7 Amazing Facts about Lions
Lions Don’t Live in the Jungle
Even though lions are known as “King of the Jungle,” they live in grasslands and plains – not the jungle. Also unusual in the animal kingdom, female lions do the hunting (usually in groups) while male lions stay home and watch over the pride. The males, however, are first to eat when the female lions come home with their kill.
A National Symbol
Lions are associated with pride, courage, and strength, making them a perfect national symbol. Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, England, Ethiopia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Singapore all regard the lion as their national symbol.
The Loudest Roar
A male lion’s roar can be heard from up to five miles away – the loudest roar of any big cat species. Their roar helps them find other lions as well as to proclaim their territory. A pride’s territory may include up to 100 square miles.
Two thousand years ago
Two thousand years ago, over a million lions roamed throughout regions that covered Europe, Syria, Israel, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, and India. In the 1940s, lions numbered 450,000. Today, there are as few as 32,000 on Earth.
Can’t move its eyes
A lion’s pupil is three times as big as a human’s. But a lion can’t move its eyes side to side very well, so it moves its entire head when it needs to look in a different direction.
1 in 8 male lions survive
Only about 1 in 8 male lions survive to adulthood. A majority of lions die shortly after being kicked out of their pride around the age of 2.
Lions can run
Lions can run up to 50 mph, but only in a straight line and only for a few seconds at a time. Consequently, lions get as close as they can to their prey before they start the chase.