Are you doing a school project and need some information on Lions? Look no further , here are some interesting Lion facts we have collected from different sources.

About Lions

Lions are the only cats that live in groups, which are called prides. Prides are family units that may include up to three males, a dozen or so females, and their young. All of a pride's lionesses are related, and female cubs typically stay with the group as they age. Young males eventually leave and establish their own prides by taking over a group headed by another male.

Only male lions boast manes, the impressive fringe of long hair that encircles their heads. Males defend the pride's territory, which may include some 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) of grasslands, scrub, or open woodlands. These intimidating animals mark the area with urine, roar menacingly to warn intruders, and chase off animals that encroach on their turf.

Female Lions are the pride's primary hunters. They often work together to prey upon antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, and other large animals of the open grasslands. Many of these animals are faster than lions, so teamwork pays off.

After the hunt, the group effort often degenerates to squabbling over the sharing of the kill, with cubs at the bottom of the pecking order. Young Lions do not help to hunt until they are about a year old. Lions will hunt alone if the opportunity presents itself, and they also steal kills from hyenas or wild dogs.

Lions have been celebrated throughout history for their courage and strength. They once roamed most of Africa and parts of Asia and Europe. Today they are found only in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, except for one very small population of Asian Lions that survives in India's Gir Forest.

White Lion Specie Classification is: Panthera Leo Krugeri

Fast Facts
Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivore
Size: Head and body, 4.5 to 6.5 ft (1.4 to 2 m); Tail, 26.25 to 39.5 in (67 to 100 cm)
Weight: 265 to 420 lbs (120 to 191 kg)
Group name: Pride
Protection status: Vulnerable
Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Habitat: Lions are more abundant in open plains where there is permanent water and plenty of grazing, and consequently, plenty of game.
Lions are also found in semi desert conditions like the Kalahari Desert. They are the most powerful of the African predators.

With a swipe of one of his paws, Lion can break a Wildebeest's neck, and he can carry twice his weight in his powerful jaws.
Lions, like any other Cat, can see at night like humans see during daytime. This is due to the fact that their retina is lined by a tissue called "tapetum lucidum", that reflects back the light passing the rods of the retina.

Habits: Lions are the most social of the cat family. They live in prides consisting of one or two males, up to seven females and 14 or 15 cubs of different ages. Prides occupy territories that they defend against nomadic lions and other prides; this is done by the dominant male or males, by means of patrolling and scent marking.

At about 3 years of age, young lions are evicted from their pride; they normally stay together, always on the move, becoming nomads, until they take over some other pride, whose male has become too weak or old, sometimes killing all the existing cubs.

The female normally does all the hunting, usually at night, late afternoon or early morning.

At a kill, the adults will eat first, with the male sometimes claiming it for himself, and, if anything left, the cubs will then take their turn. In times of scarcity this means very little food available for the cubs, and death by starvation.

Scavengers, like vultures, hyenas and jackals, are attracted to lion kills in great numbers, and in some occasions a big group of hyenas will appropriate the kill of a small group of lions. The contrary also happens, with lions very often steeling from hyenas and jackals, and even climbing up a tree to appropriate a leopard's kill.
Adult males can weight up to 250 kg and females about 150 kg. Their life span is about 15 years.

Diet: Lion's prey includes mostly wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, kudu, giraffe and buffalo.
They also tend to attack young elephant calves. In difficult times they will even go for small prey, like porcupine, with disastrous consequences for both.

Breeding: Breeding occurs all year round, with 2 to 6 cubs being born after a gestation period of about 110 days. The lioness normally leaves the pride to give birth to her litter, in a sheltered spot where she leaves them, while hunting. At this stage the cubs are very vulnerable, sometimes being taken away by scavengers, like hyenas, while their mother is away.

If, at any stage doubtful about her cubs safety, the lioness will find another hide, and will transport them, in her mouth, one by one, to the new location.
Once the cubs are big enough to follow their mother, she will take them to the pride and introduce them to their father. This is another crucial time in the cubs' life, as nobody can predict the reaction of the male.

WITH THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES;
http://www.whitelions.org
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/african-lion.html
http://www.sa-venues.com/wildlife/wildlife_lion.htm