Caring for Nature: Lions.

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Height: 4 feet ,1.2m, males.
Length: 5-8 feet ,1.5-2.4m, males.
Weight 330-500 lbs ,150-227 kg, males.
In general, female lions are smaller than males.
Lifespan: 10-14 years.
Top speed: 50 mph for short distances


Diet
Staples: Lions consume a wide variety of prey, from wildebeest, impala, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and wild hogs to sometimes rhinos and hippos. They will also feed on smaller animals such as hares, birds and reptiles. Lions are also known to attack elephants when food is scarce.

Population
The lion population in Africa has been reduced by half since the early 1950s. Today, fewer than 21,000 remain in all of Africa.

Range
Though lions used to live in most parts of Africa, they are now found only in the south Sahara desert and in parts of southern and eastern Africa. Historically, in addition to Africa, lions were found from Greece through the Middle East to northern India.

Behavior
Did You Know?
Both male and female lions roar, and that roar can be heard over five miles away!

The only social member of the cat family, lions live in large groups called prides, consisting of about 15 lions. Related females and their young make up the majority of the pride. A single male, or sometimes a small group of 2-3 males, will join a pride for an indefinite period, usually about 3 years or until another group of males takes over.

Lions within a pride are often affectionate and, when resting, seem to enjoy good fellowship with lots of touching, head rubbing, licking and purring. The males are territorial, and will roar and use scent markings to establish their domains.

Females do almost all of the hunting. They are mainly nocturnal and work in teams to stalk and ambush prey. Lions inhabit grassy plains, savannahs, open woodlands and scrub country. These landscapes allow the hunters to creep stealthily through vegetation and leap upon their unsuspecting prey.

Reproduction
Mating Season: Throughout the year.
Gestation: Around 110 days.
Litter size: 3-4 cubs.
Young cubs are vulnerable to predation by hyenas, leopards and black-backed jackals. The cubs begin hunting at 11 months but remain with their mother for at least two years.

Global Warming and Other Threats
Did You Know?
Lions are the second largest living feline species, second only to the tiger.

Lions are facing an indirect threat from global warming called co-infection. As the earth continues to heat up, certain types of diseases are thriving in the warmer temperatures that pose a threat to lions. In 1994 and 2001 in east Africa, severe droughts weakened the lions, making them more susceptible to certain diseases that they are normally able to fight off. In addition, the lions ate prey that was infected with a disease which resulted in co-infection, and in their already weakened condition they perished. Scientists are fearful that as the weather becomes warmer it could favor the spread of certain diseases making infection more rampant.

Lions are also facing many human threats such as population growth and agricultural expansion resulting in loss of natural habitat, as well as hunting, poisoning and poaching by livestock ranchers. For more info on how to protect Nature, log on to http://www.defenders.org/


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