lion

Overview

The lion is a cat with powerful forelimbs and a solid body. Its social life, hunting and raising cubs in groups, is also striking. Begin with an adult male’s mane, then broaden your view to the story of a group living together.^[1]

Key facts

A lion’s roar also announces its territory. Both males and females mark territories with roars and scent. During hunts, several lions may approach prey from different directions. Sound, scent, and movement together form the group’s life.^[1]

Time and place

The lion is a living animal. Today it is known from sub-Saharan Africa, with Asiatic lion groups also present in the Gir Forest of western India. This illustration depicts one adult African male.^[2]

The time range describes source context, not the complete duration of this species.

Size, form and skeleton

Adults have plain coats ranging from light brown to tawny, with a black tuft at the tail tip. Male manes tend to become fuller and darker with age. Look for both the mane and the tail tuft.^[2]

A university animal guide gives the usual body mass of an adult male as approximately 189 kg.^[3]

The same guide gives an average female body mass of approximately 126 kg.^[3]

Habitat and reproduction

Lions live in environments such as grasslands, savannas, and dry forests. Related females and their cubs form the core of a pride. Cubs receive shared care and may suckle from other lactating females.^[2]

Fossil discovery

Without their coats, lions and tigers resemble each other so closely in body form that a nonspecialist may struggle to distinguish them. This observation invites consideration of the difference between looking at manes and coat colors and comparing body structure itself.^[1]

References

1. Smithsonian National Zoo — Lion anatomy and life in prides
2. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo — Lion appearance, habitat and rearing of young
3. University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Panthera leo
4. Werdelin·Lewis (2001) — Reassessment of the morphology and evolution of Dinofelis

Research questions

Why do manes differ among individual lions? Genetics and hormones, as well as age, are thought to influence mane length and color. Comparing manes ranging from golden to reddish brown and black reveals varied appearances within one species.^[1]

Observation

Move your gaze from the golden body to the powerful forelimbs and the mane surrounding the head. The illustration depicts one adult male. Following the connections between forelimbs and trunk and the outline of the mane reveals the lion’s overall body plan.^[1]