Lion

The African lion lives in most of sub-Saharan Africa, except in desert and jungle habitats.

There is a clear sexual dimorphism in that the male, in addition to being larger, has a large mane that protects his neck in fights with other lions.

Lions mate approximately twice per hour during the 4-day mating period, and reproduce throughout the year. The female gives birth to an average of 3 offspring per delivery, after a gestation of 109 days. They live together in groups called ‘prides’ consisting of about 6 females, their young and 2 or 3 resident males, usually brothers, who compete to mate with the females in the pride. The resident males of a pride are immigrants who have forcibly gained control of the pride from previous male members, sometimes by killing them. When they achieve dominance of the pride they kill the cubs to bring the lionesses back into heat, mate with them and ensure their offspring.

The main threat to this species is poaching with wire snares, rifles and arrows to keep them out of human-inhabited areas. Interestingly, lions enter these areas due to the loss of their habitat and the decrease of their prey at the hands of humans.