Lions

There are two subspecies of lion, the African lion and the Asian lion. The one that usually comes to mind when we think of a lion is the African lion.

African lions live in Senegal east to Somalia, East Africa, Angola, northern Namibia, from Kalahari east to Mozambique, and northern Natal.

Male lions can range in size from just under 6 feet to about 8 feet, weighing 330 to 550 pounds. Lions are tan in color. Although the rare white lion does exist, it is extinct in the wild. The white lion is an African lion with a recessive gene.

Most lions live in groups known as prides. This social lifestyle is not found in other big cat species. There are usually two males in a pride, the rest being female. The male lions defend their pride from other male lions and predators, while the lionesses hunt and care for their offspring. The females always remain with the pride, but the pairs of male lions only remain up to a few years until they are driven away by stronger males.

The natural habitat for African lions has been reduced to protected preserves. The reduced habitat space has resulted in the frequent use of birth control to prevent overpopulation in such small areas. There is also less movement between prides, which may interfere with nature’s way of avoiding inbreeding.

Originally Asian lions were found from the Middle East to India. Now Asian lions can only be found in the Gir Forest in India and are highly endangered, with only about 200 left in nature. They are smaller than African lions and their manes are shorter. Their prides also tend to be smaller in size.