African Lion - Panthera leo
Lions once lived in southern Europe,
Africa, and parts of Asia. Today, however, they are confined mainly
to the game reserves of Africa, with a few still living in the Gir
Forest of India. For most visitors a safari has not been a success
unless they have at least glimpsed a lion, but many tourists are
disappointed by the lion's inactivity. Lions are unbelievably lazy
creatures that spend up to twenty hours a day just lying around
or sleeping. The other four or five hours they spend hunting or
marking the borders of their territories.
An adult male can be 2.4 m long and weigh as much as 238 kg. The
female is smaller and lacks the male’s heavy mane. Lions live
in open country, in groups known as prides, consisting of from 6
to 30 members headed by one or two mature males. They hunt co-operatively
and, while the females are better hunters and do most of the work
bringing down the prey, the males eat first, followed by the females,
and lastly the cubs get their share. Lions prey mostly on hoofed
animals, although they occasionally consume fallen fruit.
The initial charge of the lion
only lasts for 50 to100 m, and if the target is quick enough to
keep ahead of the predator for that distance, the lion usually abandons
the attempt. Lions spend about 20 hours of each day doing absolutely
nothing.
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