Panthera leo

Length: 158-192 cm (62-76") female, 172-250 cm (68-98") male

Height: 100-128 cm (39-50")

Tail: 60-100 cm (24-39")

Weight: 122-182 kg (269-400 lb.) female, 150-260 kg (330-574 lb.) male

Status: It is not considered endangered but its range is being reduced and it may soon survive only in game parks and protected areas. Some local populations, once considered sub-species, such as the Indian lion, are endangered.

Habitat: Lions were once found in almost all habitats across Africa except the driest deserts and extensive areas of rainforest. Today, they are confined to parks, preserves and game reserves which tend to be grasslands, wooded grasslands or woodlands.

Role: carnivore

Food: Most of the prey species of the lion weigh between 50 kilograms (110 pounds) (Thomson's gazelle-sized prey) and 300 kilograms (660 pounds) (wildebeest/zebra-sized prey). During those periods when normal prey-species are absent, lions will eat smaller animals (i.e., 15 kilograms/33 lb.) or larger ones (1 000 kilograms/2,200 lb.).

Predators: Lions are at the top of their food pyramid. Spotted hyenas may occasionally attack and kill an isolated lion. Eagles and other predators will kill cubs but these events are rare. Humans are the lions’ main enemy .