lion

HorsePerson's Animal report Info

Scientific name: //Panthera leo// (Was //Felis leo// until recently.) Family: Felidae, Order: Carnivora, Class: Mammalia. Male: Avg. Length: 9 ft. (2.7 meters), weight: 350-400 lbs. (157-180 Kg.). Height: 36 in. (90cm.) Female: Avg. Length: 8 ft. (2.4 meters), weight: 250-300 lbs. (112.5-136 Kg.). Height: 30 in. (75 cm) (Lengths include the tail. Height measured at the shoulder.) No. of teeth: 30 Lifespan: 12 years in the wild, 20 years in captivity. Females typically live a few more years in the wild. Maximum speed: 30 mph over 50 yds. ( 48 kph. over 46 m.) Biggest Jump: 12 ft. (3.7 m.) vertical, 36 ft. (10.8 m.) horizontal. Gestation period: 105-115 days. Body Temperature: 101 deg. F (38.33 deg C)

used from: http://www.lionlamb.us/lion/lionfact.html The range of the African lion is the south Sahara Desert. Their main pray is wildebeest, impala, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and wild hogs. The African lions are suffering from these threats: Loss of habitat to population growth and agricultural expansion as well as hunting and poisoning by livestock ranchers. Their Swahili name for lion is Simba. Young males around the ages of two and three are chased out of the pride to start their own. The land the pride usually covers 15 square miles.

18.) The range of the African lion is the south Sahara Desert. 19.) The African lions are suffering from these threats: Loss of habitat to population growth and agricultural expansion as well as hunting and poisoning by livestock ranchers. 20.) Their Swahili name for lion is Simba. 21.) Young males around the ages of two and three are chased out of the pride to start their own. 22.) The land the pride usually covers 15 square miles. 23.) Lions will sometimes eat other carnivores such as leopards and cheetahs.

LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL STRUCTURE: 24.) Lions are the only cats that live in large family groups. Each pride differs in size and formation, but a typical pride consists of two males and seven females and a variable number of cubs. 25.) Females are usually sisters and/or cousins that have grown up together. When the pride hunts as a group they employ an ambush that forces large prey into the waiting paws of the males. 26.) Females have the speed but lack the body weight to knock down large "family size" prey such as the wildebeast. Despite their tremendous power and adaptive efficiency, lions are more likely to fail than succeed in their attempts to kill. 27.) Subadult males are driven out at 2-1/2 to 3 years of age and may go in a group with other males. 28.) Females mature in about two years, males a few years later. All big cats are induced ovulators, i.e. release of the ovum is brought about by the act of mating. 29.) The period of gestation for the lioness is between 105 and 118 days and usually three or four cubs will be born. Only one in five will survive the first year. When game is scarce the dominance hierarchy based on size and age quickly becomes apparent. The youngest die first.


 * Reproduction:** 30.) Litters consist of 2-4 cubs with an 80% mortality rate. Most cub deaths occur within the first year. Cubs are raised cooperatively by adult females and are weaned at six months. 31.) They become sexually mature after two years. Male lions typically have access to breeding females at age four. used from: http://www.nczoo.org/animal_id/africa_lion.cfm

32.) Lions may influence the population of their prey in certain situations, however: most of these are man-made situations, such as the introduction of animals to particular areas and the creation of water holes. The ubundance of prey in particular areas does affect the abundance of lion in that area. Various estimates have been put forward, but a general indication is that any game area will require well over 100 game animals to support 1 lion for a year. 33.) Lions are the top of the food pyramid, and require a wide base of prey species below them. An individual adult male can consume over 40 kilograms of meat in a sitting, but can then go for many days without eating thereafter. 34.) An adult female in the wild will consume approximately 5 kilograms of meat per day.

Lions are more social than most other cat species which are usually solitary by nature. 35.) They live in prides composed of 3 to 30 individuals, related adult females and their young. Each pride has its own social dominant hierarchy in which the weakest male ranks above all females. 36.) If a resident males are defeated by new males they will leave the pride and typically will never return.
 * [[image:http://www.honoluluzoo.org/images/apollo_reclining_dave_small.jpg width="250" height="187" align="center" link="http://www.honoluluzoo.org/images/apollo_reclining_dave.htm"]] ||
 * **Samantha, Ethel Louise and Apollo** ||
 * **Samantha, Ethel Louise and Apollo** ||

37.) On the open plains, hunting takes place at night. 38.) In areas of high grass or thick foliage, it may occur during the day. Research by Dr. Craig Packer, at the [|Lion Research Center], on the reintroduction of lions into South African Parks, has found that lions will ambush prey at rivers or water holes. 39.) They prefer to hunt near river confluences that funnel prey into a small areas. He has found that highly attractive spots will remain so for generations. In two parks where lions were re-introduced, the released animals explored the entire reserve before selecting a specific area and developing a clearly defined home range. 40.) The male rarely hunts with the pride, perhaps because its mane makes it too obvious. Lionesses hunt instinctively in a cooperative fashion. 41.) When hunting in a group they fan out to surround prey and attempt to drive it toward one another. 42.) Since lions can only run 36 mph., and some of its prey can run up to 50 mph., cooperation and stealth are vital. 43.) The females are expert stalkers and the color of their coat helps camouflage them. If a female is hunting alone, it is imperative that she gets a close as possible to her prey, which often has the ability to run faster than her. 44.) If an individual is hunting alone it will only be successful about 17% of the time. 45.) If two or more hunt together they will have a success rate of 30%. used from: http://www.honoluluzoo.org/lion.htm Lions have an instinctual and ingenious method of limiting serious injury during potentially violent confrontations. 46.) The weaker members of the pride, especially cubs, adopt a fawning or cringing position and, by crouching or lying submissively on its back, deliberately exposes itself in such a fashion as to make killing as easy as possible for the superior lion. 47.) The aggressor, recognizing the appeasement gesture and that it is no longer threatened, breaks off the attack and returns to other matters. Disputes between mature males are not generally governed by the normal etiquit extended to other pride members. 48.) These confrontations can be extremely violent or fatal encounters, where submissive gestures and other body posturing can result in severe injury or death to the weaker individual. 49.) Female lions generally come into estrous by the age of 2 1/2 to 3 years and continue to have litters every two years, if an adequate food supply exists. 50.) Hormonal changes in the lioness are detected by the dominate male(s) through changes in the odor of the lionesses urine. When smelling the urine of an estrous lioness, the male lion makes a characteristic facial grimace, known as "flehmen." The male lion raises his head, swills the females odorous urine in his mouth, and inhales deeply, drawing back his lips in a curl exposing his teeth and gums. 51.) Male lions become extremely protective of their mates while they are breeding, often leaving the immediate vicinity of the pride. 52.) As a prelude to mating, generally initiated by the lioness, body posturing including rubbing and nudging, rolling over on her back and emitting a low guttural moaning stimulate the male to initiate intercourse. 53.) When she has his full attention, the lioness assumes a crouched mating posture with the base of her tail slightly elevated. 54.) The male mounts and copulation lasts from 5 to 20 seconds, during which time the male bites the neck of the lioness and produces any number of facial expressions and sounds. 55.) At this time lions mate frequently, as often as every 20 minutes or half hour, for several (3-7) days, the estrous cycle lasting from one day to three weeks. Following each copulation, the lioness rolls over onto her back and lays in this inverted position for a minute or two, perhaps enhancing the chances for conception. 56.) Maiting lions do not usually show any interest in hunting or eating, and are not generally viewed as a threat by prey species. 57.) Studies have shown that approximately one cub reaches sexual maturity for every 2,500 copulations.

Recently, canine distemper virus (CDV) has been identified in the lions of the Serengeti Park. The virus appears to have been transmitted from the domestic dogs living adjacent to the park. 58.) In 1978, CDV is thought to have caused several fatal epidemics in canids within the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem of East Africa, affecting silver-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) and bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis). 59.) In 1991 CDV was identified in the African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in the ecosystem. The large, closely monitored Serengeti lion population was not affected in either of these epidemics. However, an epidemic caused by a morbillivirus, closely related to the CDV, emerged abruptly in the lion population of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, in early 1994. 60.) This epidemic manifested itself in a fatal neurological disease characterized by grand mal seizures and myoclonus; the lions that died had encephalitis and pneumonia. 61.) By August 1994, eighty-five percent of the Serengeti lion population had anti-CDV antibodies, and the epidemic spread north to lions in the Maasai Mara National reserve, Kenya, and uncounted hyenas, bat-eared foxes, and leopards were also affected. 62.) There is now an effort to "ring-vaccinate" around the park, using a new vaccine. This inoculation is being carried out by Cambridge (UK) veterinary graduate student Sarah Cleaveland, who vaccinates the dogs in the area every six months. This will hopefully create an area around the Serengeti Park with fewer infected animals, reducing the possibility of transmission to the lions. It was decided to ring-vaccinate the dogs, rather than the lions themselves, due to the (small) risk of the vaccine virulently infecting a proportion of lions being vaccinated, and also to the difficulty of actually vaccinating lions in the wild. 63.) The majority of infections are asymptomatic, because the immune system of most victims neutralizes the virus before it spreads to the central nervous system. 64.) This selection of animals, with immune systems fast enough to respond, would explain why only 1,000 out of 3,000 Serengeti lions died, and the others weren't observed to be affected.


 * Cross Breeding of Lions**

65.) Lions have also been known to [|breed] with [|tigers] (most often Amur and Bengal) to create hybrids called [|ligers] and [|tigons]. They have also been crossed with leopards to produce [|leopons] and [|jaguars] to produce [|jaglions]. 66.) The [|marozi] is reputedly a spotted lion or a naturally occurring leopon, while the [|Congolese spotted lion] is a complex lion/jaguar/leopard hybrid called a [|lijagulep]. 67.) Such hybrids were once commonly bred in zoos, but this is now discouraged due to the emphasis on conserving species and subspecies. 68.) Hybrids are still bred in private menageries and in zoos in [|China]. 69.) The liger is a cross between a male lion and a tigress. 70.) Because the lion sire passes on a growth-promoting gene, but the corresponding growth-inhibiting gene from the female lion is absent, ligers grow far larger than either parent. They share physical and behavioural qualities of both parent species (spots and stripes on a sandy background). 71.) Male ligers are sterile, but female ligers are often fertile. 72.) Males have about a 50% chance of having a mane, but if they grow one the mane will be modest, around 50% again of a pure lion mane. 73.) The less common tigon is a cross between the lioness and the male tiger. 74.) Because the male tiger does not pass on a growth-promoting gene and the lioness passes on a growth inhibiting gene, tigons are often relatively small, only weighing up to 150 kilograms (350 lb), which is about 20% smaller than lions. 75.) Like ligers, they have physical and behavioural traits from both parental species and males are sterile. used some information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Lion

__[|76.) Panthera leo lives in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia. 77.) There it feeds on a huge variety of animals. When preying it can reach the speed of 60 km per hour and leap even 12 metres. 78.) No animal is safe when the lion is preying even not the lions themselves.]__

__used some info from:__ http://www.wildanimalsonline.com/mammals/lion.php

79.) Known both for its nobility and brutality, the lion is truly "King of the Beasts." 80.) Thought to be a subspecies of African lions, Asiatic lions, //Panthera leo persica//, have have shorter manes and smaller body sizes than their African counterparts. 81.) Asia's lions have one lone refuge in India's Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, where their population is estimated to be approximately 300 cats. 82.) This noble animal is precariously tottering on the brink of extinction, and is the most endangered large cat species in the world. 83.) The life of a lioness isn't easy. 84.) Not only does she have her cubs to raise, but she and the other females do up to ninety percent of the hunting for the entire pride! 85.) Lionesses will usually have two to three cubs in a single litter, and will even let cubs from another female's litter, suckle with that of her own. 86.) Such cooperation ensures the survival of more young than if a lioness was on her own. 87.) The lion is the only cat to have a mane. 88.) It's speculated that a mane causes the male to look bigger, and gives it an advantage when chasing off other threatening males. 89.) The mane, however, can make it harder for a male lion to hunt, for it makes the lion more visible, and other animals have a greater likelihood of seeing it coming. 90.) Since lions cannot outrun their prey, they must depend on stealth and camouflage for their hunts to succeed. 91.) Males, however, can be good hunters when they want to be-- most often when they don't have a pride of females to do the work for them. 92.) Male lions often hunt warthog and large prey, such as buffalo, where the king sized cats can utilize their own sheer power to their advantage, and where speed is not as essential. 93.) Lion cubs are born with spots, but as they mature, the spots fade; sometimes, however, the spotting can remain on their bellies and legs. 94.) Since cubs are the most vulnerable to predators when they are young, the spots may give the young camouflage until they are old enough to either get away, or begin hunting themselves. 95.) Female lions will stay for life in a pride that they were born into, but males come and go as the pride changes ownership. 96.) The average reign for male lions over a pride is two to three years. 97.) It's no wonder that they are nearly paranoid in their protectiveness over their lionesses! 98.) When a male lion looses his pride to other males, his sired cubs are frequently killed, so that the females will come into season, and be ready to mate with the new dominate male lions sooner than if their young had survived. 99.) Lions usually rest for about twenty hours a day, making them known as the laziest carnivore in the wilds of Africa! 100.) But they need all that rest, for lions are not built for endurance, but great bursts of strength that can take their prey down and provide food for the rest of the pride. 101.) Lions hunt mostly at night, and generally spend the remaining time resting in the shade from the hot African sun. some info used from: http://fohn.net/lion-pictures-facts/lion-3.html

102.) Lions are the second largest cat in the world. 103.) The males normally stand three feet tall at the shoulder, and weigh from 300 to 500 pounds, with females being smaller. 104.) They have a brown coat. 105.) Males have a mane around their neck. 106.) The mane is thought to have several functions, which include increased protectionduring fighting, a sign of gender from a distance, or an indication of fitness.

Physical Charactersitics Life Cycle Growth & Changes Body Functions Pregnancy & Birth Habitat Adaptions Problems Active Diet Relationships Reliatives Males have manes life span in wild is 12-16 and in captivity is 20-25 Small male lions don't get their mane until 1year of age can go many days without food Gestation period is 105-115 days South Sahara Desert Females have learned how to hunt so males can protect the pride Loss of habitat growth and agriculture expantion Lions are usually seeping during the day and they hunt at night Lions mainly eat wildebeast, wild hogs,and ext Lions really never live with and other animals Some are Asain lions,Astistc Lions Lions are close to around 36 inches at the shoulder most death of cubs happen between 1 year of age Males start breeding at four years of age can run 36 miles per hour a litter consists of 2-4 babies The pride usually covers an area of 15 square miles The mane helps keep the sand from getting in their eyes hunting and poisoning from farmers Lions sleep almost 20 hours a day They have to find "family size" prey Females will usually bond to their cubs Crossbreds such as the liger Male avg. weight is 350-400 lb young males between 2 and 3 are chased out to start a new pride Males become sexually mature after 2 years of age Lions are predators Lion cubs are weaned at 6 months most are found in many places in africa Lions can run a fast speed so they can kill some of the more complicated prey Canine distemper virus has spread and killed many lions Lion cubs are taught to hunt around the age of about 10 months An adult female will consume 5 kilograms at one meal There will be one dominate female in the pride some reliatives are mountain lions Female avg. is 250-300 lb pride usually consists of 2 males and 7 females only 1 in 5 lion cubs will survive the first year of life They can run fast for around 50 yards Cubs when they are born have a 80% morality rate some are also found in Asia Lions have an instinctual and ingenious method of limiting serious injury during potentially violent confrontations. Some die from starvation from losing their prey from agricultural expantion Some of the time lions will eat at night Sometimes carnivores may eat other carnivores such as leopards and cheetas Lions are more social than most other large cat species There is also a rare breed of white lion that are almost never found They have 30 teeth Females are usually sisters or cousins that have grown up together Baby lions are born with dark but they lighten when the cubs get older Lions lungs can expand far so they long to catch their prey easier There are very few trees in the part of Africa where the lions live Lions are built for endurance Lions may influence some of their preys species Swahili people call lions simba Another relative of the lion is the tiger Lions are always a tan or light brown color the youngest die first when they don't get food because the hierarchy Weakest male ranks over a female Female lions generally come into estrous by the age of 2 1/2 to 3 years and continue to have litters every two years, if an adequate food supply exists. Most of the time a pride has at least three trees on it Lions are at the top of the food pyrimid Lions have also been known to breed with tigers (most often Amur and Bengal) There is also a new cross bred which is called a jaglion The mane also shows fitness Each pride differs in size males are good hunters when they want to be When smelling the urine of an estrous lioness, the male lion makes a characteristic facial grimace, known as "flehmen. Some live in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia Hunting takes place at night They have also been crossed with leopards to produce leopons and jaguars to produce jaglions. Male ligers are sterile but females are not he females are expert stalkers and the color of their coat helps camouflage them. When groups hunt they use an ambush method The average range for a male to rule a pride is 2-3 years The male lion raises his head, swills the females odorous urine in his mouth, and inhales deeply, drawing back his lips in a curl exposing his teeth and gums. The marozi is reputedly a spotted lion or a naturally occurring leopon, while the Congolese spotted lion is a complex lion/jaguar/leopard hybrid called a lijagulep. The male ligers have a 50% chance to have a mane Since cubs are the most vulnerable to predators when they are young, the spots may give the young camouflage until they are old enough to either get away, or begin hunting themselves. Heirarchy is mostly determined on size Lions are the second largest cats in the world he male mounts and copulation lasts from 5 to 20 seconds, during which time the male bites the neck of the lioness and produces any number of facial expressions and sounds. Because the lion sire passes on a growth-promoting gene, but the corresponding growth-inhibiting gene from the female lion is absent, ligers grow far larger than either parent. Because the male tiger does not pass on a growth-promoting gene and the lioness passes on a growth inhibiting gene, tigons are often relatively small, only weighing up to 150 kilograms (350 lb), which is about 20% smaller than lions. Lions are the second largest cat in the world. Prides may have 3-30 individuals When the males leave the pride they will typically never return At this time lions mate frequently, as often as every 20 minutes or half hour, for several (3-7) days, the estrous cycle lasting from one day to three weeks. Male ligers are sterile, but female ligers are often fertile. Despite their tremendous power and adaptive efficiency, lions are more likely to fail than succeed in their attempts to kill. In areas of high grass or thick foliage, it may occur during the day. Since lions cannot outrun their prey, they must depend on stealth and camouflage for their hunts to succeed. Research by Dr. Craig Packer, at the Lion Research Center, on the reintroduction of lions into South African Parks, has found that lions will ambush prey at rivers or water holes. The male rarely hunts with the pride, perhaps because its mane makes it too obvious. Body Temperature: 101 deg. F (38.33 deg C) They prefer to hunt near river confluences that funnel prey into a small areas. If two or more hunt together they will have a success rate of 30%. Maiting lions do not usually show any interest in hunting or eating, and are not generally viewed as a threat by prey species These confrontations can be extremely violent or fatal encounters, where submissive gestures and other body posturing can result in severe injury or death to the weaker individual. Male lions become extremely protective of their mates while they are breeding, often leaving the immediate vicinity of the pride. Hormonal changes in the lioness are detected by the dominate male(s) through changes in the odor of the lionesses urine. My Interview with Simba the African Lion
 * Writing Pieces**

This is how I started to interview animals. I was looking through the paper one day and saw an add for interviewing animals. I had been out of a job for a while and thought that this one might work. It paid $50.00 a hour. The article also said that you got to interview some of the most exciting animals. Since I liked being around animals I thought that this would be the new job for me. The people who owned the business said that I had to interview carnivorous animals.Then I went in to see what animal I would be interviewing, it said African Lion. I was weary about interviewing this animal but the fun thing was I got to fly to Africa. Wish me luck!

revised Hannah- Hello Simba, how is your day going? Simba- Its going good but I had to kick out some two year old males out of //my// pride. Hannah- Don't you have to chase them out because they need to start there own pride? Simba- That is exactly right Hannah.

Hannah- So how many baby lion cubs does a lioness have at a time? Simba- They usually have four cubs in a litter.

Hannah- What time do the cubs start to eat meat? Simba- Usually they start to eat around the age of four months so they can ready to hunt.

Hannah- What kind of meat would you feed them? Simba- We have the females hunt wildebeest which is what we call "family size" prey because it is so large you can feed a whole pride with its meat.

Hannah- I'm wondering what problems are you facing out in the wild? Simba- The biggest problems are farmers are poisoning use because we eat come of their animals because we are losing our wild prey to agricultural expansion. Why I oughta show them how it feels!

Hannah- Okay then, that wraps up our interview. Thank you Simba for joining us. Simba. Where did he go? Oh, he fell asleep. That lazy cat!