Lion - Overview

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

Species: Panthera leo

IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable

Distribution: Africa, south of the Sahara and the Gir Forest, India

Habitat: mainly African savannah i.e. open country with shrub, spreading trees or reedbeds.

Description: heavy, tawny coloured body. Male has a mane on head, neck and shoulders which varies from tawny to black and maybe thick or thin.

Size: length: males up to 2.7m, of which 90cm is tail; females smaller.

Food: mainly wildebeest, zebra, impala, antelopes and gazelles.

A lion is a large, powerful carnivore and was once common in Asia and parts of Europe as well as in Africa. This impressive member of the big cat family is now a protected species.