African Lions
In the heart of sub-Saharan Africa live some of the world’s largest cats. We are home to male ‘Baruti’ and sisters ‘Mali’ and ‘Sabi’.
Iconic symbols of Africa with powerful roars
Second in size only to the Amur tiger, African lions are large cats and the apex predators of the savannah, managing large herbivore populations. Unusually among big cats, lions live in groups called prides, mixing males and females who take on different responsibilities such as territory defense and hunting. Lions are the only cats known to roar together.
- IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (at high risk of extinction in the wild)
- Type: Mammal
- Habitat: Savannahs, plains, grasslands, and woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa
- Diet: Carnivore – large animals like zebras and wildebeests
- Size: 1.3 to 1.9 metres tall (head and body)
- Weight: 120 to 190 kilograms
facts about our animals
Fun Facts about African Lions
Female lions are the hunters for the pride.
Lions are most active at night.
Juvenile lions have light spots that disappear with age.
Male lions grow manes that darken as they age.
A lion’s roar can be heard from eight kilometres away.
Lions can run at speeds of up to 81 kilometres per hour.
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