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African Lion
Common Name: lion
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus species: Panthera (panther, leopard) leo (lion)
The lion is very different from other members of the cat family. It is
the only social cat and lives
in groups called prides. The basis of a
resident pride is a group of related females and their young. The pride
hunts and eats collectively. There may be as many as forty lions in a
pride, including
2-18 adult females and up to 7 adult males, but it is
rare that all are assembled in one spot. They are usually scattered
singly and in small groups that change from day to day. Several females
may give birth in the same month and not only rear their young together,
but also suckle cubs
other than their own.
Size: male 1.7 to 2.5 m (5.5-8 ft.), and 1.2 m (4 feet) at the shoulder: female 1.4 to 1.7 m (4.5-5.5 ft.),
and 1.06 m (3.5 feet) at the shoulder
Weight: males 150 to 250 kg (330-550 lb.), females 120 to 180 kg (265-395 lb.)
Description: short-haired, tawny cat; black tail tuft, ears, and lips; males with blond to black manes; newborns with grayish spots which fade to adult
color by three months
Life span: up to 30 years in captivity, 15 years average
Sexual maturity: males at 5 years, females at 4 years
Gestation: 98 to 105 days; on average 2 to 4 cubs born
Habitat: sub-Saharan Africa in grasslands and semi-arid plains
Diet: antelopes, gazelles, warthogs, smaller carnivores, and occasionally Cape
buffalo, giraffe, and young elephants. |
