Mwanza Guide
'The Gallery'
Lion
(Panthera leo) Swahili name: Simba
Lions once lived in southern Europe and parts of Asia. Today, however, they
are confined mainly to the game reserves of Africa, with a few still living
in the Gir Forest of India.
An adult male can be 2,4 m long and weigh as much as 238 kg. The female is smaller
and lacks the male’s heavy mane. Lions live in open country, in groups
known as prides, consisting of from 6 to 30 members headed by one or two mature
males. They hunt co-operatively and, while the females are better hunters and
do most of the work bringing down the prey, the males eat first, followed by
the females, and lastly the cubs get their share. Lions prey mostly on hoofed
animals, although they occasionally consume fallen fruit.
Mwanza - ‘the
wildlife’
Copyright
2003 - 2007 by Mwanza-guide 'online', P.O. Box 10738, Mwanza, Tanzania. All
rights reserved.
