There’s some rolling on backs, play fighting, and patting with paws. This looks like a peaceful spot for the pride to hang out with their cubs.
Lions in Africa
Lions are apex predators found in South Africa and Asia where they like to live in open woodland, scrub, and grassland. They are large, strong, and powerful members of the feline family and the largest cats on the continent of Africa. Lions are social animals and like to live in family groups called prides, and as we see here, the majority of lions in a pride are females. You can tell them apart from the males because they do not have the thick, darker manes around their faces. A pride generally consists of between five and 15 females, their cubs, and one male. The male patrols his territory warning off other males. Overall, the number of lions on the planet has reduced and there are now only around 20,000 lions left in the world. These magnificent creatures have a short coat that is a tawny or golden color. Their coat is understated, and they do not have the bold patterns that some other big cats, such as the tiger or leopard, have. Their tail is long and has the characteristic tuft of fur at the end.
Lions as Hunters and Moms
Lions are apex predators and carnivores. A combination of strong, powerful jaws, pointed canines and sharp carnassial teeth means that they can slice through the flesh of animals that they have caught. It is the lionesses that hunt the prey and they do this in groups. This allows them to tackle larger and faster prey than an individual lion could tackle on its own. Lions become sexually mature at the age of two or three but will often delay breeding until the pride is firmly established. After mating, females gestate for almost four months and give birth to between one and six cubs. Lion cubs are very vulnerable; less than 50 percent will survive for a year and just one out of five will still be alive at the age of two years. Most are lost to starvation or attacks by other animals. Many lionesses in the same pride will give birth around the same time and will suckle each other’s cubs. The young will start to eat meat at around three months but continue to nurse until they are around six months old. They learn to hunt once they are a year old and as we see here, they practice their moves on their mom first!
Next Up:
Watch a Cornered Crocodile Fight Five Adult LionsWatch a Powerful Mountain Lion Suspiciously Interrogate Their Own ReflectionWatch a Hyena Casually Walk Into a Lion Pride and Immediately Regret It
