Females are smaller and sleeker, built to hunt. They readily eat any meat they can find, including carrion and fresh kills that they scavenge or forcefully steal from hyenas, cheetahs, or wild dogs. There are eight sub species of lions and one among them is Panthera leo krugeri, known as the Southeast African Lion. African lions are social animals, unlike most predatory cats. They occasionally also prey on larger animals, especially sick or injured ones, and eat found meat such as carrion. Manes make male lions look larger than they really are, which may function to intimidate rivals and impress prospective mates. The members of a pride spend days in several scattered groups that meet to hunt or share a meal. Lions enjoy relaxing and lazing around. They are the second largest big cat in the world, behind certain species of tigers. Lions (Panthera leo) are believed to have evolved in Africa, before thousands of years. The average pride consists of about 15 individuals, including five to 10 females with their young and two or three territorial males that are usually brothers or pride mates. Historically, they lived across much of Europe, Asia, and Africa, but now they are mainly found in parts of Africa south of the Sahara. That a lion denotes the good of celestial love and the derivative truth, in its power, and also that in the opposite sense it denotes the evil of the love of self in its power, is evident from passages in the Word where a lion is mentioned. The cats pay no attention to the wind’s direction (which can carry their scent to their prey), and they tire after running short distances. But underneath all its hissing and scratching, it's still a pussycat at heart. Nomadic males must always secure their own food. A lion’s roar is the loudest of any big cat and can be heard up to 8 km away. Protective. Lions have a fast-working digestive system, which allows them to gorge themselves and then go for seconds shortly after. Lion Characteristics: Large • Powerful • Good looking • Compelling • Courageous• Tyrannical Scientific Name: Panthera leo Collective Term: A pride of lions . A lion's claws are retractable, allowing for the excellent control when it needs to go in for a kill. Physical Characteristics. Lion prides can be as small as 3 or as big as 40 animals. Though a group of hunting lions is potentially nature’s most formidable predatory force on land, a high proportion of their hunts fail. Moving with the unruffled calm of a cat and the dignified gait of someone in command, lions have no need to walk or talk quickly since they're never in danger of being ignored or marginalized. This powerful creature symbolizes various qualities, such as the sun, wisdom, vengeance, strength, and salvation. Defecation and rubbing against bushes leave different scent markings. Young lions have light spotting on their coats that disappears as they grow. The length and color of a lion's mane is likely determined by age, genetics and hormones. Although most Hebrew and Greek words for lion are used in a figurative sense, nevertheless we can draw a number of inferences regarding the perceived characteristics and behavior of literal lions. Lionesses living in open savanna do most of the hunting, whereas males typically appropriate their meals from the female’s kills. They provide food for the pride. Lions are the only big cats to live in groups, called prides. Willing to fight. Wild Cats of Africa; List by Endangered Status; List by Genus; List by Lineage; All Wild Cat Lists ; 1. The courage that makes it such has to have come from a heart that has too much strength and determination. An adult lion’s coat is yellow-gold, and juveniles have some light spots that disappear with age. The mane and the tail tuft are unique to the Panthera leo (lion). Lions are adapted for life in grasslands and mixed areas with trees and grass. 9. The male’s outstanding characteristic is his mane, which varies between different individuals and populations. The cats typically gorge themselves and then rest for several days in its vicinity. Log in, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. The lion has forever been a symbol of strength, power and ferocity. There are many characteristics of lions that can separate them from other large cats. Updates? Some prides have been known to use the same territory for decades, passing the area on between females. An adult lion’s coat is yellow-gold, and juveniles have some light spots that disappear with age. For further information visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org. Where prey is abundant, a territory area may be as small as 20 square km (8 square miles), but if game is sparse, it may cover up to 400 square km. Hmm…we know that lions will fight when need be. Above all, a lion shows confidence! They work together to defend territory and hunt. Leo’s archetypal traits are derived from its active, masculine, or yang qualities, making this sign oriented toward assertive engagement with the outer world. After leaping on the prey, the lion lunges at its neck and bites until the animal has been strangled. They are the most successful cats because of their team work,adaptations and hunting skills. The mane of the male lion is a distinctive characteristic of lions as no other big cats have them. With powerful legs, a strong jaw, and long canine teeth, the lion can bring down and kill large prey. Fully mature males weigh between 330 and 550 lbs. In captivity lions often breed every year, but in the wild they usually breed no more than once in two years. It makes male lions appear larger, thus allowing them to be more intimidating. Lions are the most sociable member of the cat family and can be found living in prides of up to 25 individuals. Lions communicate through a range of behaviours and their expressive movements are very highly developed. Lion. They are built to defend the pride’s territory. Lions are most active at night and live in a variety of habitats but prefer grassland, savanna, dense scrub, and open woodland. Their vocalisations also vary in intensity and pitch. Hunts are sometimes conducted in groups, with members of a pride encircling a herd or approaching it from opposite directions, then closing in for a kill in the resulting panic. While some lions are nomadic and prefer to travel and hunt individually or in pairs, most lions live in a social organization known as a pride. Scientific name: Panthera leo. The lion is a well-muscled cat with a long body, large head, and short legs. Lions have a well-developed sense of hearing, which is enhanced by movable ears that can adjust to the direction of a sound. The mother moves around with her cubs. They are 6 times more sensitive to light than humans. African lions can grow to between 9 and 10 feet long (3 meters) from head to tail, with the tail being about 2 to 3 feet long (60 to 91 centimeters), according to the Smithsonian National Zoo. A pride of lions requires a large amount of space, enclosed by a fence tall enough to prevent climbing or jumping. Aslan is the Turkish and Mongolian word for “lion.” It is also the name of the lion in C. S. Lewis’ The … Usually all the lionesses in the pride are related—mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and sisters. The male species weighs between 160 to 190 kg, while the female weighs between 110 to 120 kg. And they dont leave them around in the open as compared to other cat family members. The wild lion lifespan is approximately eight to 10 years but can exceed 25 years in captivity. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. General characteristics. Lions are carnivores and their roar can be … They have few sweat glands so they wisely tend to conserve their energy by resting during the day and become more active at night when it is cooler. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Lions may also feed on domestic livestock, especially in areas near villages. Lions roar to communicate their position to other prides. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. During WWF tours to Africa, seeing the majestic species up-close is sure to be a spine-tingling experience. First of all you should know that a sea lion is not the same as a sea lion, since the first ones are bigger. Most lions are a tawny brown and sport a small tuft at the end of their tails. An adult male can consume more than 34 kg (75 pounds) of meat at a single meal and rest for a week before resuming the hunt. Ancient Egyptians venerated lions as their war dieties due to their strength, power and fierceness. Winston Churchill. 10. And they dont leave them around in the open as compared to other cat family members. African Lion Care. A pride will usually consist of 1-4 adult males, several adult females (one dominant), and several sub-adults and cubs. Hunting. The lion is a member of the cat family, and shares many common traits of this family. Lions often lose their kills to hyenas and sometimes to crocodiles. The purpose of the tail tuft is unknown, but the mane of the male lion serves several purposes. If available, they will drink water everyday. During WWF tours to Africa, seeing the majestic species up-close is sure to be a spine-tingling experience. Wild lions reproduce every two years, producing litters after a gestation period of 108 days. lion - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), lion - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Cubs are often killed by hyenas, wild dogs, and leopards. Please select which sections you would like to print: Corrections? The lion (Panthera leo) is a species in the family Felidae and a member of the genus Panthera.It has a muscular, deep-chested body, short, rounded head, round ears, and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. The famous sphinxes are just one of many mythical depictions of the lion in Egyptian culture. At sexual maturity, some female lions remain with the pride, but all male lions leave the pride. Every now and then, the lion will play to its gruff reputation by dramatically reprimanding a subordinate or impulsively making love to its partner with unsheathed claws. Lions usually hunt and eat medium-sized to large hoofed animals like wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes. Someone with a lion’s personality enjoys the limelight and may even be susceptible to flattery. Usually all the lionesses in the pride are related—mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and sisters. They also communicate through a variety of vocalisations including purrs, snarls, miaws and hissing. Prides are close family groups. Head rubbing, or nuzzling, is a common greeting behaviour for lions. Lion, (Panthera leo), large, powerfully built cat (family Felidae) that is second in size only to the tiger. Lioness is most attached and protective towards her cubs. Lion. Lion. Brave. Both sexes stand about 4 feet high. Naturally, you choose when and where … Other members of the pride quickly crowd around to feed on the kill, usually fighting for access. A pride consists of several generations of lionesses, some of which are related, a smaller number of breeding males, and their cubs. A full-grown male is about 1.8–2.1 metres (6–7 feet) long, excluding the 1-metre tail; he stands about 1.2 metres high at the shoulder and weighs 170–230 kg (370–500 pounds). While the lion is an apex predator, it falls prey to humans. Social Structure. List by Common Name; List by Continent. Males also proclaim their presence by urinating on bushes, trees, or simply on the ground, leaving a pungent scent behind. They most often hunt at dawn or dusk, but can adapt to their prey to change their schedule. Lions are social animals and must be kept in groups. Each pride has a well-defined territory consisting of a core area that is strictly defended against intruding lions and a fringe area where some overlap is tolerated. Cubs are extremely playful. While some lions are nomadic and prefer to travel and hunt individually or in pairs, most lions live in a social organization known as a pride. During confrontations with others, the mane makes the lion look bigger than he really is. Firstly, sea lions and sea wolves aren’t the same. Males can reach lengths of 10 feet (including tail), and females are generally less than 9 feet long. Kruger National Park spend less time with the pride depends on the prey, the mane the! 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