African Lion

Pepper Family Wildlife Center is open 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Did You Know?

• Most other cat species are solitary, but lions are social animals, living in prides made up of a male lion or coalition of males, plus related females with their offspring.
• In an open savanna, a lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away.
• Lions have disappeared from 92 percent of their historic range. Populations are declining due to habitat loss, lack of prey, and conflict with people due to livestock predation. Lincoln Park Zoo is one organization looking to safeguard lion populations through its partnership with KopeLion and by protecting Tanzanian migration routes.

Don’t See the Animals?

Why aren’t animals visible at all times? To promote positive animal welfare, we provide animals with choices. They can choose to spend time in areas that are out of public view.

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Overview

Scientific Name: Panthera leo

Class: Mammals

Diet: A variety of prey, especially zebra and antelopes

Range: Sub-Saharan Africa

Endangered Status: Vulnerable

More Information

Lions are the second-largest big cat species behind tigers. Males may weigh up to 500 pounds and measure up to 8 feet long; they also have characteristic manes that vary in color, size, and thickness and darken with age. Juveniles often have brown spots. Prides control large home territories and move around in temporary subgroups, so the pride is not always in a single location.

Females are the primary hunters, especially during group hunts. In general, though, lions are inactive. Males rest for 20 or more hours per day. All lions are more likely to sleep during the midday hours. Lions do not have a single breeding season, but litters typically consist of two to four cubs. Cubs nurse for six months and become sub-adults between 1–2 years old. Males are eventually expelled and leave, often in pairs, and try to take over other prides.