Lions; the bush kings

Lions belong to the group of the four big cats and go by scientific name; panther leo. They are widely spread in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia. They inhabit savanna and grassland and sometimes forest and deep bushes. They are the second largest cats after the tiger. They are critically endangered due to poaching and also under threat of pastoralist communities especially in Africa i.e. Kenya and have been around in great numbers except now that they are under threat due to human encroachment on their habitats. They can survive in the wild for 14 years but this is hampered by injuries sustained from fights with rival males due to competition for food and mates.




Lions hardly hunt humans but have been known attack and eat them. In Kenya there is the story of the man eaters from Tsavo that attacks and ate Indian constructing the railway line. The two man eaters have are being preserved at British Museum. They are anti-social and stay groups referred to as prides. A prides consists of related females and offsprings and a few adult males. Females hunt together in groups while males usually join after preys have been caught though sometimes they hunt when an opportunity crops.



Lions are highly distinctive and males are recognized by their famous mane surrounding the face. Female don’t have manes. The mane has been a form of symbolic culture in Africa especially in country national flags and even company logos representing mightiness or commanding respect. Lion carving s and paintings are all over the world. The reason is the lion is recognized as the king of the jungle and commands respect from its roaring sound which cuts across the park. They weigh around 250 kilograms and can live for up to 20 years while in captivity due to reduced risks of human threat.

Arthur is a researcher and writer on wildlife, tours and travels. For more of his work, please visit his site at


http://www.getinfoathome.com/?p=11