Lion Panthera leo
King of the animals.
Lions are what is known as a keystone species, meaning they are essential to the balance of the ecosystem.
The lion in a nutshell
- eats
- grazers such as zebras, gazelles, giraffes and wildebeest, and birds and mice.
- inhabits
- parts of Africa and India
- excels at
- lazing about
Keystone species
A lion's menu mainly includes grazers such as zebras and wildebeest, as well as smaller animals. Lions are a keystone species, which means that they are essential for maintaining the balance of their ecosystem. If lions were removed from the food chain, grazers would then increase in number to the extent that entire plains would be grazed bare. As a result, the savannah would either become a desert, or grow into dense forest.
King or queen of the animals?
Unlike all of the other great cats, lions are social animals and live in prides consisting of five to 10 adult lionesses and a lion as harem leader. Lionesses stay together for life. Mothers, daughters and aunts share a close bond – and for good reason, since they are also responsible for most of the hunt. They assemble the pride and then work together to stalk, surround and kill their prey.
Useful mane
The male lion is the only feline to sport a mane. Manes can vary in colour from light blond to black, and the darker the mane, the more dominant the male appears. The mane also protects the lion’s head and neck during fights.
A roaring good time
Lions roar for a number of reasons. Males use roaring to signal their territory, express aggression towards hostile lions, and communicate with their pride mates. Lions also roar collectively, as a means of social bonding.
Lions can rest for up to 20 hours a day, to conserve as much energy as possible for hunting. Hunting is highly intensive activity that consumes a large amount of energy in a short period of time.
Vulnerable
The wild lion population has declined by almost half in the past 20 years. The greatest threats to the lion’s survival are humans, and the loss of prey species in their habitat due to habitat loss or climate change. This drives lions towards more densely populated areas where they hunt cattle instead, leading to more frequent conflicts between farmers and lions.
