Where are they found?
They are found in Sub-Saharan Africa in grasslands and semi-arid plains.

What are they?
They are a mammal, popularly known as the King of the Beasts.

What do they look like?
The male Lion is 1.7 to 2.5m (5.5-8 ft.) and 1.2m (4 feet) at the shoulder. The female is slightly smaller at 1.4 to 1.7m (4.5-5.5 ft.), and 1.06m (3.5 feet) at the shoulder. The males weigh 150 - 250 kg (330-550 lb.), whereas the females weigh 120 - 180 kg (265-395 lb.) They are short-haired animals. The Lion has a black tail-tuft, black ears, and lips. The males have blond to black manes. New-born Lions are born with greyish spots, which fade to the adult colour within three months of their birth.

How long do they live? A Lion will live up to 25 years in captivity, 15 years average in the wild. Lions are the only truly social cat species, and usually every female in a pride of 5 to 37 individuals is closely related. What do they eat? A Lion is a carnivore and will eat zebra, wildebeast, antelopes, gazelles, warthogs and occasionally cape buffalo and young giraffe

Breeding
Males start to breed at 5 years, females at 4 years. The females gestate for 109 to 113 days. There are usually 2 to 4 cubs born.

Are they rare?
Lions are the largest African carnivores and a hungry Lion pride feeds on many animals that pass through or share its home range. As group predators, a pride (large family of Lions) must keep herbivore populations in balance. They are not in any immediate danger of becoming extinct due to tight laws.

Did you know?
An adult lion's roar can be heard up to five miles away and warns off intruders or reunites scattered pride members.

Although only one out of four hunting events is successful, dominant males always eat first, lionesses next, and cubs scramble for scraps and leftovers.