Press to Return to Main Index Page

">

">

">

">

Scientific Name -  Pathera Leo The lion is a very large cat with a balanced and well-proportioned body and a large head.  Its coat varies from tawny to brownish-yellow with a black-tipped tail and black patches on its ears.  The males have a heavy body-colour, brown, or black mane.  The lion may be found in all parts of Africa south of the Sahara and in the Gir Forest of India and, until recently, in all parts of the Near East and on the Balkan and Iberian Peninsulas of Europe, where it hunts by night or day, from the ground, and seeks game of all types. Being large and strong, the lion does an unusually good job of defending itself when necessary, but it is not particularly brave or magnaminimous.  Their air of strength is underlined but the lion's spectacular roaring. At its heart, a lion pride is a closed sisterhood of female adults, usually related to each other.  Lionesses reveal an exceptional capacity for co-operation.  They hunt togetherr with some degree of co-ordinated tacticsm which enables them to be more successful that if operating as individuals.  Lion cubs are brought up in something approaching communal style.  Even though a lioness gives preference to her own cubs when they want to nurse, she will allow those of other pride members to join in too.  In contrast to this co-operation, the males of the pride contribute to the pride's stability by keeping transient males out!

">

">

">

">