THE LION

The lion (panthera Leo) is one of the largest cats in the genus panthera. It is in fact the second largest cat in the world that is after the tiger.

Lions are most found in grasslands, scrub, open woodlands of sub-Sahara Africa and dry woodlands but never in thick forest or jungle.

Lions unlike other big cat are social, that is living in group consists of 2 to 12 adult female and their cubs where all the females are related, with 1 to 4 males.

This group in called a pride. The size of a pride may be determined by the availability of food and water. The smaller the resources the smaller the pride.

In a pride females mostly do the hunting while the males protect the pride

 and it territory by roaring and marking it territory with urine.

 Unlike females, male cubs are kicked out from the pride when they are between two and four years old. 

Some of these males leave with brother or cousins others join unrelated males to form groups of 2 to 6 males called a coalition. 

The purpose of coalition is to join a pride of females to mate and have young.

Male lions can weigh up to 250kg (550lb) and stand about123cm (48in) tall at the shoulder, they measure up to 250cm (98in) in length excluding the tail which in addition will be 105cm (41in).

female lions are relatively smaller, weighing up to 182kg (400lb), they stand about 107cm (42) tall and measure less than 175cm (69in) in length with a slightly shorter tail.

 Lion have a very powerful roar which can heard from up to 8km (5mi) and they also have large shoulder and strong fore limbs, long sharp claws, short powerful jaws and incredible strength.