Untitled Document
 The
lion is a symbol of power and courage. This is because
it is a strong and powerful animal. Lions have
powerful legs, a strong jaw, and 8-centimeter-long
canine teeth.
About 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal beside humans. Today, wild lions can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa and India.
In the past, they lived in
most parts of Africa. At one time, they were found
from Greece through the Middle East to northern India. But today,
only a very small population remains in India. Lions live
in organized social groups. Compared to other cats, lions
are unusually social.
The lion has short, reddish brown fur. The back of the ears
and tip of the tail are dark brown or black.
The most outstanding feature of the male lion is its mane. The color of the mane
varies from a light brown to almost black. It covers the sides of the face and neck.
 A young male begins to grow its mane at about 18
months. The mane continues to grow until the big cat reaches about five years
of age. Throughout this period, the mane becomes
darker.
The lion is the second largest living cat after the tiger. Large males
weigh more than 250 kilograms.
A fully developed male lion can grow
up to 3 meters in length. Both male and female lions roar. The sound can be heard as far as 8 kilometers
away!
Female lions (lionesses) are able to give birth to babies by the
time they are four years of age. They give birth to cubs after 110 days. Lions
can live up to 20 years in the wild. In captivity, both male and
female lions can live for over 20 years. |
|
|
|
