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Lions
are the largest African carnivores. Males usually grow from 5 to
8 feet in length and weigh from 330 to 550 pounds. Females are slightly
smaller growing to a length of 4.5 to 5.5 feet with a weight of
265 to 395 pounds. |
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African
lions have short tawny colored hair. The tail tuft, ears and lips
are black. Males have a mane that ranges in color from blond to
black. Newborns have grayish spots which fade to adult color by
three months. |
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The
African lion was once found throughout the entire African continent.
However, populations are "becoming increasingly fragmented
and only those in national parks and preserves are likely to survive"
(AZA). |
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Lions are able to
take down prey three times their size!
Lions hunt prey ranging in size from
100 - 1,000 pounds - zebra, buffalo, wild boars, wildebeest,
giraffe, impala, and other antelope. Lions may also steal
prey from other animals. .
Females usually do the hunting and will
often hunt in groups. One "team" will circle around
and get in front of the prey. A second team will then scare
the prey, causing it to run into the first team of lions.
Not all hunts are successful, but a group has a much better
chance of successfully capturing prey than does a lone hunting
lion. |
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Lions sleep up to 21 hours a day! |
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A
male lion's mane is mainly a status symbol. At a kill, the lion
with the largest mane often eats first. If another male spots a
large maned lion on the horizon, he will often keep his distance.
Manes may also buffer the males from bites and slashes during fights.
The mane becomes visible at around 2 years of age. |
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Lions live in
large groups known as "prides." A pride of lions will
usually consist of 2 to 18 females and their offspring and 1 to
7 males. Females in a pride are usually related. Mothers, daughters,
aunts, and cousins often live in the same pride for their entire
life. Females are not dominant to males, but are in charge of finding
water sources, moving the pride, and deciding where to sleep. Pride
members are often scattered over the pride's territory in smaller
groups. The average size of a pride's territory is 40 to 50 square
miles. |
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| African lions
reach sexual maturity anywhere from 2 to 4 years of age, but
continue to grow until they are 5 years old. |
Lion Cub |
The gestation period
for lions is around 104 days. Litter size can range from 1
to 5 cubs with the average being 2 to 3. Cubs generally weigh
less than 5 pounds at birth. Births can occur year round,
but usually, all of the lionesses in a pride will give birth
at about the same time. All of the females in a pride will
help care for the cubs. A female will allow offspring which
are not hers to nurse from her.
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| Cubs begin
to take part in kills at 11 months of age, but are still dependent
on adults for food up to 16 months. They are probably not
capable of surviving on their own until they are closer to
2 years of age. |
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An adult lion's roar can be
heard up to five miles away and warns off intruders or reunites
scattered pride members! |
