The largest and most powerful predator of the African savannah - the lion - not without reason causes both fear and admiration. The head of a young lion is decorated with a rather light mane, which becomes darker with age. Females do not have such decoration.
Reproduction
The mating period of lions does not refer to a specific season, so cubs are born at any time of the year. Mating is accompanied by bloody males fights. The lioness gives birth to cubs every 2 years. Pregnancy lasts approximately 105-112 days. The lioness's den is a cave, a gorge in a rock or a pit located in a place that is hard to reach for others. The proximity of the watering hole is also an important condition. Newborn lion cubs are small. On the coat they have a spotted pattern, later the color becomes monotonous. In the first 2 months, the lioness feeds them with milk. Two-month-old lion cubs, together with their mother, leave the den, they accompany her on the hunt. Lion cubs diligently master all the necessary hunting skills. During the first two years of life, they are with their mother. After 2 years, the female becomes pregnant again, so the young lions go in search of their own territory.
Food
Usually lions go hunting in the afternoon, at dusk. In the midday heat, they rest, lying in the shade, or sleep. Lions have excellent eyesight, so they are perfectly oriented even in complete darkness.
The main earners in the pride are lionesses. During the hunt for large prey, they first carefully sneak up on it, then catch up with the victim with several jumps and kill it. Despite the fact that the males do not participate in the hunt, they are the first to approach the prey. The lion eats those parts of the victim that he likes best. Only after the male is satiated, lionesses and young animals approach the prey. After eating, lions quench their thirst and rest. For a pride of 3-4 lions, one successful hunt per week is usually enough.
The main prey of lions is various antelopes, zebras, elephants, young rhinos, hippos, as well as livestock. In addition, the lion eats carrion and small animals, including murine rodents. During dry periods, lionesses hunt at a watering hole.
Lifestyle
Unlike many other representatives of the feline family, leading a solitary lifestyle, lions live not only alone and in pairs, but also in small groups - prides. Each pride can contain from 4 to 30 individuals. The pride includes 1-2 adult males, females and young animals. The prides are located on individual sites, which males guard from rivals, since the winner gets the right to become the head of the pride and mate with females. In turn, they protect the territory from females from other prides. Bloody fights take place between the lions, often ending even with the death of one of the rivals.
In lions, sexual dimorphism is very strongly developed - the lioness is smaller in size and does not have a mane. This phenomenon is characteristic of only a few predators. The researchers noticed that after about two years, the lion ceases to be interested in females from his pride and leaves him to conquer another group of lionesses in battle. The male winner mates with females from another's pride. Scientists believe that it was nature itself that ordered so that incest did not occur in the pride.
Habitat
The lion lives in Central Africa, south of the Sahara. The Asiatic lion is found in the Indian state of Gujarat, in the Mountain Forest.
