Lions are known as some of the strongest and most courageous animals of the world. They stand out because of their striking manes and eye catching bright fur, but they have many other features that make them even more impressive. Here are 21 fun facts you won’t believe about lions.
- Nearly all wild lions live in Africa, but one small population lives in Western India.
- Male lions can weigh 30 stone.
- Lion clubs are reared together, meaning that the cubs can suckle from any female with milk.
- They can get their water from plants, for example, the Tsamma melon.
- Lions are huge eaters, and they can eat a quarter of their body weight in one meal.
- Their tongues have sharp pointed rasps, called papillae. These are used to scrape meat off bones.
- Lions do most of their hunting at night, as their eyes are adapted to the dark.
- They like to hunt during storms and windy weather, because it is harder for prey to see and hear them.
- Lions are the only cats that roar together.
- A group of lions are called ‘a pride’.
- There are thought to be 23,000 lions left in the wild.
- The darker a male lion’s mane is, the older he is.
- A lion can leap as far as 36 feet.
- Lions tend to live in grasslands and plains.
- Male lions are the only big cats that look different from the females of their species.
- The lion is the most social of all big cats.
- Lions have a 50% success rate when they hunt at night.
- Lions come in several different colours, including yellow, brown and tan. You can even get red lions.
- Lions live in prides from 2 to 40 members.
- The average pride consists of 13 lions.
- A lion can travel more than 12 miles in a single day or night.
