One of the 2 lions on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Felidae
Panthera leo
At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.
The lion is the only truly social cat, living in prides led by related females. It is one of the great emblematic predators of the African savanna.
Weight
120 kg – 250 kg
Size
1.7 m – 2.5 m
Life expectancy
14 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Crepuscular
Active mainly at dawn and dusk.
Social structure
Hierarchical pack
Lives in an organised hierarchical group, typical of cooperative hunters.
Estimated population
Some 20,000 animals in the wild across Africa; only seven of the 27 African countries with lions hold more than 1,000 each
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: Britannica · Animal Diversity Web · DesertUSA · Feline Conservation Foundation · AnAge (genomics.senescence.info) · SDZWA Library Fact Sheet · PBS Nature · IUCN Red List, Vulnerable bajo el criterio A2c · el African Lion Database cifra en un 34 % la contracción del área de distribución en tres generaciones (2004-2025) · IUCN Red List (Panthera leo, Vulnerable A2abcd) · African Lion Database 2025
Best time: June to October in the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 10 of 52.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Lion — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The lion is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as Lion Recovery Fund work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
Visit the Lion Recovery Fund websiteIt's documented in 10 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about lion.
The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
