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Lions are big cats that are found in Africa and Asia. They are the second-largest cat after the tiger. They have developed into two species, the African lion and the Asiatic lion. They have a long body, large head, shaggy mane for males, short legs, and a tuft at the end of their tail. They mostly inhabit savannas, grasslands, and shrublands.
Lions are muscular cats with broad-chested bodies, round heads, reduced necks, and round ears. The male has a shaggy mane that is recognizable in the species. It covers the head and neck and asserts dominance and attraction. Its color and size are influenced by environmental factors such as average ambient temperature. Its fur varies in color from light buff to silvery gray, yellowish red, and dark brown. The tail is mostly 72-89.5 cm long with a tuft at the end. Like other cats, their claws are retractable.
Lions live in groups called prides. The pride consists of 3 males and a lot of females and their cubs. The females, called lionesses are in charge of raising the cubs and hunting. The males are in charge of protecting their territory and fighting other males who want to invade and take over the pride. They proclaim their territory by scent marking and roaring to let others know. They are mostly lazy and sleep 16 hours a day. They have a gestation period of 7 years. The newborn cubs are born helpless and blind. They open their eyes 7 days after birth. They mostly have a thick coat of dark spots that disappear as they get older. When males grow up they are expelled from the pride when they are three years old and are forced to become wandering males or take over a pride.
Lions prey on a large variety of animals. They mostly hunt hoofed animals like wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes. They will sometimes take down elephants and giraffes but only if it is young or if the animal is sick or injured. They mostly eat any meat they can find and sometimes they steal prey from scavengers like hyenas.
The African lion(Panthera leo) is mostly found in the savannas of Sub-Saharan Africa. They prefer grassy plains and savannas. They mostly have a large pride with most males protecting the pride. Some of the males are wandering nomads which are yet to take over an existing pride.
The Asiatic Lion(Panthera leo leo) is mostly found in Gir National Park in western India. Unlike the African lions, they mostly have a less developed mane. Their pride differs in group composition. Male Asiatic lions are solitary or associate with up to three males, forming a loose pride while females associate with up to 12 other females, forming a stronger pride together with their cubs. In Gir National Park, they mostly prey on chital, sambar deer, and nilgai. Outside the protected area, they mostly prey on domesticated cattle and water buffalo.
According to the IUCN Red List, the lion is considered Vulnerable. Since the early 1990s, the population has decreased by 43%. They are going extinct due to habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. As their habitat is shrinking due to a growing population, it’s hard for lions to find their prey. They sometimes seek out farmers' livestock which is very hard for the farmers. They sometimes shoot lions if they try to kill their livestock.