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10 Cool Things About Lions

Inspiring and intimidating. Fascinating and fierce. Few animals are as exalted as the lion, the largest carnivore of the African savannah. 

But how much do you really know about lions? 

1. Lions coordinate attacks on prey

Almost like running a football play, lions are known to move into complex formations and take on different roles before launching an assault on unsuspecting prey. One common strategy is for several lions to stealthily encircle their prey in a triangular pattern, with one lion launching an ambush attack that drives their fleeing prey towards the other hidden lions. 

2. You will never hear a lion purr 

Unlike a house cat, lions and tigers cannot purr to show contentment. This is due to an anatomical difference in the hyoid apparatus that lies in the base of the animal’s throat. Smaller members of the feline family —l ike house cats, bobcats and sand cats — have a hyoid bone that can vibrate against the cat’s larynx. This vibration is what creates that soothing resonant noise, or purr, in small cats. But in big cats, the hyoid bone is replaced by a fleshy length of muscle and cartilage, which is the same feature that allows lions and tigers to roar. This appendage is too soft to vibrate like a hyoid bone, which means it’s biologically impossible for a lion to purr. 

So how do lions display their contentment? Often through a combination of growls, grunts and moans. 

3. When it comes to manes, size matters… or does it?

There is still much debate among the scientific community as to why male lions grow such thick, luscious manes. Some evidence suggests female lions may be more attracted to males with longer, darker manes, which could imply that a healthy head of fur lets females know that the male is a desirable candidate for breeding. Another common theory is a thick mane offers some degree of protection against bites to the throat from challenging males. Mane growth appears to be linked to testosterone levels, so a big, furry mane might send a message to potential rivals that they should think twice before picking a fight.

4. Hunting strategies vary by prey species 

A group of lions will often rely on ambushes to take down prey, but their exact hunting patterns vary depending on which animal they hunt. For smaller animals like gazelles and warthogs, lions will often attack with a straightforward ambush assault. For larger animals, like zebras or Cape buffalo, lions might choose to charge headlong at the herd, creating chaos and separating weak individuals who can be picked off more easily. One pride of lions in Botswana has been documented hunting elephants by isolating the calves from the rest of the herd, then driving them into a deep river and retrieving the carcass after their victim drowned.         

5. Lion prides don’t hang out in one big pile 

Lions are the most social species of cats. A pride of lions usually consists of six to 20 females, along with one or two males and the group’s cubs. Lions form strong bonds with the other members of their pride, but they do not always travel in tight formation. Instead, large groups of lions will often split up into fractured groups and disperse across the landscape, which allows them to defend their territory more effectively.   Pride members seem to stay in close communication with roars and often meet up for sharing kills, breeding and defending the territory from outside threats.

6. Male lions occupy a pride for 2-3 generations 

While the basic social unit for female lions is a pride, the story is a little more complicated for males. Young male lions are typically kicked out of their birth pride around adolescence, when it becomes clear to the adult male that the younger male will become competition. After leaving their birth pride, adolescent bachelor males form coalitions, usually made up of two or three males from the same litter. These groups will wander their habitat until they are ready to take over another pride—usually by challenging the resident male, or males, to a fight. When one male group challenges another, death is typically the result for the losing side. 

The new resident male, or males, in some cases, will defend the pride and serve as the females’ breeding partner for two to three generations, or about three to five years. After losing a challenge to a new coalition, the former resident male will either die or be driven out. Even if he survives, the losing male is forced into a nomadic life, and male lions typically do not live long lives as nomads. 

7. Some Zoo employees can hear lion roars from their nearby homes 

How loud is a lion’s roar? In the open savanna, a lion’s roar can be heard from over 5 miles (8 kilometers) away. One experiment measured a male lion roaring at 114 decibels—that’s nearly as loud as a thunderclap.

In Washington, D.C., a lion’s roar doesn’t travel quite that far. (By comparison, the lion exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is about two and a half miles, or four kilometers, from the White House.) But the roars from the Zoo’s beloved lions are loud enough that local Zoo neighbors, including a few keepers who live nearby, can hear them roaring from inside their homes and apartment buildings.

8. No fiber in your diet? Try hair instead!

Thanks to their relatively short digestive tracts, lions are obligate carnivores. This means they rely almost entirely on meat to sustain themselves. Long digestive tracts allow herbivores and omnivores to gradually extract nutrients from plant materials, which obligate carnivores cannot digest.   Lions may be seen eating grass, but this is usually when they are trying to settle an upset stomach.

Other non-meat items lions often ingest, such as fur, hair and bone fragments from their prey, add the bulk and structure necessary for a lion to cleanse and maintain a healthy bowel (or gut).

9. It is now (mostly) illegal to own a lion in the United States 

Lions are considered vulnerable by the IUCN, with an estimated 24,000 lions remaining in the wild. However, by some estimates, between 5,000-10,000 big cats are owned privately in the United States. Many of these big cats, including lions, tigers and jaguars, are held in non-accredited facilities that are not connected to broader conservation efforts.

In December 2022, the Big Cat Public Safety Act was enacted to end the private ownership of big cats as pets, while placing new restrictions on commerce, breeding, possession and use of big cat species.

10. Lion populations are decreasing...but not everywhere

Wildlife experts do not consider lions to be at immediate risk for extinction. However, decades of habitat degradation, poaching and human persecution have taken their toll. The total number of lions has dropped by 43% in the past 21 years. As of 2023, lions occupy just 17% of their former African range.

Fortunately, organized efforts to protect lions and their habitats are starting to pay off. Local populations of lions appear to be increasing in some areas of Africa, and in the last decade, lions were spotted in wildlife reserves in Mozambique and Chad where they were thought to be locally extinct. The establishment of protected nature areas and wildlife corridors might prove to be the key to survival for lions and hundreds of threatened African species, but decades of work remain before these animals will no longer be at risk for extinction.

Interested in joining the effort to help lions? Consider volunteering at a local conservation organization or donating to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, which helps support animal care and wildlife conservation programs at home and abroad.

Also, you can learn more about the Zoo’s lions (and tigers) at the Great Cats exhibit, where the “ Meet a Lion/Tiger Keeper ” demo takes place at 11 a.m. daily.

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Answers to your questions about mountain lions.

Answers to Your Questions

• Identifying Mountain Lion Tracks.
• Are Mountain Lions, Cougars, and Panthers all the Same Animal?

How Many Mountain Lions Are There?

What do mountain lions look like.

• Where Do Mountain Lions Live in the U.S.?

What Do Mountain Lions Eat?

Are mountain lions dangerous.

• How Can I Protect My Pets and Livestock From Mountain Lions?

Will Sport Hunting of Lions Improve the Safety of People, Pets and Livestock?

• If Mountain Lions Aren’t Endangered Why Do They Need Protection?

What is the Mountain Lion Foundation?

Mountain lions can.

• Bound up to 40 feet running
• Leap 15 feet up a tree
• Climb over a 12 foot fence
• Travel many miles at 10 mph
• Reach speeds of 50 mph in a sprint

Identifying Mountain Lion Tracks

Mountain lions have a distinctive “M” shaped pad with three lobes on the rear of the heel (dogs only have two lobes). Their claw marks do not show in the track. Walking, the cat’s hind foot steps in his fore track, creating overlapping patterns.  Their toes slant — similar to human feet — indicating left or right foot. Dog tracks are more symmetrical, and the raised dirt in the middle forms an “X”  shape. Click here for more information on mountain lion tracks, scat and other signs.

Are Mountain Lions, Cougars and Panthers all the Same Animal?

YES!  The American lion’s scientific name is  Puma concolor,  and is sometimes referred to as “the cat of many names.” The scientific name was changed from “ Felis concolor ” in recent decades. Mountain lions once ranged more extensively than any other mammal in the Western Hemisphere. Historically they could be found anywhere from the Canadian Yukon to the Straits of Magellan — over 110 degrees in latitude — and from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean. As a result, each native tribe and group of European explorers gave the cat a different name. Today, mountain lions are listed in dictionaries under more names than any other animal in the world. Writer Claude T. Barnes listed 18 native South American, 25 native North American, and 40 English names for the same animal. Depending on the region and native language, common names for the American lion include: mountain lion, cougar, panther, puma, painter, el leon, and catamount. To learn more about the origins of some of these names, read  Chapter 1  of Cougar: The American Lion.

Although the mountain lion may have more names and nicknames than any other animal, the following are not names for lions and represent completely different species: bobcat, lynx, ocelot, jaguar, leopard, cheetah, Asiatic lion, African lion, and tiger. Many people have heard the term  “black panther,” but these are actually melanistic jaguars or leopards: a genetic trait that makes an individual cat’s fur appear much darker than the usual coloration. To date there has never been a confirmed case of a melanistic (black) mountain lion.

The solitary and elusive nature of mountain lions makes them difficult to research and practically impossible to count. Population estimation models are based on numerous long-term studies of lion populations, their prey, and habitat mapping. Based on the best available data at this time, the Mountain Lion Foundation believes the mountain lion population in the United States is unlikely to exceed 30,000. And, many of those lions depend upon severely fragmented and degraded habitat, are in severe danger of over-hunting and road kill, are imperiled by intolerance of their presence on the landscape, and are so few  and unconnected they are on the edge of genetic viability. People are responsible for the death of more than 3,000 mountain lions in the U.S. each and every year.

For more information, read How Many Lions are in the United States?

Puma concolor  means lion of one color. Adult mountain lions have a tan-colored coat — much like the African lion — but are slighter in build with a head that is smaller in proportion to its body.

The sexes look alike, though male lions are 30 to 40 percent larger than females. Though sizes vary greatly throughout the cat’s geographic range, a typical adult male will weigh 110 to 180 pounds and the female 80 to 130 pounds. Exceptional individuals have exceeded 200 pounds, but this is rare. Adult males will measure 6 to 8 feet from nose to tail tip and females 5 to 7 feet. The most recognizable feature of the American lion is its long and heavy tail, which measures almost one-third of the lion’s total length.

Mountain lion kittens or cubs (either term is correct) have camouflaging spots and rings around their tails that fade as they mature.

For more information on   mountain lions check out MLF’s Biology & Behavior page. To learn how to identify a lion’s age and gender, check out this helpful  ID Guide  from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

How and Where do Mountain Lions Live in the U.S.?

Mountain lions used to occupy the entire United States coast-to-coast, but today they are primarily found in 14 western states with a small endangered population in Florida. Five very small populations have regained an unsteady foothold just east of the Rockies in the 1980s and 90s, but their future is uncertain.

They prefer areas with dense undergrowth and cover, and will leave an area if they perceive a threat. Found in deserts, humid coast forests, arid hillsides, scrub and oak woodlands, lions can live from sea level to snow-covered mountain peaks.

A ten year lifespan is considered old age for a mountain lion in the wild. Lions in captivity have been known to live twice that long. In areas where mountain lions are hunted for sport, only a small percentage make it past five years old.

Mountain lions are solitary unless mating or parenting and maintain territories that average 100 square miles in size. Lions mark their territories by clawing trees and urinating on scratch piles of dry leaves, grass or pine needles. They will fight other lions, even to the death, to protect their territory. A female with kittens will move to a new den site within her territory  every few weeks to protect her kittens from predators and male lions. To learn more about “Cougars at Home,” check out Chapter Three of MLF’s on-line book; Cougar: The American Lion.

Opportunistic hunters, mountain lions typically hunt alone from dusk to dawn, taking their prey (primarily deer) from behind. On average, a lion will kill a deer about once a week. They also dine on coyotes, raccoons, rodents, elk, feral hogs, and even porcupines. They may drag the meal to another area and cover it with dry leaves, grass or pine needles to protect the food from other animals and  to reduce spoilage. A mountain lion may return to feed at the site over a period of several days. For more information on a lion’s diet, read  Chapter Four of MLF’s on-line book; Cougar: The American Lion.

To deer, yes! To people, not so much. Human encounters with mountain lions are rare and the risk of an attack is infinitely small. You are more likely to drown in your bathtub, be killed by a pet dog, or hit by lightning. If lions had any natural urge to hunt people, there would be attacks every single day. Instead, they avoid us.

But if you live, work, or play in cat country,  be alert!  Avoid walking alone between dusk and dawn when lions are most active. Keep your children and pets close to you. Never approach or corner a mountain lion (or any wild animal). If you do encounter a mountain lion,  STOP. DO NOT RUN . Unlike safety advice for encountering bears, do not act timid or play dead in front of a cat.

Instead: Maintain eye contact. Stand tall. Look bigger by opening your coat or raising your arms. Slowly wave your  arms and speak firmly. Throw items at the lion if necessary. Give the cat room and time to move on.

In the rare event of an attack, fight back. Most people succeed in driving the mountain lion away.

How Can I Protect My Pets and Livestock from Mountain Lions?

If you live in or around mountain lion habitat, it is wise to bring your animals indoors at night. Although still a fairly rare occurrence, domestic animals can be an easy meal for mountain lions and other wild predators. Mountain lions hunt primarily at night and unprotected pets, sheep and goats are easy prey. Most pets  and livestock do not have the skills to protect themselves and are dependent on people for their safety. The threat to domestic animals from mountain lions can easily be avoided by modifying animal husbandry practices. See MLF’s 4 Simple Steps for more details.

No. The assertion that sport hunting is a necessary and effective strategy for reducing mountain lion attacks on people remains widespread in the mainstream media and in the popular literature. While some state wildlife agencies, such as in California and Wyoming, state that sport hunting cannot be expected to increase public safety, other state agencies have claimed the opposite, apparently to garner public support for sport hunting. For example, without any scientific research to back their theory, in 2005 the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks offered as the primary justification for their state’s first-ever sport hunting season on mountain lions that it “may be a more effective solution [than removal of individual lions] for dealing with problems caused by mountain lions.” This would be like the police department saying their new plan to reduce crime is to start randomly arresting innocent people on the street.

Annually killing off thousands of lions in wilderness areas that avoid people does not make the remaining lion population fearful of humans.

An overwhelming number of studies have clearly demonstrated that sport hunting of lions not only does not increase the public’s safety, it also does not reduce depredation on livestock or other domestic animals, and in fact appears to be responsible for the increase in human/lion  conflicts in regions where lion mortality is excessive. For more information see Effects of Sport Hunting on Cougar Population, Community and Landscape Ecology   and the latest research on what happens when adult lions are excessively hunted:   Troubled Teens .

If Mountain Lions Aren’t Endangered Why Do They Need to Be Protected?

Although many people believe the number of lions in the U.S. is increasing, this is not the case. Habitat destruction, roadkill, poaching, poisoning and primarily trophy hunters are killing more mountain lions today than at any other time in our nation’s history. More lions are being shot today by hunters than were killed during America’s bounty period when residents were paid for helping eliminate unwanted species; and quotas continue to be increased every single year. There is no legitimate reason to trophy hunt mountain lions: it is purely a recreational sport. MLF and our supporters around the globe believe it is time for this brutal and outdated pastime to come to an end. It is no longer in line with society’s views and our remaining wildlands cannot endure the slaughter of this apex species.

Wildlife biologists know mountain lions are vital and invaluable. It is a keystone species playing an irreplaceable and complex role on the landscape. Lions exist in low densities and are self-regulating which means they control their own population size in balance with the ecosystem without the need for human intervention. Top carnivores help maintain the plants and animals within their range. Mountain lions keep deer herds on the move so that they do not overgraze in any particular area. This behavioral change results in less erosion along riverbanks and increases habitat for other species like songbirds. Ecosystems with lions are healthier, more sustainable, and contain a richer balance of nature.

Because they are so difficult to research, we don’t know how many are left, only that we are making it increasingly difficult for lions to find suitable habitat and avoid hunters. If the species is to survive, or stand a chance  at recolonizing the eastern two-thirds of our country, effective protection laws need to be put in place now. To find out more about the threats facing mountain lions in America today, visit MLF’s Threats page.

Founded in 1986 to stop the trophy hunting of mountain lions in California, the Mountain Lion Foundation (MLF) has grown into a national, non-profit conservation and education organization dedicated to protecting mountain lions and their habitat. MLF has inspired citizens across the nation to act on behalf of lions and their habitat by presenting practical solutions to complex problems, providing unbiased information to media, aiding local activists, promoting lion research, influencing regulation and changing laws.

Your membership, at any level, makes you part of a nationwide network of individuals who commit dollars and energy to the cause of Saving America’s Lion. For more information on who we are and what we have accomplished visit MLF’s About page.

Can’t Find What You Are Looking for On Our Web Page?

If you still cannot find what you are looking for please contact us and we will try to assist you in finding what you are looking for on the MLF website. Our email is [email protected] , and our phone number is 916-442-2666.

Lions: Facts, behavior and news

The uniquely-social lion is the world's second-largest cat

How big are lions?

Where do lions live, lion pride dynamics, mating and raising young, conservation status, news about lions, additional resources.

Lions are the second-largest cats in the world, after tigers . Known as the "king of beasts" or "king of the jungle," these regal felines once roamed Africa, Asia and Europe, but now only live in parts of Africa and India. 

Experts have long recognized two subspecies of lion, Panthera leo leo (the African lion) and Panthera leo persica (the Asiatic lion). However, recent studies suggest that lions from West and Central Africa are more closely related to Asian lions than they are to lions from the eastern and southern parts of Africa, according to the Cat Specialist Group , a component of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 

In 2017, the Cat Specialist Group published their reclassification of lions , grouping the cats into two new subspecies: Panthera leo leo (also called the Northern subspecies) and Panthera leo melanochaita (the Southern subspecies). 

Panthera leo leo includes lion populations in Central Africa, West Africa (West African or Senegal lion) and India (Asiatic lion), according to the University of Kent , as well as extinct populations previously found in North Africa (Barbary lion), southeastern Europe, the Middle East, the Arabian peninsula and southwestern Asia. Panthera leo melanochaita includes lion populations from southern parts of Africa (Katanga lion and the Southeast African lion) and East Africa (Masai lion and Ethiopian lion).

Although the West African and Asiatic lions are genetically similar, many of their physical characteristics and behaviors are slightly different.

African lions can grow to measure 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 . They typically weigh between 330 to 550 pounds (150 to 250 kilograms), with males reaching the higher end of that range. 

Asiatic lions (also called Asian or Indian lions) are slightly smaller than African lions. They are 6.6 to 9.2 feet (2 to 2.8 m) long from head to tail and weigh between 242 to 418 pounds (110 to 190 kg), according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). 

— In photos: The lions of Kenya's Masai Mara

— The world's fastest animals

— Biggest cats in the world

Lions tend to have loose skin hanging from their midsection, possibly to help protect them from the piercing hooves of their frantic prey. Asiatic lions also have a fold of skin that runs along their belly, a feature rarely seen in African lions, according to the African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (ALERT), a research and conservation organization. Compared with African lions, Asiatic lions tend to have shaggier coats, longer hair tufts on their elbows, and a longer tassel on the end of their tail. 

Not only are male lions generally larger than females, but they also have a distinctive thick mane of hair around their heads that females lack. The biggest and most fabulous manes are more impressive to sexually mature females and more intimidating to competing males, according to the San Diego Zoo . The mane also protects the male's neck during fights over territory or mating access. African lions tend to have bigger, more magnificent manes compared to their Asiatic cousins.

African lions live in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, the Central African Republic, South Sudan and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Male lions defend the pride’s territory, which may include an area of up to 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) of shrubs, grasslands and open woodlands, according to the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio. 

Asiatic lions are found only in the Indian state of Gujarat in Western India, where most reside in the protected Sasan Gir National Park , a 545-square-mile (1,412-square-km) wildlife haven. The Indian government designated this land, which includes a deciduous forest, grasslands, scrub jungle and rocky hills, as a wildlife sanctuary in 1965, according to the park's website. In addition to more than 500 lions and 300 leopards, the park is home to deer, antelope, jackal, hyenas, foxes, reptiles and more than 200 species of birds.

Lions are social cats and live in groups called prides. Asiatic and African lion prides are very different, though.

African lion prides typically consist of up to three adult males and around a dozen females and their young, according to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. Some prides can grow to be extremely large, however, with up to 40 members. Females tend to remain in the pride in which they are born, so they are usually related to each other. Males, on the other hand, wander off to create their own prides when they are old enough.

Asiatic male lions normally won't live with the females of their pride unless they’re mating or are sharing a large kill, according to the Zoological Society of London .

How do lions hunt?

African lions tend to hunt large animals such as antelopes, zebras, hogs, rhinos , hippos and wildebeest. Asiatic lions also hunt large animals, including buffaloes, goats, nilgai (a large Asian antelope), chital and sambar (two types of deer). Lions can kill animals that weigh up to 1,000 pounds (450 kg), according to the Smithsonian National Zoo , but they will also hunt smaller animals like mice and birds when opportunities arise. 

Females are the main hunters of the pride, and work cooperatively in hunting parties to surround and take down prey. Lions can run up to 50 mph (80 km/h) for short distances and leap as far as 36 feet (11 m), almost the length of a school bus, according to the World Wildlife Fund . To bring down prey, lions jump on the backs of very large animals but will "ankle-tap" smaller animals, meaning they reach out a paw and swipe the preys' legs to trip them up, according to ALERT . To kill their prey, lions use their powerful jaws to snap the animal's neck or to strangle it to death.

Very occasionally, males will join in the hunting action, particularly if the prey is extremely large, like an elephant or water buffalo. Otherwise, the main job of the male is to protect the pride, while the female lions hunt in packs. African males who live alone are required to hunt by themselves, and tend to hide in dense vegetation to engage in ambush-style hunting, according to Smithsonian Magazine . 

Lions typically hunt at night and often lurk around water holes, streams and rivers, as those areas are hotspots for prey. Lions will also scavenge, and won't hesitate to steal other predators' kills or eat the leftovers, according to ALERT.

Male lions reach sexual maturity when they are around 2 years old, according to a research article published in 2018 in the journal Zoo Biology . However, male lions are unlikely to breed before the age of 4 or 5 years, when they are large enough to attempt to take over a pride and assert their access to sexually mature females, according to ALERT . 

Males as old as 16 years can still produce viable sperm but usually lose their mating rights once they can no longer fight off younger males. Male African lions that are trying to take over a pride will kill all of the cubs from other males to avoid competition. 

Most female lions give birth by the time they are 4 years old. The gestation period for lions is around four months. Females will give birth to their young away from others, and will hide the cubs for the first six weeks of their lives. At birth, the cubs only weigh around 2 to 4 pounds. (0.9 to 1.8 kg), according to ALERT , and they're completely dependent on their mother.

All of the females in a pride will mate at around the same time. After the first six weeks of rearing cubs alone, the mothers and cubs will rejoin the pride. Other females in the pride will contribute to raising all of their pride's young, and will even nurse other mothers' cubs, according to the San Diego Zoo. 

Lions are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species . About 75% of African lion populations are in decline; their current global population is estimated at 20,000 in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The population has been reduced by nearly 50% over the past two decades because of retaliatory killings by farmers whose livestock were eaten by lions, as well as from trophy hunting and habitat loss. 

Research published in Nov. 2021 in the journal Molecular Ecology  found that lions' ancestors inhabited North America by crossing the Bering Land Bridge, which once linked North America and northeast Asia, in multiple waves, alongside brown bears. 

In March 2022, scientists who studied the movement patterns of lions over diverse landscapes, discovered that the big cats' hunting behaviors varied significantly due to changes in vulnerability and distribution of the lions' prey. 

The research, which was published in the Journal of Mammalogy , studied three lion prides in Kruger National Park in South Africa, evaluating their hunting behavior around large herbivores.  

According to the study authors, lions left their home ranges to hunt on 13% of the nights when they were observed. Their results indicated that the lions left their home ranges as often as every second night to visit areas with shorter grass, where wildebeests grazed. 

To learn more about how wild lions can be protected, and the struggle to conserve lions, visit the Defenders of Wildlife website . Additionally, you can observe the hunting skills of a lioness in this clip from BBC Earth . 

Originally published on Live Science.

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Top 10 facts about lions

1. Nearly all wild lions live in Africa, but one small population exists elsewhere

In the wild, there are two formally recognised lion subspecies. The African lion ( Panthera leo leo ) is found in Africa, south of the Sahara desert. The Asiatic lion ( Panthera leo persica ) exists in one small population around Gir Forest National Park in western India.

Wild lions in the west and central Africa are more closely related to these Asiatic lions in India than to those found in southern and east Africa.

2. Male lions can weigh 30 stone

On average, male lions weigh 190kg (almost 30 stone) and females weigh 126kg (almost 20 stone). 

They need this weight and power behind them to hunt large prey and defend their pride. 

3. They start off spotty

Young lions have rosettes and spots on their sandy coats, but these generally disappear as they mature. 

4. The magnificent manes on male lions tell a story

Most male lions grow impressive manes the older they get. These manes grow up to 16cm long and are a sign of dominance.

However, not all male lions have manes. ‘Maneless’ male lions are common in parts of Africa, such as Tsavo National Park in Kenya. This is thought to be an adaptation to the local climate, as manes can reduce heat loss.

5. Lion cubs are reared together

A pride of lions is usually made up of related females and their cubs, plus a male or small group of males who defend their pride. The lionesses rear their cubs together and cubs can suckle from any female with milk. 

6. Lions can get their water from plants

Lions are highly adaptable and can live in very dry areas like the Kalahari Desert. Here they get most of their water from their prey and will even drink from plants such as the Tsamma melon. 

7. Lions are big eaters

Lions can eat up to 40kg of meat in a single meal - around a quarter of their body weight. 

Their tongues have sharp-pointed rasps, called papillae, which are used to scrape meat off the bones. 

8. They hunt during storms 

Lions do most of their hunting at night as their eyes have adapted to the dark and this gives them a huge advantage over their prey.

Interestingly though, lions also hunt during storms. The noise, rain and/or wind make it harder for prey to see and hear them, increasing their chances of a successful hunt.

When hunting, lionesses have specific roles. Some play the role of 'centre' and others the role of 'wing' - the wings chase the prey towards the centres.

9. Lions are the only cats who roar together

Lions are the only known cat species where individuals roar together - with even young cubs joining in with their mews. The calling sequence usually lasts about 40 seconds. 

A group of lions, also called 'a pride', often roar together to mark their territory - a roar can be heard from 5 miles away. 

10. There aren’t as many lions as you’d think

There are thought to be as few as 23,000 lions left in the wild. When you think there are around 415,000 wild African elephants, you realise lion numbers are incredibly low. 

In fact, lions have disappeared from over 90% of their historical range.

African lion numbers are thought to have declined by over 40% in the just three generations.

The main threats are retaliatory or pre-emptive killing of lions to protect people and livestock; and decreasing natural prey populations and habitat (for example, due to expanding human settlements, agriculture and poaching of antelope for wild meat consumption).

When their natural prey is scarce, lions can cause grave losses to livestock, which can massively reduce the income of local people.

Climate change is another increasing threat – extreme weather may cause more droughts or delay the rains, affecting lions’ prey.

They’re also killed for the illegal wildlife trade. In recent years, the demand for lion bone as a substitute for tiger bone in traditional Asian medicine has risen.

Watch our YouTube video about Lions

We’re helping to establish and improve protected areas of habitat in east Africa, and work with communities to support the development of ‘conservancies’; community land that is unfenced and protected for wildlife, in return for income (for example, tourist lodges give communities money to be able to show tourists the amazing species that live on their land). 

We support the Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MPCP) in Kenya, which monitors and protects lions and educates local people on lion conservation. This includes engaging with local communities such as anti-poisoning campaigns, providing better livestock enclosures, and taking school children on trips to see the wildlife they’re protecting. 

With partners, we’re supporting the first ever national lion census in Kenya – using a survey technique developed by MPCP - to determine how many lions live here and how best to safeguard them. 

But we couldn’t do this without your support.

Help us keep this unique bear thriving – adopt a giant panda now.

African lion

African lions are revered the world over, but their population has shrunk in half over the past 25 years. Conflict with humans is one of the greatest threats they face.

What is the African lion?

African lions have been admired throughout history for as symbols of courage and strength. These iconic animals have powerful bodies—in the cat family, they’re second in size only to tigers—and roars that can be heard from five miles away . An adult lion’s coat is yellow-gold, and juveniles have some light spots that disappear with age. Only male lions typically boast manes, the impressive fringe of long hair that encircles their heads.

African lions once roamed most of Africa and parts of Asia and Europe. But the species has disappeared from 94 percent of its historic range and can only be found today in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. These lions mainly stick to the grasslands, scrub, or open woodlands where they can more easily hunt their prey, but they can live in most habitats aside from tropical rainforests and deserts.

Asiatic lions ( Panthera leo persica) are a subspecies of African lion, but only one very small population survives in India's Gir Forest.

Lion prides and hunting

Lions are the only cats that live in groups, which are called prides—though there is one population of solitary lions . Prides are family units that may comprise anywhere from two to 40 lions—including up to to three or four males, a dozen or so females, and their young. All of a pride's lionesses are related, and female cubs typically stay with the group as they age. Young males eventually leave and establish their own prides by taking over a group headed by another male.

Males defend the pride's territory, marking the area with urine, roaring menacingly to warn intruders, and chasing off animals that encroach on their turf.

Female lions are the pride's primary hunters and leaders . They often work together to prey upon antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, and other large animals of the open grasslands. Many of these animals are faster than lions, so teamwork pays off. Female lions also raise their cubs communally.

After the hunt, the group effort often degenerates to squabbling over the sharing of the kill, with cubs at the bottom of the pecking order. Young lions do not help to hunt until they are about a year old. Lions will hunt alone if the opportunity presents itself, and they also steal kills from hyenas or wild dogs .

Threats to survival

Today, there are only half as many African lions than there were 25 years ago. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that fewer than 25,000 lions remain in Africa, which is why the organization classifies them as vulnerable to extinction.

African lions face a variety of threats —most of which can be attributed to humans. Fearing that lions will prey on their livestock, which can be a significant financial blow, ranchers may kill the animals both in retaliation and as a preventative measure, sometimes using pesticides as poison . Poachers target the species, too, as their bones and other body parts are valuable in the illegal wildlife trade.

The role trophy hunting plays is controversial . Mismanaged hunting in the past has caused lions to disappear from some habitats, while hunters and those involved in the industry say hunting fees generate money for lion conservation. National Geographic Explorer Craig Packer , however, has said the amount generated by hunting is so "underwhelming…[that] it’s no wonder that despite years of lion hunting being allowed in [some] countries, the lion population has plummeted."

Further fueling this conflict between lions and humans is the loss of prey across the species’ range. African lions prey on large herbivores, a population that’s being hunted for an increasingly commercial bushmeat trade. The IUCN estimates these populations have declined by as much as 52 percent in East Africa and 85 percent in West Africa. With less food available in the wild, lions may be more likely to turn to hunting domesticated animals like livestock.

Conservation

Helping humans learn how to live with lions is key to ensuring their survival. Conservation organizations are working to change attitudes toward lions through compensation initiatives . Some of these models offer communities financial rewards when their local lion populations rise, while others pay farmers to replace their livestock that have been killed by lions.

Other conservationists have focused on creating protected areas for lions. In Botswana’s Selinda area, only a single lioness and her cub lived there when filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, both National Geographic Explorers, turned the land into a protected reserve and photographic tourism camp. Now about a hundred lions roam the reserve.

In Mozambique’s Zambezi Delta, where the effects of a protracted civil war caused lion numbers to plummet, the largest-ever lion translocation project brought in 24 lions from South Africa in 2018—they’re now settled in and starting to have cubs.

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The Lion Habitat Ranch

Animal Facts

Learn more about these fierce and powerful cats with these Lion Facts.

• African lions are the most social of big cats and only ones live together in groups or “prides.” A pride consists of about 15 lions.
• Male lions defend the pride’s territory while females do most of the hunting. Despite this, the males eat first.
• These majestic cats are threatened by habitat loss, human to animal conflict, as well as prey depletion. The lion is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN currently lists that there are between 23,000-39,000 mature individuals left.
• The lion was once found throughout Africa, Asia and Europe but now exists only in Africa with one exception. The last remaining Asiatic lions are found in Sasan-Gir National Park in India, which was primarily created to protect the species. Currently, there are approximately 350-400 lions in the park.
• A lion’s roar can be heard from as far as 5 miles away.
• A lion can run for short bursts at 50 mph and leap as far as 36 feet.
• Even though the lion is sometimes referred to as the “king of the jungle,” lions actually only live in grasslands and plains. The expression may have come from an incorrect association between Africa and jungles or may refer to a less literal meaning of the word jungle.
• A good gauge of a male lion’s age is the darkness of his mane. The darker the mane, the older the lion.
• A lion’s heels don’t touch the ground when it walks.
• Lions enjoy relaxing and lazing around. They spend up to 21 hours each day resting and sleeping. 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.
• Lions have terrific night vision. They are 6 times more sensitive to light than humans. This gives them a distinct advantage over some prey species when hunting at night.
• Lionesses are caring mothers who will even take care of a neglected cub, allowing them to suckle and giving them a chance to survive. Two or more lionesses in a group tend to give birth around the same time, and the cubs are raised together. Cubs can be extremely playful.
• Lions communicate through a range of behaviors and their expressive movements are very highly developed. They will perform peaceful tactile actions such as licking each other and rubbing heads. Head rubbing, or nuzzling, is a common greeting behaviour for lions. They also communicate through a variety of vocalizations including purrs, snarls, miaws and hissing. Their vocalisations also vary in intensity and pitch.

Facts courtesy of World Wild Life  & One Kind

Here are some quick facts about parrots: 

•  Parrots are “zygodactylous”, which means that they have 2 toes pointing to the front and 2 pointing to the back.
• There are over 360 different species. Almost 100 of these are threatened with extinction, mainly due to loss of habitat and capture to be pets.
• It might seem like a parrot’s beak is solid, but it’s not. In fact, like many of the bird’s bones it is hollow, with fine bony struts inside to make it strong. The outside is covered in keratin (which is what our fingernails are made of). A parrot’s beak grows continuously and is worn down by eating, chewing wood, and by grinding the top and bottom parts against each other
• The smallest parrots (called Parrotlets) can fit into the palm of your hand. The largest (Hyacinth Macaws) can be over 90 cm from head to tail, have a wingspan of 125 cm and weigh as much as 1,700 grams.
• Most parrots like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and a few insect larvae. But, some parrots are specialists – for example, wild Lorikeets eat fruit and nectar. Wild Hyacinth Macaws eat mainly palm nuts.
• Parrots are loud, messy, highly energetic and live a very long time. They need special food and vet care, huge cages, lots of attention and tons of toys. But, they can be great companions IF you can meet all their needs and give them a home for life.
• Parrots have very loud voices. Different sounds mean different things (like “watch out for the hawk”, or “there’s food over here”). Parrots learn to make these calls by listening to their parents and flock mates. As pets, some can learn to talk by listening to us. Parrots also use body language (like fluffing their feathers) to communicate.
• Are all feathers the same? Definitely not! There are three basic kinds of feathers: Down feathers are the small, soft, fluffy feathers located closest to the bird’s skin. They help the bird regulate its temperature. Contour feathers cover the head and body. They make the bird very smooth so it can travel easily through the air. Flight and tail feathers are much stiffer and longer than contour feathers. They move the air so that the bird can fly. 
• Where are wild parrots found? Most live in tropical and semi-tropical areas like Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, India, New Zealand and Australia.
• How long can parrots live? On average, small pet parrots like budgies live about 10 years. Very large pet parrots can live 80 years or even more!

Facts courtesy of Encyclopedia | World Parrot Trust (parrots.org) and Slide 1 (parrots.org)

Here are some quick facts about giraffes: 

• There are four distinct species of giraffe: Northern giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis , Southern giraffe giraffa , Reticulated giraffe G. reticulata and Masai giraffe G. tippelskirchi.
• Giraffe are already extinct in at least seven countries in Africa.
• Just like human fingerprints, no two giraffe have the same coat pattern.
• Giraffe feet are the size of a dinner plate with a diameter of 30 cm (12 inches).
• Giraffe tongues are bluish-purple and between 45 and 50 cm (17 and 20 inches) long.
• Both male and female giraffe have horns already at birth. These ossicones lie flat and are not attached to the skull to avoid injury at birth. They only fuse with the skull later in life.
• The giraffe is the tallest mammal in the world. Even newborn giraffe are taller than most humans.
• Female giraffe give birth standing up. Their young fall about 2 m (6 feet) to the ground and can stand up within an hour of birth.
• In some populations, over 50% of all giraffe calves do not survive their first year.
• A giraffe’s neck is too short to reach the ground. To drink, giraffe first have to splay their forelegs and/or bend their knees, and only then can they lower their necks to reach the surface of the water.
• Giraffe only drink once every few days. Even when water is readily available, evidence shows that many giraffe do not drink regularly – sometimes not at all.
• To protect the giraffe’s brain from sudden changes in blood pressure when it drinks, the jugular veins have incredibly elastic walls and large one-way valves that allow the veins to expand significantly and prevent the blood from flowing back to the brain when the giraffe’s head is lowered.
• Alternatively, to help fight gravity when blood returns to the heart from a giraffe’s feet, their blood vessels are thickly walled and muscled, and the skin on the legs is so tight it acts like giant compression socks. These unique adaptations have been studied by scientists at NASA to get inspiration for human space suits.
• A giraffe heart weighs approximately 11 kilograms (almost 25 pounds) with an average resting heart rate of 40-90 beats per minute. While people thought that the giraffe had a larger heart compared to other mammals to pump blood around its body, this is not true. Rather the giraffe’s heart has a thicker muscle on the left side (ventricle) of the heart so it can generate enough force to fight gravity.

Facts courtesy of 14 fascinating giraffe facts – Giraffe Conservation Foundation

It is and has been a privilege to be accepted by all of our lions at this location since 1989. We are constantly making improvements to our lions’ environment and living quarters. We strive to protect and provide a loving home for all the lions in our care for the rest of their natural lives.

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As an outdoor experience we occasionally need to close due to rain. We may need an additional day after a larger rainstorm to recover and clean all the pathways for our customers. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Animal Corner

Discover the many amazing animals that live on our planet.

The lion (Panthera leo) is a large cat of the genus Panthera and belongs to the family Felidae, along with tigers, leopards and jaguars . It is native to Africa and India and is the second largest cat in the world, following the tiger.

While once found throughout much of Africa, Asia and Europe, lions are presently encountered in the wild only in Africa and in the Gir Forest of India (where it is found only in the Sasan-Gir National Park). A lions main habitats are open woodlands, savannas, scrub country and grassy plains.

Lions are known for their huge bodies and manes, and their social groups known as prides. One of the strongest felines in the world, they are apex predators and keystone predators, meaning they are extremely important in the food chain and have a large effect on the environment around them.

These big cats have become one of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture, extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. Unfortunately, because of this, they are now a vulnerable animal, with their population decreasing.

As the world’s most social felines, there is lots to know about these amazing animals. Keep reading on to find out more and learn some cool lion facts.

The word ‘lion’ is derived from Latin: leo and Ancient Greek: λέων (leon). There are two types of lion subspecies. One is named Panthera leo melanochaita and lives across South and East Africa. The second lion subspecies has the scientific name Panther leo leo and lives in West Africa, Central Africa, and Asia. Up until 2017 there were two recognized subspecies, the African lions and Asiatic lions, but scientists reclassified lions that year.

It is thought the lion evolved in eastern and southern Africa about 124,000 years ago. They were found in many areas of the world, including Europe, North and Central America, as well as in Africa and the Middle East and India.

Lions disappeared from North America about 10,000 years ago, from the Balkans about 2,000 years ago, and from Palestine during the Crusades. Now they only live in Africa and in India.

Characteristics

Lions are very large animals that can weigh between 120 kg—249 kg (264 lbs—550 lbs) with a length between 1.4m—2.5m (4.7ft—8.2ft). Lions have sexual dimorphism, meaning that females (lionesses) typically have a different appearance and a smaller size than males, which is a special characteristic that is not present in other cat species. The biggest lion ever recorded and documented was around 375 kg (827 lbs) in weight.

Lions are tawny, brown, gold or blonde in color and have a short coat with a long tail that has a tuft of longer fur at the end. The functions of the tuft is unknown, and it is absent at birth and develops at around 5 1⁄2 months of age. The markings on their coat are much fainter than other big cats, which helps them to go unseen when they stalk their prey. Lions of young age have light spots on their coats that disappear as they grow.

Lions jaws are very strong and contain 30 teeth, including four fang-like canines and four carnassial teeth. Their bodies are muscular and slender, and they have flexible forelimbs and retractable claws. Their heels do not touch the ground when they walk, which is because they have big toes and pads on the bottom of their feet, which allow them to move quietly.

They have a deep chest with a short, rounded head, and a reduced neck. Their ears are disk shaped and their have excellent vision. In fact, the eyes of the lion are six times more sensitive to light than the eyes of a human. This means their night vision is far better than that of some of their prey.

Male lions have manes and this is thought to be connected with testosterone levels. They can range in color from blonde, to red, brown and black and covers the head, neck and chest of the male. The color and length of a lion’s mane not only reveal his age but also his behavior. Manes get darker as the lion ages so the darker mane of a lion in a pride denotes the oldest of the group.

Manes that are darker and longer often belong to lions that attract more females, and male lions are more likely to attack other lions blonder, and shorter manes, as this may show they are not as strong or able to fight as well.

There are big cats out there with color mutations, such as the white tiger or black panther. Likewise, there is an uncommon color mutation of lions that leaves their coat extremely pale, and these are known as the white lion.

Their white coat is caused by recessive traits. Because they are so unique, they had to be captured and moved into captivity in the second half of the 20th century to protect them. However, they’re now being reintroduced back into environments in South Africa and are successfully breeding and hunting in their native environments.

Lions usually live for 10 to 14 years in the wild, and for 20 to 25 years in captivity.

Lions are generalist carnivores, meaning they are able to thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and can make use of a variety of different resources. They are also called hyper-carnivores because meat makes more than 70% part of their diet. An adult male lion requires an average amount of 7 kg of meat per day to survive, although they could eat up to 43 kg! Females could eat up to 25 kg a day.

Their prey usually consists of mammals weighing between 190–550 kg (420–1,210 lbs) such as zebras , wildebeest and antelopes . They’ll also eat giraffe , buffalo, gazelle and warthog, and young elephant, rhinoceros , and hippopotamus . In times of shortage, they also catch and eat a variety of smaller animals, like rodents and reptiles. Lions also steal kills from hyenas, leopards and other predators.

Lions are both apex predators and keystone predators. As an apex predator, lions reside at the top of the food chain and no other creatures prey on them. As a keystone predator, they are very important in regulating the population of other animals in their environment. Without them in the ecosystem, the populations of the species that they prey upon would explode uncontrollably, which can cause detrimental impacts to the ecological community.

The majority of the hunting in a pride of lions is done by the females. They work together as a group to trap and capture prey they would otherwise not be able to get while hunting on their own. When lions hunt, they rely heavily on their teeth to grab prey, suffocating the animal or collapsing its trachea. Because of this constant use, about 40 percent of African lions have dental injuries.

Lions do not have great stamina, and they only run fast in short bursts. This means that they need to be close to their prey before starting the attack. Generally, they have a relatively low hunting success rate.

That being said, they are determined animals. While they don’t enjoy water, they are great swimmers and will chase their prey into and across water if they have to.

Once the prey has been caught, the females will allow the male lion to eat first before eating themselves. The cubs are at the bottom of the pile and have to be content with what remains once the adults have finished.

Contrary to popular belief, lions do not hunt humans! Lions can actually form bonds with humans under certain circumstances.

Generally, big cats are solitary animals . However, lions are the exception to this. Lions live in groups known as “prides”, which can contain as many as 40 lions. However, some lions of both sexes become nomads and prefer to live alone.

While not quite as rapid as the cheetah which can reach speeds of 70 mph, a lion can achieve a land speed of 50 mph for short distances. They have an amazing jump, and have been recorded springing as far as 36 feet. They can also climb extremely well, and are capable of climbing vertical tree trunks with ease.

Despite being very strong and often active, lions spend much of the day sleeping! In fact, the average amount of time they spend moving is two hours a day, and they can sleep for up to 20 hours a day! This is because they do not have many sweat glands so in order to conserve energy, they will lie about and rest. They are more active at night when it is cooler, although they do most of their hunting during the day.

On average, a lion pride contains around 10 to 15 lions, mainly compromised of related females; adults, sub-adults (between the ages of 2 and 4) and cubs, plus one or more resident males. The maximum number of adult male lions in a pride is 4.

Female cubs will stay with the pride as they grow older. When they reach sexual maturity, at about 2 years old, they will be hunters for the pride. Young male lions get kicked out of the pride by older males at the same age. These young males then live and roam in small groups (often with brothers and cousins), until they find another pride that they could take over and breed with females. This will often lead to fights with existing males in the pride.

When a male lion takes over a pride, it can kill all the lion cubs to bring the pride’s females into heat again, allowing them to breed and raise their own cubs. However, male lions become a member of the pride because the females accept them as the pride male. They will usually only be able to remain the pride male 3 to 5 years in the wild, as lionesses can turn on and kill older previously dominant males in a pride.

The job of a male in a pride is not only reproduction, but also protection. They guard their territory and keep out other pride and predators that might affect the food supply of their pride. Male lions patrol a territory of around 100m², marking trees and rocks with urine and roaring to warn off intruders.

The abundance of prey availability plays a significant role in the size of a lion pride. While females usually stay in their mother’s pride for life, food scarcity can force them out.

Asiatic lion prides differ from the African lion prides, and Asiatic lions actually divide themselves into two prides. Male Asiatic lions are solitary or associate with up to only three other males to form a loose pride. Females associate with up to 12 females to form a stronger pride together with their cubs. Female and male Asiatic lions usually associate only for a few days during the mating season, and very rarely travel or feed together.

Reproduction and Cubs

Both male and female lions become sexually mature between the ages of two and three, and by the age of four, most females have reproduced. They usually give birth to 2 to 3 cubs at a time and can give birth to a litter every two years. The the gestation period is quite short, around four months or 110 days.

Lionesses are polyestrous, meaning they can go into heat several times per year. The females in a group of lions typically give birth at about the same time. This allows for the young lions to play and grow up together with support from the entire pride.

When a cub is born, the process is kept secret. The pregnant lioness will give birth to a cub away from the rest of the pride and will proceed to hide the young from everyone else for the following six weeks. It is thought they do this to protect the cubs from intruding male lions and other predators.

As a newborn, a lion cub only weighs between 2.6 and 4.6 pounds (1.2 to 2.1 kg). Baby lion cubs are born blind and their eyes open around seven days after birth. They are yellowish-red in color and can look like a domestic cat. They’re also usually covered in darker spots that help to camouflage them in their den to protect them whilst the adults have gone out to hunt.

As lions are mammals, the females nurse their cubs for about 6 to 7 months. The cubs are totally dependent on their mothers for the initial 3 months of their lives, and after 3 months they start eating meat. A mother does not integrate herself and her cubs back into the pride until the cubs are six to eight weeks old, and, while they are in this period, she will move her cubs to a new den site several times a month to avoid predators, carrying each lion cub, one by one, by the nape of their neck.

Young cubs begin to participate in pride kills at 11 months. Unfortunately, less than half of cubs make it to be a year old and four out of five have died by the time they are two, generally either from animal attacks or starvation.

That being said, lionesses are not only caring towards their own young, but if a cub is neglected in any way, a lioness will allow it to suckle in an effort to help the cub survive.

Lion’s Roar

Lions can roar very loudly! Their roar can measure up to about 114 decibels in volume, which is louder than any other big cat and can even breach the pain threshold of human hearing. It can be heard as far as 5 miles away (8 km).

Lions usually roar this loudly when they are trying to defend their territories or ward off other males. A roar also allows members of a pride to find one another as its sound can travel such long distances.

Location and Habitat – Where Do Lions Live?

Lions are exclusively found in Africa, scattered across Sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is one species of lion — the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo leo) — that only lives in Gujarat, India. There are around 650 wild individuals of this species.

Despite dubbed the “king of the jungle”, the lion very rarely enters a closed forest, and they are totally absent from the rainforest . They prefer grassy plains and savannahs, open woodlands with bushes and scrub bordering rivers. The home area of a lion pride range from 13 to 100 square miles.

Lions can live high up, too. On Mount Elgon, an extinct shield volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya, lions have been recorded up to an elevation of 3,600 m (11,800 ft) and close to the snow line on Mount Kenya.

Historically, lions spanned most of the central rainforest zone and the Sahara desert. They also lived in southern Europe and Asia.

Conservation Status

Lions are listed as “Vulnerable” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This is a step above being declared “Endangered”. The lion population is at risk and under threat from habitat loss and hunting.

Between 1993 and 2014, the population of lions decreased by 42%. The IUCN’s last assessment places the adult population between 23,000 to 39,000 individuals. The population is even more in jeopardy, because the remaining populations are often geographically isolated from each other, which causes inbreeding.

Lions do not have any natural predators as they are apex predators and up at the top of the food chain.

The biggest threat to lions are humans, particularly hunters. Poachers hunt lions for their bones, which are used in traditional medicines as well as in expensive wines. They are also hunted by trophy hunters and big game hunters. Loss of habitat and lack of food is another common threat to lions.

Extinct Lions

It is thought that around 10,000 years ago lions were the most widespread mammal outside of humans. Unfortunately, there are species of lion that are now extinct. Let’s take a look at these lions below.

The Cape lion was last seen in South Africa, where it lived, in 1858. It had a much darker main than other species of lion. The Cape lion is now recognized as a subpopulation rather than a different species or subspecies.

Barbary Lion

The Barbary lion was thought to go extinct in the 19th century, with the last documented sighting being in Algeria’s Atlas Mountains in 1942. It used to live across the North Coast of Africa and even stretched as far as Egypt and Morocco.

Cave Lion (Panthera leo spelaea)

The Cave lion disappeared around 12,000 years ago. It was found across Eurasia and into Alaska and went extinct with the collapse of the mammoth steppe. It was larger than today’s surviving lions.

American Lion (Panthera leo atrox)

The American lion also disappeared around 12,000 years ago. It was found across most of the modern day United States and Mexico and was the largest lion species to date.

When are lions most active?

Lions are primarily nocturnal (active  at night ) or crepuscular (becoming active at twilight or before sunset). Lions spend much of their time resting, often up to 20 hours per day. Lions rest for lots of different reasons, including energy conservation, lack of prey and to avoid the heat of the day.

What is a lions habitat?

Lions are mostly found in Africa, with one species, the Asiatic lion, found in India. In these locations they inhabit a wide range of habitats from grassy plains and savannahs to open woodlands with bushes. Despite the lyrics of a popular song, the one place you are almost certain never to see a lion sleeping is in the Jungle.

Why do lions have tails?

A Lion’s tail comes in handy in a variety of ways, and it is no surprise that they have evolved to maintain their tales because of how much they use them. Physically, a Lion’s tail helps it to balance. But it will also use the tail to signal both in parental situations and hunting.

Where do lions sleep?

Generally a Lion will sleep wherever it can keep cool. They don’t have many sweat glands and need to conserve energy. Hot environments can make that difficult, so you are likely to find Lions sleeping in thickets and brush, under trees or area with a good through breeze.

Lion Fun Fact!

• Without their coats, lion and tiger bodies are so similar that only experts can tell them apart.

More Fascinating Animals to Learn About

About joanne spencer.

I've always been passionate about animals which led me to a career in training and behaviour. As an animal professional I'm committed to improving relationships between people and animals to bring them more happiness.

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10 Interesting Facts About Mountain Lions

Mountain Lions are solitary and elusive creatures, they prefer to remain hidden and unseen. Because these wild cats of North America can sometimes live near our own backyards, we obviously have some questions. So in this article we’ll answer some of those common cougar questions, and learn some cool facts about Mountain Lions.

10 interesting facts about Mountain Lions

1. are cougars and mountain lions the same.

Yes, they are! The terms Mountain Lion and Cougar are interchangeable and refer to the same animal and species ( Puma concolor ). In fact the names Puma, Panther, Painter, Mexican Lion, and Catamount, in addition to Mountain Lion and Cougar, are all different names for the same species.

And there are more names beyond that! Because of their historic wide distribution, each region came up with their own names for these big cats, no wonder they are known as “the cat of many names”.

2. Are mountain lion attacks common?

Mountain lion attacks on humans are considered rare. They are very solitary creatures who prefer to pass by unseen. Even when living alongside humans, they rarely make their presence known. It is thought this is in part because they are not habituated to humans, and do not see them as prey.

This may begin to change as humans continue to move into their habitat, and it will be inevitable the number of encounters will increase. But cougars do not usually attack unless they feel cornered, or if someone running away from them triggers a chase response.

As housing and development expands further into their prime territories, these encounters will inevitably increase. Attacks and fatalities are still very rare, so take some comfort in that!

3. When are mountain lions most active?

Mountain lions are considered to be both crepuscular and nocturnal. Crepuscular means they like the early dawn and late twilight hours, and nocturnal means they are also active at night. They can certainly be seen during the day, but dawn, dusk and night is when they are most active.

4. Where do mountain lions sleep?

You might be thinking cougar retreat to a “home base” cave or a den for sleeping, but this is not the case. Most of the time they are always on the move around their territory, and cougars will just find a suitably sheltered spot to sleep .

Unless they have a large carcass they are feeding on over multiple days or the female is having kittens, mountain lions don’t tend to stay in one spot for more than a few days.

5. How long do mountain lions live?

The average life span in the wild is ten years. However in captivity, with no threat of hunting, starvation or many other typical dangers, mountain lions can live 20 plus years .

6. What sounds do mountain lions make?

Unlike other “big cats”, mountain lions do not have the ability to roar. They do not possess the same larynx and hyoid apparatus of the other big cat species that gives them this ability.

However mountain lions can make other sounds you may associate with cats such as hissing, growling, chirps and purrs. Mountain lions are also known for their eery “screaming” which occurs during mating.

7. What is an “umbrella species”?

Umbrella species is a term sometimes used in the world of environmental conservation. It refers to a species who’s protection inadvertently benefits many other species. Mountain lions are often considered umbrella species because of the large amounts of open habitat and wilderness they require to thrive.

For example they need almost 13 times the amount of area a black bear needs, or 40 times what a bobcat needs. So by protection cougars and creating legislation to preserve habit for them, it also has the potential to benefit many other animals species.

8. Can mountain lions jump?

Mountain lions actually have the largest hind legs (proportionally) of all the members of the cat family. This makes cougars great jumpers, able to leap from the ground 18 feet up into a tree. Their large hind legs also make them excellent at sprinting for short distances.

9. What do mountain lion tracks look like?

Adult cougar paw-prints are about 4-5 inches across for males, and <3.5 inches for females. Their heel pad is in a bit of an “M” shape at the bottom with a divot on top. Both front and back paws have four “tear drop” shaped toes, with one leading toe that is slightly higher than the others.

Typically their tracks do not show any claw marks, unlike tracks of dogs or coyotes. They usually keep their claws retracted unless they are maneuvering on difficult terrain.

10. How far do mountain lions roam?

On average, males have a home range covering from 50-150 square miles. Females have slightly smaller ranges of about 50 square miles. The males range may overlap with about 3-4 females, but no other males.

Females have less of a problem with their ranges overlapping with other females, while males do not want another male in their range. Often young female cougars will choose a territory next to the one in which they were born, where young males may travel very far to establish their own area.

Males have been occasionally spotted in many states of the east, who traveled there from the west. The famous “Connecticut mountain lion” traveled 1500 miles from South Dakota, the furthest trek currently recorded.

While this isn’t the norm, it is becoming slightly more common as mountain lions are striking out further east in search of territory.

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Scientific name: Panthera leo Conservation status: Vulnerable  (Decreasing populations) Lifespan: 10 – 14 years (Adult, In the wild) Trophic level: Carnivorous Mass: Adult Male: 190 kg, Adult Female: 130 kg

More About Lions:

Probably the most sought after member of Africa’s Big Five animals, lions are one of most recognizable animals around. Their trademark manes and resounding roars attract travelers from all over the world, though these social cats often receive little benefit.

Despite their popularity and fame, these cats are facing major threats to their existence; conservation travel to African communities to see lions in the wild can help make a major difference in efforts to protect them.

Lion Facts & Tidbits

• The lion is the only big cat that lives in a large group or ‘pride’, with as many as 40 individuals, primarily female and cubs.
• They can get their water from plants and prey and go as long as days without drinking.An adult lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles (eight kilometers) away.
• Females do almost all of the hunting.Ironically, though their nickname is “King of the Jungle”, one of the few habitats on the continent where they don’t live is the rain forest of Central Africa.
• They are the second largest cat after tigers.
• Female lions begin mating by four years old and will sometimes mate with multiple males. The female will generally leave the pride while having a litter and will move their dens to avoid being found by predators.
• The mother and her cubs will normally rejoin the pride after a couple of months. Lions live up to about 12 years in the wild.

Most live in Africa south of the Sahara Desert, though at one time they were spread across the Middle East, much of India, and southern Europe. Currently, a small population of Asian Lions live in the Gir Forest of India, and are the only wild lions outside of Africa.

They are now extinct from 26 countries that they used to inhabit and their range has decreased more than 80 percent.

IUCN Status: Vulnerable / Population Trend: Decreasing

Lion numbers have dropped an estimated 30 percent over the past twenty years, to less than a total of 30,000. Their top threat is conflicts with humans, especially when they hunt livestock, often resulting in the owners hunting them. Trophy hunting is a controversial but popular recreational activity in Africa.

Photo Credit: Johan Reineke, Dreamstime

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Secrets of a Lion’s Roar

Not all cats roar, but those that do fascinate us with their mysterious and frightening sounds

Sarah Zielinski

Not all cats roar (which is probably a good thing for those of us who own housecats), but those that do fascinate us with their mysterious and frightening sounds. Research published this week in PLoS ONE gives us new insight into the inner workings of the roars of lions and tigers—the secret is in the cats’ vocal folds.

A group of biologists and speech scientists studied how lions and tigers roar by examining and testing tissue from the larynges of three lions and three tigers from the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha that had been euthanized because they were old and sick. The researchers were particularly interested in the vocal fold tissues, soft connective tissues made of collagen, elastin, a lubricant and fat.

Vocal folds are just another name for vocal cords, and they are a bit different in lions and tigers than in other species. In most species, the vocal folds are shaped like triangles where they protrude into the animal’s airway. But in lions and tigers, the protrusions are flat and shaped like a square, courtesy of the fat deep within the vocal fold ligament. This shape allows the tissue to respond more easily to passing air, letting the kitties roar louder with less lung pressure. A lion or tiger can roar as loud as 114 decibels, about 25 times louder than a gas-powered lawn mower.

The cats are also aided by the strength of their vocal folds, which can withstand stretching and shearing as air moves past them and the folds vibrate. The size of the animal or the vocal fold, or the frequency of the sound, didn’t matter. Elk have vocal folds about the same size, but they make high-pitched sounds. And humans speak in a range of sound frequencies similar to those of lions’ and tigers’ roars, but obviously our voices are much softer.

This study “is confirmation that the frequencies of phonation are described by mechanical properties of the vocal folds and not by nerve impulses from the brain,” says study senior author Ingo Titze, executive director of the National Center for Speech and Voice.

But Titze also says that there are some similarities between a lion’s roar and a baby’s cry. Both have “very loose and gel-like” vocal folds that make irregular vibrations that create rough sounds (low-frequency in the cats, high-pitched in the babies) and draw our attention.

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Sarah Zielinski | | READ MORE

Sarah Zielinski is an award-winning science writer and editor. She is a contributing writer in science for Smithsonian.com and blogs at Wild Things, which appears on Science News.

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How Long do Lions Live?

How many years do lions live? And how is this different from how many years a lion can live? This is far from easy to answer. The life of a lion is a constant, violent struggle to survive. As soon as they are born, they are faced with danger, from other animals, from other lions and from their greatest threat, human beings.

The lion is the King of Beasts; an icon of strength and majesty. An apex predator, it sits at the top of the food chain, not hunted by any other animal in the wild. On the surface, it’s hard to see such a powerful animal as vulnerable. However, a lion’s life is pocked with dangers, both large and small, each one proving a threat to its mortality. We’ll explore what factors affect the lion lifespan and seek the answer to one main question, how long can a lion live?

How Long Can A Lion Live?

Black Maned Lion, Lying and Looking Around (Photo: DavidPapenfus via iStock)

How many years do lions live? The answer to this question depends on many factors. But first and foremost on whether the lion is living in the wild or in captivity. This is, without a doubt, the biggest factor in estimating lion lifespan.

How Long Do Lions Live in the Wild?

A black-maned wild lion climbing a rock (Photo: PedroBige via iStock)

Lions who live in the wild face a multitude of threats from the moment they’re born. From starvation and disease to attack from other lions or injury in the course of hunting, wild lions have the odds of survival stacked firmly against them. The biggest threat by far however, is humans. Not just because of hunting and poaching, but also loss of habitat and other factors which contribute to natural difficulties.

Overall, lions can expect to live to between 10 to 14 years of age in the wild. Lion lifespan is higher on average for females.

It is also generally accepted that – across all age groups – most lions die in violent circumstances. Lions are at greatest risk as cubs, with only 1 in 8 estimated to make it to adulthood. What’s more the threat is often not from outside, but from other lions. While a cub’s father remains head of its pride, the cub is relatively safe. However, it is only a matter of time before intruder males attempt a takeover. And if those intruders succeed, everything changes.

The new males will want to mate with the lionesses, which won’t happen for up to ten months while a litter is still being weaned. It is only by killing the cubs that the females will come back into estrus and agree to mate again. The solution is simple, but brutal. The new males will kill the cubs. The rate of such infanticide varies by location, but figures suggest that up to a quarter of cubs in the Serengeti are lost in this way.

The lionesses also face a risk to their mortality in this situation, as they fight to defend their cubs against the bigger males.

Assuming they reach two or three years of age, the male cubs then take on the challenge of leaving the pride so they can go out and create their own. This involves numerous dangers to the young lions, not least of which is the need to fight other males to take over a pride.

How Long Do Lions Live in Captivity?

Adult Lion and Lioness (Photo: Bernard Bialorucki vis iStock)

Lions can live far longer in captivity than in the wild. Living in a zoo or other controlled environment removes many of the threats faced by their wild counterparts. So, how long do lions live in captivity? Around 20 years on average. And the oldest lion is said to have lived in India, an Asiatic lion called Arjan. He lived to around 26.

A Life Full of Danger

Portrait of pair of African lions, Panthera leo, in Kruger National Park South Africa. (Photo: Ondrej Prosicky via iStock)

The disparity between lion lifespans in the wild versus the lifespan of a lion in captivity reveals just how difficult it is for wild lions to survive. It demonstrates that, for wild lions, the answer to the question ‘how long can a lion live’ is very different to that of ‘how long do lions live?’ Because unless a lion is strong, smart and lucky, they are unlikely to reach a ripe old age.

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How Far Does A Mountain Lion Travel

Mountain lions are one of the most elusive animals in North America. They are also one of the most mysterious. We know that they are powerful predators that can take down large prey, but there is still a lot we don’t know about them. One question that continues to baffle scientists is how far these animals travel.

Mountain lions are solitary animals that typically hunt and travel alone. They are known to roam over a large area, but just how large an area that is has been difficult to determine. In a study conducted in California, researchers used GPS collars to track the movements of mountain lions. What they found was that the animals traveled an average of 16.2 km per day. However, there was a lot of variation in the distances traveled by the different lions studied. One lion traveled as far as 220 km in a single day.

What does all of this mean? It means that we still have a lot to learn about these animals. We know that they are capable of traveling long distances, but we don’t know exactly how far they will go. It is possible that they will travel even further than what has been documented. The important thing to remember is that mountain lions are unpredictable and should always be treated with caution.

• 1 How far will a mountain lion roam?
• 2 How far does a mountain lion roam in a day?
• 3 How long do mountain lions stay in one place?
• 4 How far do mountain lions walk for their territory?
• 5 Do mountain lions stay in one area?
• 6 How can you tell if a mountain lion is near?
• 7 Do mountain lions travel in pairs?

How far will a mountain lion roam?

Mountain lions, also known as cougars, are solitary animals that roam over a wide area. They require a lot of space to hunt and can cover up to 20 miles in a single day.

Mountain lions are found in western North America, from British Columbia to California, and in parts of South America. They live in a variety of habitats, including forests, deserts, and snow-capped mountains.

Mountain lions are carnivores and mainly eat deer, but they will also eat smaller animals, such as rabbits, raccoons, and porcupines. They stalk their prey until they are close enough to pounce on it.

Mountain lions can be dangerous animals, but they are also very shy. They will usually avoid humans, but they can attack if they feel threatened.

Mountain lions are very adaptable animals and can survive in a variety of climates. They are also good climbers and can swim if necessary.

Mountain lions have been known to travel more than 100 miles in search of a new home or territory.

How far does a mountain lion roam in a day?

Mountain lions, also known as cougars, are the second largest cat in North America, after the jaguar. They are solitary predators that range in color from light tan to black, with a reddish or grey undercoat. They can weigh up to 150 pounds and can grow up to eight feet long, including their tail.

Mountain lions are typically found in habitats that include forests, woodlands, and scrublands, but they can also be found in desert areas. They are ambush predators that prey on deer, elk, and other large mammals.

Mountain lions have a territory that ranges in size from around 25 square miles up to hundreds of square miles, depending on the availability of prey. They roam their territory in search of prey, typically covering around five miles per day.

Mountain lions are usually shy and elusive, but they can be dangerous if they feel threatened. They have been known to kill livestock and pets, as well as attack humans.

How long do mountain lions stay in one place?

Mountain lions (Puma concolor), also known as cougars, are one of the largest and most powerful felines in North America. They are solitary animals, and typically occupy a territory of around 100 square miles. How long a mountain lion will stay in one place depends on the availability of food and water, as well as the animal’s age and sex.

Mountain lions are opportunistic predators, and will feed on a variety of animals, including deer, elk, rabbits, and porcupines. They are also known to eat smaller animals such as raccoons, skunks, and opossums. A mountain lion’s diet can vary depending on the season; they will consume more deer and elk in the winter, for example, when these animals are easier to catch.

Mountain lions need a lot of water, and will typically drink one to two gallons a day. They typically get their water from natural sources such as rivers, lakes, and streams, but they will also drink from man-made sources such as cattle tanks and swimming pools.

Mountain lions are mostly active at night, but they will also hunt during the day if necessary. They use their excellent sense of smell to track their prey, and can run at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. They can also jump up to 16 feet in the air.

Mountain lions can live up to 12 years in the wild, but the average lifespan is around six to eight years. Males generally have a shorter lifespan than females, as males tend to be more aggressive and come into conflict with other lions.

Mountain lions are territorial animals, and will defend their territory against other lions. They will also mark their territory with urine and feces. If a mountain lion is displaced from its territory, it will typically move to a new area.

So, how long do mountain lions stay in one place? It depends on a variety of factors, including the availability of food and water, the animal’s age and sex, and how much territory it needs to defend. typically, mountain lions will stay in one place for a few weeks or months, but they may stay in the same area for up to a year.

How far do mountain lions walk for their territory?

Mountain lions are one of the most territorial animals in the animal kingdom. A mountain lion’s territory can be as large as 100 square miles. But how far do they actually have to walk to patrol their territory?

Mountain lions use scent to mark their territory. They leave their scent by spraying urine, scratching trees, and leaving their droppings. By marking their territory in this way, they are telling other mountain lions that this area belongs to them.

Mountain lions must patrol their territory regularly to keep other animals from moving in. They will walk anywhere from a few miles to over 30 miles a day in order to cover their territory.

Mountain lions are able to cover a lot of ground by using their powerful legs and long tails. Their tails help them to balance while they are running, and they can also use them to make sharp turns.

Mountain lions are also very good climbers. They can climb trees to get a better view of their territory, or to hide from danger.

Mountain lions are very adaptable animals and can live in a variety of habitats. They can live in forests, mountains, and even deserts. This allows them to cover a lot of territory without having to travel too far.

Mountain lions are solitary animals and only come together to mate. During the rest of the year, they spend most of their time alone, patrolling their territory.

Do mountain lions stay in one area?

Mountain lions, also known as cougars, are known for being solitary animals. They typically roam over a large area, but there is some question as to whether they stay in one specific area or not.

A study published in the Journal of Mammalogy attempted to answer this question by tracking mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains in California. The study found that the lions did not always stay in the same area, but that they did have “core areas” where they spent the majority of their time.

Interestingly, the study also found that the mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains were not genetically isolated from lions in other parts of the country. This suggests that lions in different parts of the country may be more likely to stay in one specific area, since they are not genetically isolated from one another.

So, while it is not necessarily true that all mountain lions always stay in one specific area, they do have core areas where they spend the majority of their time.

How can you tell if a mountain lion is near?

Mountain lions, also known as cougars, are solitary animals that usually avoid contact with humans. However, there are occasions when mountain lions may be near people and it is important to be able to identify the signs so that you can take appropriate safety precautions.

There are several ways to tell if a mountain lion is near. One of the most obvious is if you see the animal itself. Mountain lions are typically tan or light brown in color, with black tips on their tail. They are also the largest cat in North America, so they are relatively easy to identify.

If you don’t see the animal, but you think it may be close by, there are other ways to tell. One is to listen for its call. A mountain lion’s call is a high-pitched scream that you will likely only hear if the animal is close by.

Another way to tell is to look for tracks. Mountain lion tracks are typically about 3-4 inches long and have five toes. They are also typically round and the fur on the soles of the feet is usually visible.

If you see any of these signs, it is best to take precautions and avoid the area. Do not approach the animal, as it may be dangerous. Instead, try to make yourself as visible as possible and back away slowly. If you have a loud noise maker, such as a whistle, use it to scare the animal away.

Do mountain lions travel in pairs?

Mountain lions, also known as cougars, are solitary animals. They typically travel and hunt alone. There is no evidence that mountain lions travel in pairs.

Mountain lions are the largest members of the cat family in North America. They are typically tan or light brown in color, with black markings on their head, back, and tail. They can weigh up to 150 pounds.

Mountain lions live in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and deserts. They eat a variety of animals, including deer, elk, rabbits, and raccoons.

Mountain lions are native to North America. They are found from Canada to Mexico. They are also found in Central America and South America.

Mountain lions are not currently listed as an endangered species. However, they are threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

Mountain lions are solitary animals that typically travel and hunt alone. There is no evidence that they travel in pairs.

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How To Spend 3 Days In Masai Mara, The Safari Park From The Lion King

This Kenyan national park is one of the best places in the world to see lions, leopards, and cheetahs in the wild.

When it comes to planning an African safari , TikTok can agree on one thing: Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya needs to be on your itinerary.

“The Land of the Big Cats” has a reputation as one of the best places on the continent to see lions, leopards, and cheetahs in the wild; it was one of the main filming locations of the live-action Lion King movie .

Masai Mara’s location in the Great Rift Valley gives it a leg up on wildlife diversity compared to other reserves. Its 580 miles of lush savannah is home to almost 90 different mammal species, and safari-goers have a good chance of spotting all of the African “Big Five” — lions, leopards, elephants, African buffalo, and the elusive black rhinos — as well as members of the slightly lesser-known (but equally ‘Gram-worthy) so-called “Ugly Five,” hyenas and warthogs included. If you visit in late summer, you might even see the Great Migration of over 2 million wildebeests, zebras, and other herbivores crossing the Mara River from the neighboring Serengeti Desert.

This February, I spent 10 days visiting Kenya’s national parks and game reserves on an itinerary curated by EF Ultimate Break , a Gen Z and millennial tour company. After a week of bush glamping in sparsely vegetated and dusty parks throughout Kenya, Masai Mara was comparatively lush, and my safari Jeep was constantly stumbling upon families of elephants, giraffes, and lions.

If you’re heading to Kenya on safari soon or scrolling TikTok for future inspiration , here’s what’s worth doing at Masai Mara and how to spend three days at the reserve.

What To Do At Masai Mara

Day 1: hang out with baby elephants & meet the maasai tribe.

After a 20-plus-hour journey from Chicago, I stretched my legs at one of Nairobi’s most popular attractions. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s Orphans Project houses baby elephants and rhinos who are currently unable to survive in the wild for whatever reason, and it’s just as cute as you’d expect. There was a collective “aw” as the tiniest baby black rhino stumbled out to meet the crowd, and we got introduced to all the baby elephants as they clumsily ran to the keepers for their bottles of milk.

The experience was more crowded and touristy than I expected, but I enjoyed learning the story behind each baby animal, seeing their personalities, and petting them. You’re also able to sponsor one of the baby elephants or rhinos until they’re ready to go back into the wild.

After hanging out with the animals, get into your safari Jeep to drive the five hours to Masai Mara. I stayed at PrideInn Mara Camp, which had glamping tents and cottages just steps from the park and Lake Talek, but there are plenty of accommodations around Masai Mara’s perimeter (including regular hotels like a JW Marriott Masai Mara if sleeping in a tent without air conditioning isn’t your vibe).

The best part of the PrideInn Mara Camp (and others in the area) is the presence of the Maasai tribe , which welcomed us with a traditional song and dance. There were also a number of warriors who worked in the hotel and who would walk us to and from our rooms if it was late at night.

Day 2: Take A Hot Air Balloon & A Drive

The park is huge, so soaring over the savannah to see the landscape and animals from above is an efficient and bucket list-worthy way to start off your safari experience.

We had to wake up at 4 a.m. to head over to the hot air balloon launch site, but I quickly stopped complaining about the early call time when we were in the balloon and the sun was rising over Masai Mara.

We got to take in bird's eye views of the Mara River (including a rare sighting of an adorable baby hippo that was splashing through it), check out a family of grazing giraffes from above, and get eye-level with the vultures in the trees. Afterward, we enjoyed an English-style brunch with unlimited mimosas in the middle of the bush, then headed back to the camp to nap it all off.

In the early afternoon, we headed on our second safari and stayed until twilight. After spending almost two weeks in Kenya, I realized it’s 100% worth doing two safari drives a day — one in the morning as the sun rises and one at dusk right before the predators are about to start hunting — to get the fullest picture of how the animals act in their natural habitat.

Depending on the time of day, you’ll also see different personalities from the lions. When I went in the morning, the lions weren’t the apex predators I’d anticipated. Instead, the pride was almost playful, with a young male lion with a dandelion mane nuzzling his father and the female lions, and cuddling with them in the sun. The only hint of their agility and quick reflexes were shown in how they quickly flipped from side to side and how alert they seemed at all times, with their heads suddenly popping above the grass when they’d been lazily napping in the sun just moments earlier.

Another day, as the sun went down, I saw a group of lionesses who’d been napping and were barely camouflaged in the long grass start to oh-so-casually make their move. They inched toward a grazing herd of wildebeests, their eyes locked on their next meal. I wouldn’t have experienced these different personalities if I hadn’t seen both in action.

Day 3: Go On A Morning Game Drive & Visit The Maasai Tribe

After going on a sunrise game drive, take an afternoon tour of the Maasai tribe’s village. Dressed in signature bright red robes, the warriors greeted us at the entrance of their village. They taught us some of their chants and performed a 10-minute celebratory song and dance that we were encouraged to take part in, which included mimicking the roaring of lions, shaking our shoulders, and competing to see who could jump the highest.

Then, they sectioned us off into groups to tour the family huts and learn about their pastoral lifestyle. Many of the Maasai people have gone into tourism and are employed by hotels and other hospitality businesses in the area, but they’re one of the few tribes where many members still practice their traditional way of life.

After the tour, we got to shop the tribe’s gorgeous beadwork, carved wooden products, and other souvenirs. I picked up a blue bracelet, a beaded choker, and some wooden coasters painted with safari animals to bring back home with me.

Ultimately, I came back to Chicago feeling relaxed, inspired, and fully ready to take advantage of my apartment’s air conditioning. I gained a deep appreciation for my proximity to wildlife during my bush glamping adventure (yes, even for the crickets and lizards in my tent).

Going on safari was life-changing for so many reasons. I was awestruck by seeing a 3-day-old hippo hanging out with his mom, and a pack of elephants racing across the savannah. I was surprised that the lions and giraffes seemed to barely take notice of our Jeep.

The safari also taught me a lesson in patience. Unlike in a zoo, you’re not able to control when or where you’ll see cheetahs, hippos, or prides of lions — which ends up making it so much more fulfilling when you do.

It’s not a question of if, but when, I’ll go back to Masai Mara on safari. And who knows — maybe this time I’ll spend more than a few days exploring Kenya’s most famous game reserve.

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The Detroit Lions dropped a promotional video on Tuesday giving very quick, partial glimpses at their new uniforms, which are slated to come out this week. You can tell a lot from the limited teases, including new lettering, the return of white jersey/blue pants combos, and what appears to be minor coloring changes.

Question of the day: What do you think of the Lions’ uniform sneak peek?

Maybe I’m a sicko for being so into a tease of new uniforms, but what can I say, I love the Honolulu Blue baby. I will say, off the bat, what stood out to me is how sharp the coloring is. It’s probably just the lighting in the video, but the whites felt very white while the blue feels very rich. Until I see them in full, I won’t read too much into the coloring, though.

As Jeremy pointed out in the video recap article, the most evident change was the block lettering. I’m a big fan. There’s been a big trend towards more retro-style uniforms both in the NFL and in Lions jersey mock-ups, which I’ve been a big fan of, and I think the block lettering fits that bill.

I was also glad to see the return of the blue pants-white jerseys combo. As Jeremy mentioned, Rod Wood has hinted at switching up the top and bottom jersey combos. While we’ll probably see that combo as the standard away jersey, I’m hoping this is a tease of them revealing it with the blue helmet. I think that has the potential to be their cleanest non-color rush look.

I can’t wait for these new jerseys, and even the tease is so exciting. What do you think of the early sneak peek? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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Fact or Fiction: Do Lions Have Tougher Schedule in 2024?

A return trip to San Francisco headlines Lions' 2024 schedule.

• Author: Christian Booher

In this story:

The Detroit Lions will no longer be viewed as underdogs.

They weren't for the majority of last season, either. After a strong finish to the 2022 campaign, Dan Campbell's team entered the 2023 season with the best odds to win the NFC North. There were some doubters, as that was a feat the organization hadn't achieved in 30 years.

Campbell's group delivered, though, and the Lions will now begin 2024 as the team to beat. It's new territory for the organization, and they will have many challenges as a result. Biggest among them is the fact that they will play a first place schedule as a result of winning the division.

In addition to playing each divisional opponent twice, the Lions will have to take on each team in the AFC South and the NFC West divisions. Rounding out their opponents for the 2024 season will be the division winners from the NFC South and both AFC and NFC East divisions.

The official schedule has not been released yet, but it promises to have some formidable tests for the Lions.

Based on winning percentage, the Lions will face the league's 11th-toughest schedule this upcoming season. Last year, their opposing winning percentage ranked 20th. As a result, this year will be a tougher slate for Campbell's crew.

The Lions wound up playing five teams that made the postseason in 2023 -- Green Bay, Kansas City, Dallas, Tampa Bay and Baltimore. They went 3-2 in those games, including a season-opening win over the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs.

This year, the Lions will play eight games against playoff opponents. They will play against all three of their postseason matchups last year, as they host Tampa Bay and Los Angeles along with making a return trip to San Francisco, the site of their loss in last year's NFC Championship game.

In addition to their two games against Green Bay, other playoff opponents on the Lions' upcoming schedule include Houston, Dallas and Buffalo. Detroit will host Tampa Bay, Los Angeles and Buffalo and travel to San Francisco, Dallas and Houston.

While the Lions will certainly be in a position to contend once again in 2024, they will have a very tough road in doing so. Last season, their crossover divisions were the NFC South and the AFC West. Both of those divisions produced just one playoff team and just three of the eight total teams finished above .500.

This year, their crossovers are the AFC South and NFC West. The 49ers headline the NFC West, but the Rams were a playoff team a year ago and Seattle also finished above .500. The Seahawks have beaten the Lions each of the last three years, including twice in a row at Ford Field.

The AFC South, meanwhile, is full of young talent. Houston surprised many by winning the division and appears to have gone all-in to maximize their window by trading for Stefon Diggs. C.J. Stroud is one of the league's best passers.

Indianapolis was another impressive story, as they managed to nearly win the division despite rookie starting quarterback Anthony Richardson missing most of the season. Jacksonville is looking to rebound after squandering a late lead in the division, but it boasts Trevor Lawrence behind center and appears to be in a good position to bounce back.

Lastly, the division could be much improved. Green Bay proved it wasn't going to skip a beat despite early season struggles, storming back late in the year to reach the playoffs and taking the 49ers to the brink of defeat in the divisional round.

Chicago, meanwhile, has stocked up weapons ahead of holding two top-10 picks in this year's Draft . The likely top pick is USC quarterback Caleb Williams, who would enter a solid situation. Minnesota is re-stocking talent and lost Kirk Cousins this offseason, but will also likely add a young quarterback.

In short, the schedule this season for the Lions is indeed tougher than last year's. If they want to get back to the top of the mountain in the NFC North and try to avenge the end of last season, they will have to fight to do so.

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