The lion is a carnivore feline in the genus lynx and a subspecies of the Leopardus genus. It has a broad, thick-scaled body with a short, muscular trunk and short, slightly rounded tail. It is truly a wonderful animal, beautiful to look upon even in its true colors. It is also sexually dimorphic, with adult male having a rather spectacular mane.
Because he is such a handsome animal, it is quite frequently hunted for its fur. However, there are many tribes of African Lions who reside in reserves where hunting is prohibited. Primarily solitary animals, these cats are known for habitually traveling together in pairs, sometimes even one female with one or two males. Lions have been known to be seen in pairs on dry grounds, but they usually pair up only during mating season, which occurs between April and June.
In captivity, the Lion is quite adaptable and is quite capable of surviving in an acceptable range of temperatures and conditions. Although the American Lynx is considered to be the most beautiful predator in the world, the Lion can often outshine this predator in terms of beauty and charm.
In fact, many consider the Lion to be one of the most visually stunning felines, judging by its distinct coloration and patterning. For this reason, the Lion has become very popular as a pet, particularly in zoos.
Many pet owners keep male lions as pets, primarily because of their regal status, which makes them excellent additions to any pride. Lion’s pride is built on a large grassland and the pride’s number usually depends on the age and reproductive success of the lioness. Occasionally more than one lioness will compete for a single lion, although rarely more than one lioness will occupy a pride at once.
Pride of Lions is also recognized by a particular odor that alerts other lions to its presence. This “mark” is said to be scented like a blend of mother’s milk and man’s urine. Because of their powerful smell, Lions spend much of their waking time trying to master this “taste”. The average age of pride is between fifteen and twenty years, with the majority being male lions.
When it comes to African lions, there are three subspecies – lion, lioness, and leopard. Leopards live in southern Africa, where they are sometimes called African Leopard Cats, whereas the lion is indigenous to eastern and southern parts of Africa.
Both leopards and Lions are hunted for their tusks, which can grow to over one foot in length. Lions use their mane and hair as an abundance of prey, although the Lioness usually hunting from a safe distance. If an unfortunate Lioness finds herself on the wrong side of a hunting lion, however, she may well become a trophy as well!
