Lion Characteristics

The mane

No other cat has one. Also, manes run from blond to black and darken with age. In particular, a full, dark mane shields the neck in fights and tells lionesses a male is in his prime.

Dry season: prey gathers at water, so lions are easiest to find.

Calving season on the southern Serengeti brings dramatic predator action.

Priced to your budget, and built around your camps, the season and how you like to travel. There are no fixed packages.

Every journey is privately designed, with private guides and vehicles arranged where specified, the finest lodges, and a specialist on call throughout. At fly-in camps, game drives may be shared unless a private vehicle is reserved.

Five things define the lion. First, a powerful build: it is Africa’s largest cat. Second, the male’s mane, which no other cat has. Third, pride life: lions are the only social cats. Fourth, cooperative ambush hunting, led by the lionesses. And finally the roar, the loudest of any big cat, which carries five miles.

Males typically weigh 330–550lbs (150–250kg), stand about 4ft (1.2m) at the shoulder and measure up to 10 feet from nose to tail. However, lionesses are smaller, around 270–400lbs, and faster. They also do most of the pride’s hunting.

In fact, the mane protects the neck in fights with rival males. It also signals condition: a darker, fuller mane points to higher testosterone and better health, so it draws lionesses and warns off rivals.

Lions are carnivores. They mainly hunt medium-to-large hoofed animals (wildebeest, zebra, buffalo and antelope) and occasionally take giraffe or young elephant. For instance, a male can eat over 70lbs (30kg) in one sitting.

Up to about 50mph (80km/h), but only in short bursts. Lions are built for power, not stamina, so they stalk close and ambush rather than chase.

About five miles (8km). In fact, it is the loudest roar of any big cat, at around 114 decibels. Also, lions roar mainly at dawn and dusk, to mark territory and find pride members.

Around 10–14 years in the wild. Lionesses usually live longer than males, who rarely hold a pride past their prime. In captivity, however, lions can reach 20 years or more.

The Serengeti (Tanzania) and Maasai Mara (Kenya) have the highest densities. For instance, the Serengeti alone holds around 3,000 lions. Botswana’s Okavango Delta and South Africa’s Sabi Sand are also superb.

The lion is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Around 20,000–25,000 remain in the wild, down roughly 40% in three decades, mainly from habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. Meanwhile, responsible safari tourism funds much of their protection.

Lions almost always ignore safari vehicles, because they do not see them as prey. Even so, your guide reads their behavior constantly. As long as you follow their lead, lion viewing is remarkably safe.

1. It is Africa’s largest cat: males weigh 330–550 lb (150–250 kg). 2. It is the only social cat, living in prides of a handful to more than 30 animals. 3. In addition, lionesses do about 90% of the hunting, usually at night. 4. Its roar, around 114 decibels, also carries about five miles (8 km). 5. Finally, lions rest for up to 20 hours a day and live around 10–14 years in the wild.

As an animal, five qualities define it: strength, built for power and sprinting at up to 50 mph (80 km/h) in short bursts; sociability, as the only cat that lives in prides; cooperation, with lionesses hunting together in coordinated ambushes; communication, through the loudest roar of any big cat; and economy of energy, resting for up to 20 hours a day between hunts.