10 Amazing Lion Facts
By: Lion World Travel
Nothing represents the essence of Africa more than the symbol of the lion.
Lions are one of Africa’s most recognizable animals in the wilderness. Lions signify courage, strength, and power. Spending up to 20 hours a day sleeping or resting, they are the laziest of the big cats.
Photo Courtesy of Nick Mysko
1. LIONS ARE SOCIAL
The most sociable of the big cats, they live in prides of related females and their offspring. The typical pride consists of ten to fifteen lions, with adult females, their cubs, and a few males.
Photo courtesy of Royal Malewane
2. LIONS NEED TO EAT EVERY DAY
Lions can go up to four days without drinking water, but they need to eat every day. Adult lionesses eat about 11 pounds of meat each day, while adult males eat 16 pounds or more. They prey on large herbivores like zebra and wildebeest, and occasionally feed on smaller animals like mice, birds, hares, and lizards.
Photo Courtesy of Newmark Hotels
3. LIONESSES DO THE HUNTING
Lionesses are the primary hunters. They are smaller, more agile than males and use teamwork to bring an animal down. After a successful hunt, all the lions in the pride share the meal. There is a pecking order, with adult males eating first, followed by the lionesses and finally the cubs.
4. LIONS ARE SUPERB HUNTERS
Lions hunt by ambush. Fanning out, they form a semicircle, with the smaller lionesses herding the prey towards the center. A lion’s vision is roughly six times more sensitive to light than humans, giving them a distinct advantage when hunting at night.
Photo Courtesy of Desert & Delta
Lion’s claws reach up to 1½ inches in length, allowing for incredible control when going in for a kill. Lions can reach speeds of up to 50 miles/hour and can jump up to 36 feet.
5. LIONS DO NOT LIVE IN JUNGLES
Although lions are known as the “king of the jungle”, lions in Africa do not actually live in a jungle. Their primary habitats are Africa’s grasslands and plains. Three of the five largest lion populations are found in the savannas of Tanzania.
Photo Courtesy of Frans Hakkenberg
6. HOW LIONS COMMUNICATE
Lions communicate by using roars, growls, moans, and grunts. A lion’s roar can be heard up to 5 miles away as a warning to other predators and to protect their territory. Also, by leaving scent markings and through visual signals, such as the darkness of the mane. They rub their heads on one another as an act of bonding and to spread the “family scent.”
7. RAISING THEIR CUBS
Females in the pride tend to give birth around the same time, allowing for multiple litters to be raised together. Lionesses take care of their cubs until they are two or three. The mother then goes through estrus (heat cycle) and carries another litter. During this time the pride forces the male lion cubs and some female lion cubs out.
Photo Courtesy of Ruvan Grobler/Lion Sands
8. LION CUB FACTS
When they are born, the cubs eyes are closed, opening when they are three weeks old. This is when they are vulnerable to attack from large birds, and even male lions. A lioness will keep her cubs hidden for six weeks until they are old enough to follow the pride. The cubs are full of life and grow up playing with the other youngsters in the pride building strength and family bonds.
9. LIONS ARE THE SECOND LARGEST BIG CAT
Only slightly smaller than the Siberian tiger, the lion is the second largest of the big cats, with a muscular deep-chested body. Unlike other big cats that are solitary hunters, lions are social hunters. Male lions can weigh up to 550 pounds, while female lions weigh up to 390 pounds.
Photo Courtesy of Sabi Sabi
10. LIONS CAN CLIMB TREES
Tree-climbing lions can be found in Tanzania, with, Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, and Tarangire National Park being the best places to see them. They have also been spotted in the Serengeti. The reason why lions climb trees is to get away from flies and insects on the ground, and they have a higher vantage point to see if any other animals are nearby.
Photo Courtesy of Elewana Pioneer Camp
At Lion World Travel, our love for Africa is embodied in our name and mascot – Lionel.
About Lion World Travel
Lion World Travel has been in business for 60 years. Lion World Travel is one of North America’s largest tour operators to the African continent, specializing in group and individual tours to Southern and East Africa and Egypt. Lion World Travel is a member of The Travel Corporation (TTC) family of brands, the largest privately owned travel company worldwide, which includes Trafalgar Tours, Contiki, Brendan Vacations, Insight Vacations, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection to mention a few.
Clients continue to benefit from Lion World Travels’ Africa destination knowledge, expertise, and emphasis on customer service. With their Africa Specialists all having first-hand knowledge of Africa, Lion World Travel confidently assists clients in creating an African adventure that fits their interests and budget with enjoyable, enriching travel experiences. Extraordinary service, affordable luxury and value for money are what keep clients coming back to Lion World Travel.
