The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the five species of the Panthera genus and is found within the Felidae family, being the largest representative of the family, along with the tiger. It is distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa and northwest India. It is a social species and inhabits savannahs and grasslands, as well as shrubby and wooded areas, being able to gather in herds, in pairs or alone.
Characteristics of lions
Lions have very powerful limbs, as well as their jaws, provided with canines of up to 8 cm, which make them excellent predators. Its weight can reach almost 300 kg in males, being able to measure from head to tail, more than 3 meters, a feature that can vary depending on the place where you live.
Differences between lions and lionesses
The color of their fur ranges from beige to light brown and yellowish reddish, they have sexual dimorphism when they reach adulthood, so it is easy to distinguish males from females. The males are differentiated by the presence of a abundant mane so characteristic in this species, that as the male ages it darkens, being able to be blonde to almost black. This allows them to appear larger in front of their prey and competitors, and thus cause intimidation.
On the other hand, the color, density and presence of the mane is a feature that allows us to know the state of he alth of the male As a general rule, the darker and denser the mane, the he althier the male. This is also related to testosterone levels and environmental temperature, since the lower it is, the denser the hair will be. On the other hand, there are lions without mane or with very little , as is the case of white lions that lack it. To learn more, don't miss Types of lions - Names and characteristics.
Lion pack
Lions are herd animals and are especially social compared to other felids. A pod is made up of female relatives, their young and a small number of adult malesFemales generally hunt together and in groups. However, they can also meet as a couple or an individual can be solitary, especially males, which can be nomadic, being able to join a herd later. In the case of females, this is more difficult, since being relatives within a pack it is unlikely that they will later accept a stranger in the group.
The lion is a keystone and apex predator, although given the opportunity it can be a scavenger and spend most of its time resting, having its peak of activity during the sunset. It is currently a species that is categorized as vulnerable due to the loss of its habitat and conflicts with humans.
What do lions eat?
This is a carnivorous species, so its food source is of animal origin. Their main prey is large mammals, so the lion's diet is usually based on:
- Ungulates.
- Zebras.
- Boars.
- Impalas.
- Gazelles.
- Ñus.
- Ostriches.
- Crocodiles.
- Turtles.
The type of feeding will depend on the availability of their preferred prey, which varies between almost 200 to more than 500 kg and from your vulnerability. They can often venture out and try to hunt larger prey, such as giraffes, elephants and very rarely rhinoceroses, although young individuals can be more prey easy for the lion, still, they try to avoid these animals, as they can be injured during the hunt. On the other hand, for example, Namibian lions feed heavily on seals, or in India they commonly attack livestock.
They are also known to steal food from other predators, such as hyenas and leopards, harassing them into abandoning their prey and taking it for themselves. Carrion is also a food option for lions, as they often find prey that has died of natural causes or been abandoned by other predators.
They spend a considerable amount of time eating, and can consume up to 30 kg of meat while preying on prey, taking breaks at the shade to continue later, always staying one or several members of the herd watching over the food.
When and how do lions hunt?
Their success in obtaining food is based on group hunting, and this has allowed them to evolve in an environment where They have availability of many places to protect themselves, as well as the development of their highly organized social groups. In this species, it is generally the females that are in charge of hunting their prey, since they are more agile and more lighter than the males, at the same time that they are less visible, and they do so when they need to feed.
Always they corner their prey, however, as they do not have great stamina for long runs, they must be close to it to deliver the blow, often from less than 30 meters. That is why they “force the prey” to be closer and once this is achieved, throw all their weight on the animal and, even though some species are more faster than lions, it is very difficult to escape from them once they are trapped. For this reason, they must take advantage of environmental factors such as the cover provided by tall grasslands or the darkness of the night, which makes some prey, such as elephants, more vulnerable, as well as the direction of the wind.
Females work as a team surrounding potential prey from different angles, then attack the weakest animal in the groupThey generally use the strangulation of their prey, covering their mouth and nose, since the attack itself is short but effective due to its powerful jaw. Small prey can use their strong legs to deliver the finishing blow.
Within the pack, it is very important that the cubs learn to hunt prey, so when they are three months old they begin to accompany their mothers on hunts and, staying hidden among the grasslands or clumps of vegetation, they observe the behavior of the adults. Once the year has passed, they begin to have a more active participation in the hunts.
For more information, you can read Predatory animals - Meaning, types and examples.
