Panthera leo

A male lion may be 9 to 10 feet long.

A female lion may be 7 to 8 feet long.

A male can be 500 pounds.

A female is about 270 to 350 pounds.

Lions have short-haired coats that are light brown. the hair on the tail gets darker and thicker. Most males have black or brown manes of varying length that grow from their head, neck and shoulders.

Lions eat large mammals like gnus and zebras. They also eat carrion, rodents, hares and birds.

Lions live in open or lightly wooded grassland in sub Saharan Africa.

• When food is scarce a lion may go for days without eating.
• The lion is one of the biggest cats in the world.
• A lion can leap 35 feet through the air in a single jump.

• Lincoln Park Zoo Mammals
• The Bigger Big Cats Info Page
• Wildlife on Easy Street