Lions are one of the most fascinating carnivore mammals. The scientific name of the lion is Panthera Leo, and it is mainly found in Africa. The group of lions is called a Pride, and a Pride consists of a few males, females, and cubs. Lions are muscular and round-chested animals, with male lions having big hair around their face. They mainly make grasslands their home. 

As per the genetic studies, lions first inhabited easter and southern Africa, and that’s where their evolution happened. Various species of lions, namely Barbary Lion, are mainly found in North Africa, cave lions found in Europe, American lions, found in North and Central America, and Asiatic Lion mainly found in India.

king of the jungle, lion

With so many varieties, Lions are certainly one of the most fascinating animals on the planet. Lion is called the king of the jungle, and nobody messes with the king, and here are a few facts about lions you must know…

  • Lions are a part of the cat family, and they are the only cats that live in groups. A lion’s pride consists of ten to fifteen lions. The Pride walks together, hunts together, and rests together. 
  • These beasts need to eat every day. An adult male lion needs to consume 16 pounds of meat every day. In contrast, a female lion needs to consume nearly 11 pounds of meat every day. They generally prey on large herbivore animals like zebras, buffalo, etc.
  • While lions need to eat every day, they can go without drinking water for up to 4 days. However, they will drink water every day if there’s a water source within their reach.
  • They are among the best hunters in the jungle. Lions hunt in groups, and this makes their attack even more dangerous. Few animals lay ambushes as good as lions. Their vision is almost six times more sensitive to light than humans, giving them an upper hand while carrying out an attack at night. While male lions form a semicircle-like boundary around the prey, the female lion leads the attack. Their claws can retract up to 1.5 inches, giving them a huge advantage during an attack. A fully grown-up lion can achieve a speed of up to 50 miles per hour and jump up to 36 feet. All these factors are the reason that a lion is called the king of the jungle.

Also Read, Hidden and amazing facts about Bengal Tigers

  • It is the female lions who take care of the cubs. Different females in the Pride give birth around the same time, helping the Pride to multiply easily. The cubs are taken care of by the lioness until they are 2 to 3 years old. In some cases, the strength of a Pride may go up to 40 lions. 

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  • Lion cubs don’t just face the risk of getting hunted by snakes, large birds, and other male lions. Lion cubs are weak after their birth, and their eyes don’t open for two to three weeks. The conflict between two Prides is a normal affair in the jungle, which normally happens due to trespassing of territories. In such cases, the lion cubs could be the first victim. Thus the lionesses have the responsibility to safeguard them.
  • Lions are the second-largest cat on the planet. They are only next to the Siberian tiger. They are confused as the largest cat by many due to their round body and large hair around the face, making their head look bigger. Male lions can grow up to 10 feet in length and weigh up to 550 pounds. Female lions can grow to a length of 9 feet and weigh up to 390 pounds.
  • They can climb trees too. We have all seen tigers, cheetahs, and other mammals climbing trees, but a lion climbing a tree is rare. But it doesn’t mean that the big cats are unable to do so. While they generally don’t like the idea of climbing trees, they have learned to do so, especially in some parts of Africa, to get rid of biting flies and insects on the ground.

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  • While lions are called the king of the jungle, they don’t generally live in the jungle. Lions prefer grasslands and plains over-dense forests, which is more particular in the African Lions.
  • Lions face a great threat of extinction. They were once found in Europe, but their population has now been reduced to certain countries. The Asiatic lion, for example, is only found in India, in Gujarat’s Gir, to be precise. 
  • Lions are very intelligent and use different signals and methods to communicate with the members of their Pride. These communication methods include roars, growls, moans, and grunts.
  • Lions have vanished from 95 percent of their historical range, and there are only about 20,000 lions left in the world. Among these, the smallest population is of Asiatic Lions. There are just 600 Asiatic Lions left in the world.