Skip to content Skip to footer

African Lion

Place to admire: Africa

Scientific name: Panthera leo

IUCN-status: Vulnerable

General Information

The African lion belongs to the category of predators. The African lion is known as the King of animals. The African lion acquired this name thanks to its phenomenal hunting skills.

The African lion has no ‘real’ natural enemy in the wild, but humans are a very dangerous enemy to them. In Africa, the African lion is found almost exclusively in (protected) wildlife sanctuaries.

Habitat

The African lion’s habitat consists of forests, savannas, and grass plains in Africa. They are found mainly in Central Africa and East Africa.

More and more African lions are disappearing in the wild. Research shows that from 90% of the African areas where they occurred in the past have disappeared in the past 120 years. Therefore, it is important that we protect the African Lion.

Appearance

The only feline in which appearance differs, between males and females, is the lion.

Adult lions are easily distinguished into male and female. A male lion has hair at the front of the head. These are called manes. The more imposing these manes look, the stronger the lion.

Lionesses have no mane. Because of this, you can clearly see the difference. This species weighs from 120 to 275 kilograms.

Social behavior

This species lives in groups, which is also called a ‘pride’. A pride consists of one male lion, several lionesses and their cubs. Sometimes the group does not consist of one male lion, but several, such as brothers or other family members.

A male lion leads the pride. This happens when he has a little luck, and he is the strongest. As time goes on, and the male lion ages, a younger male is often ready to take over the pride.

Natural behavior

In the wild, lionesses stay with the same group throughout their lives. A lioness goes hunting alone or together in a group. As a result, she provides a larger share of the hunt than a male lion. The size of the prey depends on the size of the hunting group. When a group of lionesses hunt together, they primarily hunt antelope, zebra and other large herbivores.

Lions in Mondo Verde

The African Lions in Mondo Verde are not albinos. Albino lions have no pigment at all and pink/red eyes. The lions in Mondo Verde are missing a certain gene, resulting in a very light brown coat.

In the wild, these lions experience a disadvantage in terms of hunting their prey. Hunters also target them because of the fur. Because of this, white lions are believed to no longer live in wildlife.

Would you also want to adopt an animal?

By adopting an animal symbolically, you give the animal something extra and something special. The money of your donation pays for enrichment elements, feeding costs, maintenance of the enclosure and any veterinary expenses. Of course, depending on the amount, you will also receive some benefits.

Admire other beautiful animals of Africa