Wild Animals A-Z

Mammals
Mammals » Wild Animals A-Z »

Lion

Panthera leo

A Formidable Hunter: Found in Africa and the Gir Forest of northwest India, lions are formidable hunters. Prides, composed of four to six females, work together to take down large prey, such as zebra, wildebeest, impala and buffalo. Hunting skills are developed as cubs through the use of play-fighting among relatives. A lion's diet also consists of small rodents, hares and reptiles, which can be hunted and killed by a solitary lion.

The King of Cats: Males live in pairs or small groups until they're able to take over a pride. The males defend their large territorial areas against other male intruders to protect their mating rights with the prides that live within their territory.

Explore More

MORE BIG CATS

Tiger
The tiger: always en vogue with its one-of-a-kind stripes.

Cheetah
The turbo-charged muscle car of the animal world.

Leopard
Covered in spots, yet difficult to spot. Meet the ironic leopard.

Lynx
Get to know this fine-tuned, fearsome feline terror.

Jaguar
Meet this musclebound meat-eater of the Americas.

MORE LION

BLOG: A Season with Lions with Dave Salmoni

VIDEO: Lion Adopts an Oryx

VIDEO: Lions Maul Zookeeper

VIDEO: Hunting in the Water

VIDEO: Lions Fighting

QUIZ: Lion Video Quiz

INTERVIEW: Heart of a Lioness

INTERACTIVE: Anatomy of a Lion

DID YOU KNOW?

Grrrl Power: While the male lion is off patrolling the pride's territory, the lionesses are the ones that do most of the hunting for the group.

A Low Batting Average: The wilds of Africa and Asia are host to a never-ending arms race between predator and prey. Even the formidable lion only makes one kill out of every five attempts.

Swimming Lions?: Most lions avoid water; their body temperature drops drastically when wet and oils in their fur that help keep insects away can be washed off. Yet, the lions of the Okavango Delta regularly take to the water to hunt and move from island to island.

Sleepy Lions: Lions often sleep for most or all of the day, especially in extreme heat.

How Stuff Works

Is There Such Thing as a Man-Eating Lion?
The lion is one of the most dangerous predators in Africa, but can they really develop a taste for humans? Find out at HowStuffWorks.com.