. Male lion cubs are taught to hunt later than lionesses; sometimes young lions begin to learn only in the fifth year of life. Therefore, it is important that males remain in their home pride for as long as possible, but they are usually kicked out when they are still young. These exiled males sometimes form a pack where they have a better chance of survival. A pride of bachelor males is short-lived. Driven by instincts, males go to prides where lionesses live, and there they try to fight for leadership. In the heat of battle, success favors the strongest and most agile, and the once friendly pack of males soon disintegrates. One of the mysteries of lion behavior was that for some reason the males killed their cubs. Now this mystery has been solved. The fact is that the attack of males is caused by their jealousy of young lion cubs. Male lions do not tolerate unnecessary rivals in their pack, so they strive to get rid of them. There is another explanation for such cruel and incomprehensible behavior. The male in this way encourages the female to give birth to new cubs. And they have a better chance of survival than previous cubs. And they will get more food.

During the mating period, the relationship between partners is very tender. The dominant lion mates with a female who is in heat every twenty to thirty minutes - and so on for hours (up to 30-40 times a day in total). During sexual intercourse, the male lion bites the lioness on the scruff of the neck, as is typical for cats. Three and a half months after mating, the pregnant lioness leaves the pride, finds a secluded corner overgrown with grass and gives birth to offspring there. Lion cubs are born blind and helpless. Their skin is covered with spots that gradually disappear as they grow older (although adult lions with preserved “children’s” spots are occasionally found). In most cases, no more than half of all lion cubs survive. Lion cubs suck mother's milk from birth until they are six to seven months old. Then they eat only meat. At about two months of age, lion cubs join the pride. A lion is considered an adult at 5 years old and by this time has reached its optimal “fighting” size.

The lion is one of the largest predators on earth. The average African male weighs about 350 pounds (160 kilograms), and reaches a length of about 8.5 feet (2.6 meters). However, a male weighing 690 pounds (313 kilograms) was shot in South Africa in 1936. The animal was exceptionally massive; probably, individuals of this weight no longer exist in nature. Life expectancy: up to 17-20 years in nature and up to 30 years in captivity.

White lions are lions with reduced production of the pigment melanin. The reason for this phenomenon is a recessive gene that rarely manifests itself. The result of its action is a light color ranging from creamy beige to snow-white. Some white lions are white in some parts of the body and cream in others; some are painted a smooth white-cream color. White lions often have blue eyes (which is also associated with low melanin levels). There are currently about 300 white lions living on earth. There are special programs to preserve this type of color. But such a color only harms the lions themselves, living in the wild, as it unmasks them, preventing them from hunting. There is an assumption that the gene that gives white coloring in lions was left over from distant ancestors who lived during the Ice Age, when white coat color was necessary for camouflage

A little history of lions:
Lions reached their maximum distribution at the end of the Pleistocene: approximately 100,000–10,000 years ago they had the most extensive land range among mammals. Different geographic races or subspecies of lions were found from Alaska and Yukon in North America to Peru in South America, throughout Europe, Asia to Siberia and much of Africa. They became extinct in North America approximately 10,000 years ago. In historical times, lions lived in the extreme south of Africa and throughout the north of this continent, as well as throughout Western Asia, reaching India, where they occupied semi-desert plains in the northern half of the country, and the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. On the European continent, lions were exterminated by 100 AD, and in other parts of their former range - by the end of the last century. In Iran, a few lions remained until 1942; in India their number was reduced to about 25, and they remained there only in the Gir Forest, but they were taken under protection and their population has increased significantly since the 1940s. Now there are approximately 225 Asiatic lions. Studies have shown that these animals are morphologically and genetically different from African ones. Unfortunately, apparently as a result of prolonged inbreeding, Asiatic lions have lost almost all of their genetic diversity, reducing their adaptive flexibility to environmental changes. In addition, they have symptoms of reproductive dysfunction (low sperm quality with numerous abnormalities). Lions breed easily in captivity. As part of a worldwide program covering dozens of zoos, over the years they have already received several hundred Asiatic lions, constituting their “reserve” population, which can be used to strengthen the wild one. However, it was recently discovered that the founders of this population in captivity were not only purebred Asiatic, but also African lions, so work is now underway to create a new, “pure” population, as well as to establish separate pedigree books for African lions bred in zoos.

Leo is called the "King of Beasts". In the European tradition, it is a symbol of power, embodying the power of the sun and fire. In heraldry, the lion symbolizes royalty and nobility. In the countries of Southeast Asia (China, Japan, Korea) since ancient times there has been a special, highly mythologized and stylized image of a lion - the so-called Chinese lion. It bears little resemblance to a real lion, and rather resembles a mythical creature. According to the beliefs of Ancient China, the lion is the mythical protector of the Law, the guardian of sacred buildings. It is a symbol of power and success, royal power and strength. Such lions were installed as “guardians” in front of the gates of imperial tombs, government residences, administrative buildings and religious buildings of Imperial China (approximately since the Han Dynasty) and Japan. Currently, it is an attribute of Buddhist temples in East Asia (China, Korea, Japan) and Central Asia (Mongolia and Russia) and Shinto shrines.

In the hall, on the wall we have a large picture of a lion hanging. For a long time I chose between a tiger and a lion, but the choice fell on the king of beasts. It is quite understandable why the lion is called that. His luxurious mane alone is worth it. It even closely resembles a royal crown. Lions look very majestic. I'll tell you a little about the life of these predators.

Where and how do lions live?

Lions are sometimes called wild cats. Indeed, they belong to the cat family. Lions always live in groups. It is also common to call them prides. The life of lions in prides occurs according to certain rules:

  • always in pride several females present;
  • there is a fixed one behind the group territory;
  • Females are responsible for hunting and feeding.

Even a small child can distinguish a lion from other animals. Of course, exactly Griva is the main distinguishing feature. I think everyone knows that only males have it. And it doesn’t appear for them right away. A lion's full mane is formed only in the 6th year of life.

Lions in the wild found only in Africa and India. Most of them live in African territory. Lions prefer to settle in the savannahs, where a special type of acacia grows, which helps them hide from the heat and sultry sun.


In Africa, lions can be found almost anywhere below the Sahara. In India, these predators remained only in the western part. This area has a name Gir forest. There are very few lions left here, so they are trying to protect them by all means.

Lions in captivity

Lions don't only live in the wild. They can often be found in a zoo, nature reserve and even at the circus. I don’t like the circus, where animals have to participate in performances every day. I don't think they like it. But in the zoo, with good care, lions live very willingly and easily bear offspring. The most important thing is to stick content rules:

  • good nutrition;
  • no sources of irritation for an animal;
  • compliance with safety measures.

It is not at all difficult to keep such a predator, so in almost any zoo you can see an enclosure with a lion. Even in the cold, this animal feels comfortable, since in their permanent habitats the air temperature drops significantly at night.

Curious where lions live? Representatives of the cat family excite the minds of residents of different continents. It's so interesting to watch their habits... But, zoos aside, are there many predatory animals left in the wild? It's time to learn more about lions while these mammals live on our planet.

Geographical habitats of lions

Some legends and chronicles indicate that lions in the past were found from North Africa, India and Pakistan to Greece and Turkey. Predators could not be found in the places where seals live, but a significant part of Europe and even North America was inhabited by these representatives of the cat. In Northern and Northwestern India, the lion population persisted for a long time, so the inhabitants of the country have always treated this animal with respect.

Constant wars between lion prides, together with human hunting for valuable skins and luxurious manes, took their toll. Gradually, lions were completely exterminated in Greece, then they began to disappear in Turkey, and then it was Iran’s turn. In Africa alone, the population has declined by about 30-50% over the past two decades.

Reasons for the decline in the number of predators on the planet:

    Habitat loss. Human intervention in the extinction of animals may be indirect. Subjugation of nature sometimes has many undesirable consequences. Thus, changing the river bed makes farming easier, but destroys the usual flora and fauna downstream of the former water flow. Habitat changes make it impossible for the lion population to expand.

    Conflicts with a person. For a long time, the animal’s skin and fluffy mane were in the sights of hunters. But even listing the animal in the Red Book could not completely save the situation. Free hunters were replaced by poachers who sensed the value and demand of the trophy on the “black market.”

In their natural habitat, lions are currently found mainly in southern and eastern Africa (up to 80% of their total population). In the Erlie-Xingu ecosystem (in West Africa) for the years 2002-2004, there were from 850 to 1650 adult individuals. Their habitat occupies almost the entire territory of the continent south of the Sahara Desert.

In India, the only place where predators live freely to this day is the Gir forest. It is located in the west of the country, covering an area of ​​1412 sq. km. In April 2006, 359 adult individuals were counted there. A project to protect the Asiatic lion has been created in India. It is planned to support a second population of these rare animals in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh (in the Kuno Nature Reserve).

Where do lions live?

Cat lovers are very rarely interested in where the skunk lives. If lions do not feed on them, then is it worth focusing on small animals? Typically, lion prides hunt mammals whose body weight ranges from 190 to 550 kg. Such food preferences explain the fact that lions inhabit open areas of the savannah.

Predators are in no hurry to enter the forest, because hunting there is difficult. But in the open area, lions like to hide in the shade of several trees. Usually these are special types of acacia, although tall shrubs can also be chosen.

How long do lions live?

    Free. Males very rarely live more than 10 years in open nature. Constant skirmishes with other lions significantly shorten their lifespan. And when a lion’s skin is of interest to poachers, then 10 years seems like a long time.

    In nature reserves or safari parks. The relatively natural habitat allows the lifespan of lions to be extended to 10-14 years. Nature reserves differ from ordinary nature only in that they try to protect them from poachers and periodically feed the animals if necessary.

    In zoos. The closed territory and significantly limited predator capabilities lead to the fact that the animal quite often reaches the twenty-year mark. In captivity, many lions readily breed, so there are no special problems with their maintenance. If you constantly provide proper nutrition and monitor safety measures, then a large mammal will calmly meet its old age.