The lion (Panthera Leo) is a large cat of the genus Panthera, native to Africa and India. It has a muscular deep chest, a short, rounded head, rounded ears, and a hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic. Adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. It is a social species that forms groups called herds. A lion's pride consists of several adult males, associated females, and cubs. Herds of female lions usually hunt together and feed mainly on large ungulates. The lion is the apex and the main predator. Some lions are known to scavenge and hunt humans when the opportunity arises, but this is generally not the case.
Lions generally inhabit
grasslands and savannas, but not in dense forests. They are generally lower
than other feral cats, but when chased they adapt to nocturnal and dusky
conditions. During the Neolithic period, lions spread throughout Africa,
southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, western and southern Asia, but were reduced
to populations in sub-Saharan Africa and western India. African countries have
been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996 because their
populations have decreased by about 43% since the early 1990s. Lion populations
cannot sustain outside of designated protected areas. The causes of the decline
are not fully understood, but habitat loss and human conflict are the biggest
concerns.
One of the most recognizable
animal symbols in human culture, the lion has been widely depicted in
sculpture, painting, national flags, and modern film and literature. The lion
has been kept in zoos since the time of the Roman Empire and has been a popular
primary species for display in zoos around the world since the late 18th
century. Cultural depictions of lions were prominent in ancient Egypt, with
depictions occurring in almost all ancient and medieval cultures in the
historical and present scope of lions.
Increasing into more open habitats, lions migrated from West Africa to Central Africa. North African lions scattered throughout southern Europe and Asia 38,800-8,300 years ago
The lion is a muscular cat with a deep chest,
short, round head, reduced neck and round ears. Their coat ranges from light
beige to silver gray, yellowish red and dark brown. The color of the lower part
is usually lighter. Newborn lions have dark spots that fade as their cubs
become adults, but still have faint spots on their legs and lower body. Lions
are the only members of the cat family that show obvious sexual dimorphism.
Males have a broader head and a protruding mane that grows downwards and
backwards covering most of the head, neck, shoulders and chest. The mane is
usually brown and is dyed with yellow, rusty and black hair.
The tail of all lions ends with a dark, hairy
bundle that hides a hard "thorn" or "spur" about 5 mm (0.20
in) long that forms from the fused end of the lion's tailbone. The function of
the spur is unknown. The bundle is absent at birth and develops around 5 + 1⁄2
months of age. They are easily identifiable at 7 months of age.
Size
Adult lions vary in size and weight depending
on their worldwide distribution and habitat. There are records of a small
number of people who are taller than the average in Africa and India.
Mane
The male lion's mane is the most striking
feature of this species. It may have evolved around 320,000-190,000 years ago.
Lions begin to grow after about a year. The color of the mane darker with age.
Studies have shown that color and size are affected by environmental factors
such as average room temperature. The length of the mane clearly indicates the
success of the struggle in male-male relationships. Although black-maned
individuals suffer during the hottest months of the year, they have a longer
reproductive lifespan and are better able to survive young. The presence,
absence, color and size of the mane are related to genetic prerequisites,
sexual maturity, climate, and testosterone production. A darker, fuller mane
usually indicates a healthier animal. In Serengeti National Park, lioness
prefers to mate with a male with a dense, dark mane. Male lions often target
their back or hind legs rather than their rival's neck. The cold room
temperatures in European and North American zoos can make their mane heavy.
Asian lions tend to have a sparser mane than the average African lion
Historical
scope
In Africa, the lion's range originally
covered most of the central jungle area and the Sahara. In the 1960s, it became
extinct in North Africa except southern Sudan.
In southern Europe and Asia, lions were once in areas where climatic conditions allowed a lot of prey. It was common in Greece, as reported by Herodotus in 480 BC. It was considered rare in 300 BC. C. Expunged at 100d. It existed in the Caucasus until the 10th century, in Palestine until the Middle Ages and in Southwest Asia until the end of the 19th century. It was exterminated in most of Turkey by the end of the 19th century. The last living lion in Iran was seen in 1942 about 65 km (40 miles) northwest of Defuel, but in 1944 the carcass of a lioness was found on the banks of the Karun River in Khuzestan province. Pakistan - Bengal
Action
Lions spend most of their time resting. They
are inactive for about 20 hours a day. Lions can be active at any time, but
their activity peaks when it gets dark, usually with periods of socialization,
grooming, and defecation. Intermittent bursts of activity continue until dawn,
when hunting is most frequent. They walk an average of 2 hours a day and eat 50
minutes.
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