Felidae
Subfamily: Pantherinae
carnivora
Mammalia
92-119 days
1-4
Generalist carnivores, although medium and large ungulates make up most of their diet, they can feed on a wide variety of vertebrates, from small mice to young rhinoceroses, hippos and elephants, including birds, reptiles, fish and even insects.
12 years in the wild, up to 25 years in captivity.
The lion is one of the four large felids belonging to the genus Panthera. The adult male is easily recognizable by its large size and striking mane, and has an approximate weight of 150 – 250 kg. Females are usually considerably smaller, weighing 110 – 180 kg. It is the second largest felid in the world, after the tiger.
In social groups, the females are in charge of searching for food and taking care of the young, while the males protect the herd.
Their mane serves to protect their neck during battles, to protect themselves from thorny bushes, and is thicker the lower the temperature. The color of their fur is another adaptation to the environment, as it serves as camouflage to hunt, mainly, since they do not usually fall prey to other animals (except for hyenas in the case of sick, elderly or young animals). They hunt by stalking (about 30 m or less from their prey) to avoid spending excess energy compared to what they obtain from the prey they pursue, thus, they never run excessively (but they can reach 56 km/h).
Its natural conservation status is vulnerable, mainly due to the destruction of its habitat (crops, grazing, human settlements...).
Male lions usually stand at the top of rock formations called kopjes, from where they have a panoramic view of the entire savannah and carry out the task of protecting the group, although females also protect the cubs in these formations.