THE LION

Swahili name:        Simba

Scientific name:     Panthera Leo

Height:                 1 to 1.2m

Weight:                 Male – 200kg; Have Manes

                            Female – 150kg; have no manes

Gestation Period: 3.5 months; have 2 to 6 young

Lifespan:              15 to 20 years

Habitat:               Savanna, moorlands, light forest

Food:                  Carnivore

photo by Luke Hunter

The Lion is one of the largest members of the cat family. Lions are also known for their mighty roar, a fearsome sound that can be heard by humans more than 8 km (5 mi) away. The lion's size and strength have captured human imagination since ancient times, giving these animals the nickname king of beasts. Some quarters have argued that lions have no predators but hunters-cum-poachers have over the years terrorized them alongside the animals they eat. This has resulted to death of many of these kings of beasts. 

In many places, people have occupied lion's habitats, which they use for domestic activities such as crop and cattle farming therefore leading to high incidences of human-wildlife conflicts. According to Panthera, a leading wild cat conservation organization, “Lions are currently listed as “Vulnerable” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species; and in West and Central Africa, the species is now classified as “Endangered.” Lions have vanished from over 80 percent of their historic range and currently exist in 28 countries in Africa and one country in Asia (India). They are extinct in 26 countries.  Only 7 countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe are believed to each contain more than 1,000 lions.”  National Geographic sources indicate that, by the year 2009, lions were found in the wild in only two places on earth. 

Lions

About 100,000 lions survived in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Another 300 lions, called Asian lions, lived in a reserve called the Gīr National Park and Lion Sanctuary in northwest India. Currently, the number might be slightly higher or relatively similar to the latter figures. However, a number of organizations such as the Born Free Foundation and Panthera’s Projects Leonardo have come in handy to protect the Lion by mitigating human-lion conflict, and building or restoring connectivity between landscapes that are critical for the lion’s survival. For instance, Project Leonardo is empowering local communities to mitigate human-lion conflicts by improving their livestock management practices, reducing illegal hunting of lions and encouraging villagers to tap into conservation’s financial and social benefits. 

Sources: Project Leonardo || Born Free Foundation || AWF