Lions have been spotted taking down prey as large as buffalo and giraffes! They may even drag this heavy prey into thickets of brush to keep other wildlife from getting to it. Lions hunt antelope and other ungulates, baby elephants or rhinos, rodents, reptiles, insects, and even crocodiles.

The world's most social felines, lions roam the savannas and grasslands of the African continent, hunting cooperatively and raising cubs in prides. Lions have strong, compact bodies and powerful forelegs, teeth and jaws for pulling down and killing prey.

Lions prey on almost any animal, from rodents to rhinos, but antelopes, zebras, and wildebeest form the bulk of their diet. Females do most of the hunting, usually in groups. Between 2 and 40 related female lions live together in social groups called prides, dominated by at …

African Lion. Panthera leo. African lions are classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). There are an estimated 23,000-39,000 lions remaining in all of Africa, with the population continuing to decrease. Their suitable natural habitat is also continuing to decrease in area, extent, and/or quality.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is home to 381 animals representing 101 species of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fishes, and invertebrates. We invite you to meet some of the animals here, but to meet them all, please visit in person!

Lions are famous for their sonorous roar but have other forms of communication as well, mostly used to mark territory. They spread their scent by rubbing their muzzle on tufts of grass or shrubs, and they rake the earth with their hind paws, as the paws have scent glands, too.

Apr 19, 2024 · Lincoln Park Zoo works with partners in Tanzania to support healthy lion populations, which have suffered severe declines across their range over the past 25 years. Very few sustainable lion populations remain in Africa, and they are restricted to a small set of protected areas.

Feb 21, 2014 · See our African lions in the African Journey area of the Zoo. Lions prefer to hunt in tall grasses that provide cover so that they can stalk their prey, get very close, and then attack. Several lionesses will try to converge on a single prey and bring it down together.

Scientific Name: Panthera leo. One of Africa’s Big Five, the lion is a carnivore (meat eater) and a hunter. It uses its powerful forelegs to grab or slap down large prey that would otherwise outrun it.

All Animals African Lion. Lions are the only truly social cat species, living in groups called prides. Males have manes, but females rule the family. They live in the African savannah, woodlands, and desert.