Male lions are the ‘defenders’ of their territory and pride, while the female lions do most of the hunting. In almost all instances, the male lion will always be the first to eat.
The roar of a lion can be heard from up to 5 miles away.
Lions prides used to roam across the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia. Now they’re only found in some parts of Africa, and in a lion park in Sasan-Gir National Park in India, which was opened in an attempt to save the last remaining Asiatic lions.
Despite their title of ‘The King of the Jungle,” lions do not live in jungles. They live in plains and grasslands. It is believed that the term was coined out of a false correlation between Jungles and Africa.
The lion is the national animal of 8 countries: England, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Singapore, Belgium, Albania, and The Netherlands.
Lions are 6 times more sensitive to light than humans, giving them a big advantage when it comes to hunting at night.
Lionesses hunt in packs, using strategy to lure their prey (who’s typically faster than them) into the middle of a semi circle of lions where the stronger lionesses will take them down.
Lions can run up to 50 mph in short bursts and can make huge leaps of nearly 40 feet.
Lions typically hunt at night. Their primary meals consist of: buffaloes, zebras, young elephants, giraffes, hippos, wild hogs, crocodiles, and rhinos.
Lions use a multitude of ways to communicate with each other. These include licking, growling, purring, snarling, hissing, nuzzling, head rubbing, and roaring. Each noise they make can vary in pitch and mean different things as their communication skills are highly developed.
A male lion’s mane will get darker over time.
Just like the cats you have at home, lions can rest and sleep for up to 20 hours a day.
In the wild, Lions live for anywhere between 10-14 years.
Of all ‘big cats,’ African lions are the most social. A typical lion “pride” is made up of around 15 lions.
Lionesses take the role of being a mother very seriously. They care for their cubs to the best of their ability and will even take in neglected cubs to give them a chance at surviving.
The bottom line is that Lions are incredible creatures. Despite there being no jungle, I think the title fits them perfectly.
