25 Amazing Facts about Lion | Amazing Facts 4U
- The average male lion weighs around 180 kg (400 lb) while the average female lion weighs around 130 kg (290 lb).
- The heaviest lion on record weighed an amazing 375 kg (826 lb).
- Lions are in fact the national animal of Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, England, Ethiopia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Singapore.
- Now only around 20,000-30,000 of these big cats live in sub-Saharan Africa, mostly in protected reserves besides a small population of about 300 inhabit India’s Gir Forest in the state of Gujarat.
- Lions are the only big cats to live in groups, called pride which is comprised of interrelated females and one to four adult male lions. Pride could have 15 members or more. The size of the pride is determined by the availability of food and water. Amazingly the younger male lions are kicked out of the pride when they show signs of maturity.
- These young males that are kicked out of the family when they are maturing are known as nomads. They wander around and survive on their own or with partners until they are able to take over a proud family from another lion or create one on their own.
- Lions are very social animals. Living in the large family in “Prides” helps the lions and their offspring to survive during a time of famine.
- Lionesses give birth to 2-3 cubs at a time. Usually, a couple of females give birth around the same time. The cubs are then raised together, sometimes nursing communally. Cubs have a 60-70% mortality rate falling prey to other predators.
- The amazing fact is when another group of male lions takes over pride, they kill all the cubs. Hence within the pride, the territorial males are the fathers of all the cubs.
- Amazingly the female lion does ninety percent of the hunting usually at night. Males are the protectors of the family. They protect the family from outsiders or other predators that may want to harm their cubs.
- After a successful hunt, all the lions in the pride always share the meal. But there is a pecking order, with the adult males taking the first claim, followed by the lionesses, and finally, the cubs.
- Lions have amazing night vision. They are 6 times more sensitive to light than humans. This gives them a distinct advantage.
- Male lions in fact maintain the boundaries of their territory, which can be as large as 260 sq. km (100 sq. mi.), by roaring, marking it with urine, and chasing off intruders.
- Female lions reach two-thirds of their adult size by the time they are two years old.
- A lion in the wild usually makes no more than 20 kills a year. Lions in the wild live for around 12 years. They live up to 25 years in captivity.
- Male lions are the only ones that have large manes. It is a sign of dominance and generates fear. The darker the mane, the older the lion.
- Most lions drink water daily if available, but can go four or five days without it.
- Lions prefer to be alone with their pride in their territory. So, they will frequently attack and kill other predators it find like cheetahs, hyenas, and leopards.
- Even though the lion is sometimes referred to as the “king of the jungle,” it actually only lives in grasslands and plains.
- A lion’s heels don’t touch the ground when it walks.
- A lion’s roar can be heard from as far as 5 miles away. A lion’s roar is the loudest of any big cat. It helps to protect its territory. Amazingly lions cannot roar until they reach the age of two.
- A lion can run for short distances at 50 mph but only in short bursts because of a lack of stamina. It can leap as far as 36 feet.
- Lions enjoy relaxing and lazing around. The amazing fact is they spend between 16 and 20 hours each day resting and sleeping.
- A lion in fact mates more than 50 times in one day. The mating ritual would last for only 4 to 5 days when a lioness is in heat.
- The amazing fact is that a 12-year-old girl abducted in Africa was saved from her attackers by 3 lions. They protected this Ethiopian girl from her attackers and stayed with her until she was rescued. In fact, lions very rarely attack humans.
We have the best picture quotes ► www.wisdomlifequotes.com
