The only naturally occurring lions are found in Africa, inhabiting the savannas and vast plains. They are never found in heavy forests or desert areas.
Typically a male lion stands at 4 feet and is 8.5 feet long. Their coast is plain and unspotted, light brown to dark ochre in colour. Cubs are marked with spots which sometimes persist on the legs and belly until they are fully grown.
Lions feed on a variety of large and medium-sized prey. They prefer wildebeest to all others when the annual migration brings vast herds through the pride's ranger. Otherwise they eat buffalo, zebra, antelope, giraffe and warthog.
Lions are the only cats that live in large family groups. Each pride differs in size and formation, but a typical pride consists of two males and seven females and a variable number of cubs. Females are usually sisters and/or cousins that have grown up together. When the pride hunts as a group they employ an ambush that forces large prey into the waiting paws of the males. Females have the speed but lack the body weight to knock down large "family size" prey such as the wildebeest. Despite their tremendous power and adaptive efficiency, lions are more likely to fail than succeed in their attempts to kill.
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