DID YOU KNOW? |
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION |
--The Swahili word for lion is simba, meaning "king," "strong," and "aggressive."
--A lion can spend up to 21 hours a day lying around and napping.
--Lions are the only cats who live in large groups, called a pride, consisting of 3 to 30 lions.
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| Class: |
Mammalia |
| Order: |
Carnivora |
| Family: |
Felidae |
| Genus: |
Panthera |
| Species: |
leo |
| Subspecies: |
Panthera leo (African) | Panthera leo persica (Asian) |
FAST FACTS |
| Weight: |
265 - 550 pounds with males being larger than females |
| Length: |
4 ½ -- 8 ½ feet (not including the tail) |
| Height: |
4 feet at the shoulder |
| Life Span: |
Average of 15 years in the wild, up to 30 in captivity |
| Gestation: |
4 months |
| # of young: |
Average of 3 to 4 in a litter |
| Range: |
Today the Asian Lion is only found in the Gir Forest in India. The African Lion is now mainly found in sub-Saharan regions of Africa. |
| Diet: |
Carnivore, eats zebra, antelope, wildebeest and other African animals |
Energy & Conservation
Habitat loss and conflicts with humans are the lion's greatest threats. The lion's natural habitat is now only found in protected reserves and little is known about where lions go or what they do outside of the park boundaries. |
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