31 Lion Facts For Kids

1. Lions are large cats that are members of the Panthera genus.
2. Lions are one of the most widely recognizable animals in the world due to their symbolic use in human culture.
3. The lion’s binomial name Panthera leo.
4. There are two subspecies of lions, the Northern lion (Panthera leo leo) and the Southern lion (Panthera leo melanochaita).
5. The lion’s habitat range includes sub-Saharan Africa and a small part of India.
6. Lions prefer grassy plains, savannahs, and open woodlands for their habitat.
7. There are an estimated 20,000 lions living in the wild.
8. Lions are carnivores and eat a wide spectrum of prey, include-ing but not limited to zebras, African buffalos, and giraffes.
9. The diet of a lion classifies it as a hypercarnivore and is considered both a keystone and apex predator.
10. The average adult male lion needs to eat around 15 pounds of meat every day.
11. The average adult female lion needs to eat around 11 pounds of meat every day.
12. The average adult male lion weighs between 350 and 500 pounds.
13. The average adult female lion weighs between 240 and 320 pounds.
14. The average head-and-body length of an adult male lion is between 72 and 82 inches.
15. The average head-and-body length of an adult female lion is between 63 and 72 inches.
16. The average tail length of an adult male lion is between 32 and 37 inches.
17. The average tail length of an adult female lion is between 28 and 35 inches.
18. The average lifespan of a wild lion is between 10 and 15 years, but in captivity they can live up to 25 years.
19. Lions can run between 30 and 37 miles per hour in a short burst.
20. A male lion is simply called a lion, a female lion is called a lioness and a juvenile lion is called a cub.
21. Lions are very social and live in large groups known as a pride.
22. Lion prides on average have 15 members but can sometimes reach up to 30 members.
23. A lion pride usually consists of adult female lions, juvenile lions (cubs) and up to four adult males.
24. Sometimes male lions form an all-male group that is known as a coalition.
25. For various reasons, lions both male and female my choose to live on their own and are then considered a nomadic lion.
26. A lion’s roar can be heard up to three miles away.
27. Lions are extremely popular with humans and are commonly found in zoos worldwide.
28. It’s estimated there are more than 1,000 lions in zoos and wildlife parks around the world.
29. Humans have reduced the habitat range of lions, which use to extended into Africa, Asia, and Europe.
30. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified lions as a vulnerable species since 1996.
31. In 1898, two male lions known as the Tasavo Man-Eaters killed up to 135 people during a nine month period. Their pelts (fur) and skulls are on display at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois. This event also inspired the 1996 American historical adventure film The Ghost and the Darkness.

Lion Pictures

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the below images will be helpful for your research on lions. Below are six pictures of various lions. These pictures should help you better understand these kings of the jungle.

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