28 Fascinating Facts About The King of Savanna

The beauty of their mane, the kingly appearances, and the blood-freezing roars make the Lion different than any other predator in the wild. Lions are one of the largest apex predators of nature. They are muscular, huge-chested, and have a huge head. Lions are considered keystone predator of the natural environment they live in. The animal was once seen throughout the world. Lions are seen mostly in Africa. They are seen in some parts of southeastern Asia. The scientific name of lions is Panthera leo. They are from the genus Panthera, the same as tigers and some other big cats. Lions are the second-largest among all cats.

Lions are huge and strongly built. They have a strong body ad huge claws and jaw. The body structure and unimaginable power make lions one of the deadliest animals. Lions are social animals. They live and hunt together. Lions are mostly nocturnal. But even prey on daylight if a chance is available. Male lions are larger than female lions. Female lions are smaller in size. The duty of male lions is to protect territory and other lionesses and cubs from other predators. Usually, female lions do most of the hunting and raise cubs. Lions don't attack humans unless they feel threatened. Lions mostly eat mid-sized to large mammals like wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes.

Lions are cultural and social icons in many cultures and societies. They are often kept in captivity and seen in many zoos all over the world. Lions are an important part of tourism in Africa. The number of lions dropped rapidly in the last two decades. Many sources suggest that ancient Egyptian kings and royals were very much interested in lion huntings. It is said pharaoh Amenhotep III killed more than 100 lions. An ethnic group of Maasai people from Kenya and Tanzania are famously known as lion hunters of Africa. Poachers are hunting a huge number of lions every year. Lions are losing their territories to the growth of human society. These practices wiped them out from many lands of the Earth. Today we are going to know some of the little known facts about the Lions :

Studies suggest that the ancestors of modern Lions appeared around 1,24,000 years ago. Modern lions Panthera Leo appeared in Eastern-Southern Africa.

There are two extant lion subspecies. They are The Panthera leo Leo and the Panthera leo melanochaita. Barbary lions were a variety of The Panthera leo Leo that went extinct in the near past.

A group of lions is called a pride. Most members of pride are females. There is usually one of two male lions in every pride.

Lions live in pride and hunt together. Female lions do 80-90% of huntings. Male lions protect their pride.

Lion cubs are called cub, whelp, or lionet. These cubs stay with their mom for around three months. Mostly 2-6 cubs born together.

Mortality rate in lion cubs is high. Only 1 of every 8 cubs reaches adulthood.

Lions get matured to be reproductive at the age of 5-8. Usually, lions pair up for a lifetime. Male lions are polygamous inside the pride.

Male lions eat up to 16 pounds of meat every day. Female lions eat less as much as 12 pounds a day.

Lions are pretty fast. They can run-up to a speed of 50 miles per hour. They can jump up to 36 feet at once.

Lions drink little water. They get most of the needed water from their food.

Lions are often referred to as the king of the jungle. But the truth is lions live on grasslands and savannas.

Lion's roar can be heard from 5 miles away. Lions also communicate through physical scent. The scent is different in every pride.

Lion cubs born with black spots. The spots eventually disappear with age.

Lions live 10-14 years in the wild. In captivity, they live up to 29 years.

Male cubs are forced to leave the pride. They roam for over a year alone and finally pairs up and create another pride of their own.

Female cubs usually stay with the pride they are born in. Some also join bachelor pride.

The mane is seen only on males. Male lions start to grow manes at the age of one.

Some Kenyan lions from Tsavo don't grow a mane. This is because it is hard to manage mane in warmer conditions.

The color of the mane is an indicator of the lion's heath. In good and hospitable territory, the mane grows long and black. It is said that, The Darker The Mane, The More Powerful The Lion.

The tongue of a lion is covered in sharp tiny spines called papillae and as rough as sandpaper. This is why a lion can easily remove the skin of its prey by licking.

Lions have three types of teeth. These are the Incisors, Canines, and Carnassial. Lions can open their jaws to up 28 centimeters wide.

Lion claws can grow up to 38 millimeters in length and are very strong and sharp. They sharp their claws by scratching trees.

Lion whiskers has a black spot at its root. The pattern of these whisker roots is different in every lion.

Lion’s eyes are three times larger than human eyes. Lions have a white patch of furbelow their eyes. This helps to reflect even more light into the eye.

Lions can turn their ears in different directions to listen to sounds all around them and can hear their prey from a mile away.

In many cultures lions are the symbol of majesty, strength, courage, justice, and military might.

The state emblem of India has 4 lions that face 4 different directions, namely north, east, south, and west.

In countries like Kenya and Botswana, white lions are symbols of leadership, pride, and royalty, and are viewed as national assets.

Lions are one of the most majestic creatures of nature. The number of wild lions in Africa has declined to one third in the last two decades. There are at best 23,000 wild lions are living in the wild. Every year the 10 of August is declared as World Lion Day. It's a day for people to come together from across the world to pay tribute to the mighty lion in as many ways as possible. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, lions are a “vulnerable” species, meaning that their numbers could and should be higher. Only awareness and love towards this magnificent animal can make possible the wellbeing of the lions. These are all we have about lions today. Hope you find it informative and interesting. Thanks for reading the article.