Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Living things can be organised into different groups.  Species that are alike are grouped together.  This is called classification.

Class:                    Mammals

Order:                   Carnivores

Family:                  Felidae

Species:                Panthera leo (lion)

                  
The cat family has about 38 different species, ranging from the domestic cat to the tiger.  They are split into ‘big’ and ‘small cats’ and in general, big cats can roar, while small cats can purr continuously.

Big Cats are special

Intelligent and agile, big cats are ideally designed to hunt, with sharp teeth and claws, strong jaws, powerful bodies, excellent eyesight, acute hearing and a good sense of smell.  Their fur coats are camouflaged to blend into their backgrounds.

Distribution

Lions were once found throughout Africa and much of Asia, but today live in just scattered areas of Africa and the Gir Forest in India.

Habitat

Known as the ‘king of the jungle’, the lion in fact prefers open savanna country.

Diet

All big cats are carnivores, or meat-eaters, at the top of their ‘food chains’.  Unlike most cats, lions hunt in groups preying on zebra and antelopes.

Adaptations

Big cats have flexible bodies designed for running, jumping and climbing.  Their intestines are short as they only digest meat, not vegetable matter.  Their sharp teeth are scissor-like to tear into flesh.  Most big cats hunt at night and can see six times as well as a human in the dark.  They have a larger field of vision, but cannot see colours as well as people can.

Behaviour

Big cats must defend their home-range or ‘territory’ from others.  Smell is the most important form of communication and big cats spray urine and rub their scent on trees and bushes around their territory, as well as leaving scratch marks, to warn others to keep away.

Society

Lions live together in groups called ‘prides’.  The females hunt prey co-operatively, while the males defend the territory, their magnificent manes and roars intimidating rivals.

Reproduction

After mating, lions rear their young together in the pride.  Cubs are helpless and rely on their mothers’ milk.  As they become weaned, they are dependent on the meat their mothers catch, before learning how to hunt for themselves.

For kids factsheets on lions and other animals, please click here