The iconic African lion (Panthera Leo) is of the cat family and has strong powerful bodies and they are known for courage, strength, and bravery admired throughout history as well as African folk stories. A fully matured lion has a coat of yellow-gold with lighter spots that disappear as the lion ages although young lions have dark spots like a leopard. The impressive fringe of long hair called “mane” covers the neck area, encircling the head, and runs along the underpants to the hide legs of male lions and the lion’s roar can be heard five miles away.
The pride and hunting
Unlike other cat families which are solitary, the African lions live in groups called “pride”. The pride is formed of 3 to 40 individuals with like a dozen of females, 3 to 4 males with one being superior. The pride members can out different roles respectively;
The pride’s males defend the pride territory with urine to warn off the encroachers, chasing off intruders for their turf and they are ready to fight or die from their pride if threatened.
The females are mainly of 3 roles that are mothering the pride, head of the pride and the primary hunters. The hunting is done as a group (teamwork) as some of these animals are faster or smart so this lowers them into their trap. But can also individually hunt if the opportunity presents itself. Young ones don’t take part in the hunting, protected till their age at least 1-2 years. After the hunt, the kill is divided with the cubs at the bottom of the pecking order.
Habitat and Diet
Lions once roamed most of Africa, Europe and parts of Asia, with civilization the species’ numerous count has reduced. They are today only found in a few parts of Africa in countries like Kenya, and Tanzania not forgetting Uganda, home to the rare tree-climbing lions. Mainly stick to occupy savannah grasslands, plains and woodland, tropical rain forests favourable for hunting prey.
The lion’s diet is most universal feeding on a variety of different animals like wildebeests, buffalos, impalas, reedbucks, zebras, giraffes, elephants, sitatungas, gazelle, Uganda kobs, dik-diks, ribs and more depending on the location respectively.
Sexual activity
Lions are polygamous breeding once every two years, the gestation period is about 108-110 days with 1- 6 cubs referred to as a litter. The newborns are blind with a thick coat of dark spots and helpless for the first weeks. The lion cubs are communally raised and trained with skills to take on the journey in the wild.
Journey with us as we cover more about the African lions on your visit.