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The Lion


African Lion
Source: USFWS

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Lions are big cats known as the King of the Jungle. They are found in Africa and India where they sit at the top of the food chain.

Male Lion
Source: USFWS
The Lion Pride

A group of lions is called a pride. Lions are the only truly social cats. A pride of lions can range from 3 lions to as many as 30 lions. A pride is usually made up of lionesses, their cubs, and a few male lions. The lionesses do the majority of the hunting while the males mostly guard the pride and provide protection for the cubs. The lionesses work together to hunt and can bring down large prey like water buffalo.

How big are they?

Lions are the second biggest cat behind the tiger. They can get up to 8 feet long and over 500 pounds. The male lions develop a large mane of hair around their neck, which distinguishes them from the females. The males are generally larger than the females as well.

What do they do all day?

Lions lay around most of the day resting in the shade. They will store up energy for short intense bursts of hunting where they can run extremely fast for short periods to capture their prey. They tend to be more active and hunt around dusk and dawn.

What do they eat?

Lions are carnivores and eat meat. They can take down just about any decent sized animal. Some of their favorite prey includes water buffalo, antelope, wildebeest, impala, and zebras. Lions have been known to occasionally kill large beasts like elephants, giraffes, and rhinos.

Baby Lions

Baby lions are called cubs. Cubs in a pride are taken care of by all the other members of the pride and may nurse from any of the lionesses, not just their mothers. Young males will be driven out of the pride at the age of 2 ½ to 3 years old.

Fun Facts About Lions

African Lion Cubs
Source: USFWS


For more about cats:

Cheetah - The fastest land mammal.
Clouded Leopard - Endangered medium size cat from Asia.
Lions - This big cat is King of the Jungle.
Maine Coon Cat - Popular and large pet cat.
Persian Cat - The most popular breed of domesticated cat.
Tiger - Biggest of the big cats.

Back to Cats

Back to Animals for Kids




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