lions quick facts
- Lions are the only cats that live in family groups called prides.
- Lionesses do 85 to 90% of the hunting.
- The National Zoo says a lion’s roar can be heard up to 8 km away.
- Up to 80% of lion cubs die in their first two years.
- Gujarat’s 2025 count found 891 Asiatic lions in India.
What is a lion?
The lion is a big, powerful cat that lives mainly in Africa. It is the only cat that lives in large family groups, called prides. The National Zoo calls lions the world’s most social cats.
Lions are the second-largest cats in the world, after tigers. Male lions are famous for their shaggy manes, and their loud roars can be heard for kilometres. Reading with a younger child? Try our lion facts for preschoolers, a shorter guide to read together.
The lion is often called the king of the jungle, but lions do not actually live in jungles. They live on grasslands, savannas and open woodland.
| Lion at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Weight | males 150 to 250 kg; females 120 to 180 kg |
| Height | 1 to 1.2 m (3.5 to 4 feet) at the shoulder |
| Length | males up to 3 m (10 feet), with tail |
| Food | zebras, wildebeest, antelope and buffalo |
| Group | a pride of about 15 on average |
| Lifespan in the wild | up to about 16 years |
| Lions left in Africa | about 22,000 to 25,000 (2025 estimate) |
| Status | Vulnerable |
What lions look like
Lions have short, sandy or tawny fur, which helps them blend in with dry grass. They have a long tail with a dark tuft of hair at the end.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says lions stand 1 to 1.2 m (3.5 to 4 feet) tall at the shoulder. Males can be 3 m (10 feet) long, including a tail of 60 to 91 cm, and weigh 150 to 250 kg (330 to 550 pounds).
Females, called lionesses, are smaller. The National Zoo says they are about 2.7 m (9 feet) long and weigh 120 to 180 kg (265 to 395 pounds).
Lions have strong, compact bodies. The National Zoo says their powerful front legs, teeth and jaws are built for pulling down and killing big prey.
The mane
Only male lions have a mane, the thick ring of hair around the head and neck. It makes a male look bigger and more powerful.
A big, dark mane shows other lions that a male is strong and healthy. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a thick mane also protects his neck from claws during fights with rival males.
Manes come in many colours. The National Zoo says they range from blond to reddish-brown to black, depending on age, genes and hormones. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says young males start to grow fuzz around the neck at about one year old.
Fact or Myth: A Lion’s Body
- Lions are the largest cats in the world.
- A lion's sandy or tawny fur helps it blend in with dry grass.
- A lion's long tail ends in a dark tuft of hair.
- Lionesses grow a small mane as they get older.
- A mane makes a male lion look bigger and more powerful.
Where do lions live?
The National Zoo says lions now live only in Africa, from the southern edge of the Sahara Desert to northern South Africa, with one exception in India.
Lions live in many kinds of places. The National Zoo lists open plains, thick brush and dry thorn forest. They do not live in the thick, wet rainforest near the equator.
Most lions live on grasslands and savannas, where there are big herds of animals to hunt and shady places to rest. Find out more about their continent in our Africa facts.
Long ago, lions lived in far more places. The National Zoo says that more than 10,000 years ago, lions lived in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Asiatic lions in India
A small group of lions, called Asiatic lions, lives in the state of Gujarat in western India. Their home is in and around the Gir Forest.
Gujarat’s government counts these lions every five years. Its 2025 count, held from 10 to 13 May, found 891 Asiatic lions, up from 674 in 2020, as reported by Down To Earth.
More than half of them now live outside the forest and its reserves. The same report says 384 lions were counted in the Gir park and sanctuary, and 507 lived beyond it.
Asiatic lions live a little differently. The National Zoo says female and male lions in India live apart and meet only to mate.
Life in a pride
A pride is a family group of lions. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a pride can have 3 to 30 lions, made up of related lionesses (mothers, sisters and cousins), their cubs and a few adult males.
The African Wildlife Foundation says the average pride has about 15 lions, with five to 10 females, their young and two or three males.
The lionesses stay together for life. The males usually join from outside and stay for a few years, until younger, stronger males drive them out.
Lions are very sociable. Members of a pride greet each other by rubbing heads, and they often rest together in big, sleepy piles.
A pride guards its own patch of land, called a territory. The National Zoo says males do most of the guarding, and both males and females mark the edges with scent.
Who’s Who in a Pride
- A pride — A family group of 3 to 30 lions
- The lionesses — Mothers, sisters and cousins who stay together for life
- Adult males — Usually two or three join from outside
- Saying hello — Rubbing heads together
- Resting time — Lying together in big, sleepy piles
How lions hunt
Most of the hunting is done by the lionesses. The African Wildlife Foundation says females do 85 to 90% of a pride’s hunting.
Lionesses work as a team. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance describes how smaller, faster females chase prey towards bigger lionesses waiting in ambush.
Lions often hunt at night or at dawn and dusk, when the darkness helps them creep close. They are not built for long chases, so they rely on stealth and a short, powerful rush.
The National Zoo says lions stalk their prey from different sides until they are within about 30 m (100 feet), then rush in. Working together lets them catch animals much bigger than one lion could manage alone, such as buffalo.
That final rush is fast. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a lioness can sprint at up to 53 km/h (33 mph), and a charging lion can run the length of an American football field in six seconds.
What do lions eat?
Lions are carnivores. The National Zoo says they mainly eat large animals weighing 45 to 453 kg (100 to 1,000 pounds), such as zebras and wildebeest.
The African Wildlife Foundation says antelope, zebras and wildebeest are the most common prey, but a pride can bring down buffalo, giraffes and even hippos. Lions also steal kills from hyenas, leopards and cheetahs.
When big prey is hard to find, lions eat smaller animals too. The National Zoo says they will catch anything from rodents to reptiles.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a male lion can eat about a quarter of his body weight, as much as 63 kg (140 pounds), in a single meal. Read more in our guide to what lions eat.
How Lions Hunt
- In a team hunt, what do the smaller, faster lionesses do?
- Why do lions often hunt at night or at dawn and dusk?
- Lions are not built for long chases. What do they rely on instead?
- About how much can a male lion eat in a single meal?
The mighty roar
A lion’s roar is one of the loudest sounds in the animal world. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says a roar can be heard up to 8 km (5 miles) away.
Lions roar to tell other lions where they are, to keep the pride together and to warn rival lions to stay out of their territory. Both males and females can roar.
Roaring starts young. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says males can roar at about one year old, and females a few months later. Lions also growl, snarl, hiss, grunt and even meow.
Lazy lions?
Lions spend much of the day resting and sleeping, often lying in the shade during the hottest hours. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says lions can spend up to 21 hours a day lying around.
This is not laziness. Hunting large animals takes a lot of energy, and after a big meal a lion may not need to eat again for several days. Resting saves energy for the next hunt.
Lions do not always rest on the ground. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says they are good climbers and often rest in trees.
Roaring and Resting
- Which of these is NOT a reason lions roar?
- Which lions can roar?
- Why do lions spend so much of the day resting?
Lion cubs
A lioness usually has one to four cubs after a pregnancy of about three and a half months, according to the National Zoo. The cubs are born with spotty coats, which fade as they grow.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a newborn cub weighs about 1.4 kg (3 pounds). Its mother gives birth away from the pride and keeps the cubs hidden for four to six weeks.
Lionesses in a pride often have their cubs at around the same time, and they help look after each other’s young. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says cubs born in a pride are twice as likely to survive as cubs raised by a lioness alone.
Cubs drink their mother’s milk for about six months, but they start eating meat when they are about three months old, the National Zoo says.
Cub life is dangerous. The National Zoo says up to 80% of lion cubs die within their first two years. Some starve when food is short, and some are killed by new males that take over the pride.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says mothers raise their male cubs until they are about two years old, then send them away. Female cubs usually stay with the pride for life.
Growing Up a Lion
- Waiting A pregnancy lasts about three and a half months.
- Birth One to four cubs are born with spotty coats.
- First meat Cubs start eating meat at about three months old.
- No more milk Cubs stop drinking their mother's milk at about six months.
- Leaving home Young males are sent away at about two years old.
- A new pride An adult male joins a pride from outside.
- Pushed out After a few years, younger, stronger males drive him out.
How long do lions live?
The National Zoo says wild lionesses can live up to 16 years, but males rarely live past 12. Fights with rival males make life harder for them.
In zoos, where lions get regular food and vet care, they may live into their late teens or early 20s. Find out why in our guide to how long lions live.
Lions in danger
The IUCN, which keeps the world’s list of threatened animals, lists lions as Vulnerable. Its Cat Specialist Group says lions in Africa fell by about a quarter between 2006 and 2018.
In 2025, the same group estimated that about 22,000 to 25,000 adult and young lions were left in Africa. The African Wildlife Foundation says lions have disappeared completely from 15 African countries.
Losing space: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says losing their homes is the biggest threat to lions, as farms, towns and roads spread into lion country.
Losing prey: when wild prey is scarce, lions may attack cattle, and farmers sometimes kill them in return.
Hunting and disease: lions are killed for trophies and body parts, and the National Zoo says diseases spread by pet dogs can kill them.
Why Lions Are in Danger
- Losing space — Farms, towns and roads spread into lion country
- Losing prey — Lions attack cattle and farmers kill them in return
- Hunting — Lions are killed for trophies and body parts
- Disease — Illnesses spread by pet dogs
How people help lions
The National Zoo says lions need large areas of wild land to be carefully protected. In places with disease, village dogs should be kept away from lions or given vaccines.
In India, Asiatic lion numbers have grown in recent years. The 2025 count in Gujarat found 217 more lions than the count five years before.
More about lions
Long ago, lions shared the world with other big hunters. See how an Ice Age cat measures up in our saber-tooth tiger vs lion guide.
Three things people get wrong
Lions do not live in jungles. They live on grasslands, savannas and open woodland, not in thick rainforest.
Male lions are not the main hunters. Lionesses do 85 to 90% of the hunting, the African Wildlife Foundation says.
Wild lions do not only live in Africa. A small population lives in and around India’s Gir Forest.
Did you know? Lion cubs are born with spotty coats, which fade as they grow up.
Try it
Draw a pride of about 15 lions: five to 10 lionesses, their cubs and two or three males. Label who does most of the hunting.
Knowledge check
What is a group of lions called?
Show answer
A pride.
Who does most of the hunting in a pride?
Show answer
The lionesses.
Frequently asked questions
Where do lions live?
Lions live on grasslands, savannas and open woodlands in Africa, from the southern edge of the Sahara to northern South Africa, and in and around India’s Gir Forest.
How big is a lion?
Male lions weigh 150 to 250 kg and can be 3 m long with their tail. Lionesses are smaller, weighing about 120 to 180 kg.
Why do male lions have manes?
A big, dark mane shows other lions that a male is strong and healthy, and it helps protect his neck from claws during fights.
What do lions eat?
Lions eat large animals such as zebras, wildebeest, antelope and buffalo. They also steal food from hyenas, leopards and cheetahs.
How far can you hear a lion roar?
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says a lion’s roar can be heard up to 8 km (5 miles) away, which helps lions keep in touch across their territory.
Are lions endangered?
The IUCN lists lions as Vulnerable. Its Cat Specialist Group estimated in 2025 that about 22,000 to 25,000 lions were left in Africa.
Sources
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo: lion — size, range, habitats, prides, prey, stalking, roar, cubs, lifespan and threats
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: lion — team hunting, speed, meal size, pride make-up, resting, cubs and young males leaving
- African Wildlife Foundation: lion — common prey, hunting by females, pride size and countries lions have been lost from
- IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group: lion — Red List status, the 2006 to 2018 decline and the 2025 population estimate for Africa
- Down To Earth: Asiatic lion population in Gujarat rises to 891 — Gujarat’s May 2025 Asiatic lion count
Lion Facts Quiz
- How close does a lion usually stalk its prey before rushing in?
- Wild lionesses can live up to 16 years. What about wild males?
- How long may lions live in zoos?
- Who helps a lioness look after her cubs?
- When may lions start attacking cattle?
- Which very large animal can a pride even bring down?
- After a big meal, how long may a lion go before it needs to eat again?
- Which habitat do lions NOT live in?
- Why can a team of lions catch animals like buffalo?
- What happens to most female cubs when they grow up?
