THE KING OF THE JUNGLE

o Lions have yellow/gold fur with brown manes. o They have tails (1 each) extending their anuses. o Sensory Organs: o Sight – Lions have very good eyesight. They can see very well during the night; they can see color. o Smell – They have a very keen sense of smell, allowing them to hunt efficiently. o Hearing – Lions have good hearing; they use it to sense danger. o Taste – Lions have the ability to taste the food they eat. o Touch – They can feel when their bodies come into contact with other objects. o Lions have darker fur around their heads called manes. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

o Lions are native to the southern half of Africa, and certain parts of Asia. o The temperature of lion’s habitats ranges from hot to cool. o Lions require large amounts of water to survive –not only for their survival, but for the survival of their prey. o Lions have a population below 21,000; considered vulnerable, but not endangered. o The population of lions is being protected by the creation and maintenance of game reserves in both Africa and Asia. HABITAT & POPULATION

o Lions eat a wide variety of animals including wildebeest, impala, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, wild hogs and even rhinos. o Lions usually sleep after eating, during the day or the night. Lionesses usually hunt for the males; males without prides do hunt for themselves. o Lions maintain their body temperature by using energy in the food the eat. o Lions live in organized groups of called prides. o Usually contains 2-3 males; females and their relatives make up the rest of the space. o Males are the heads of prides. They protect the pride’s territory, and reproduce with lionesses. Lions mark their territory by scent. BEHAVIOUR

o Females go into heat multiple times every year, males can reproduce at any time. o The average gestation period is around 110 days (3½ months). o Females give birth to litters of 1-4 cubs. o Most lionesses reproduce by 4 years of age. o Lions reproduce sexually, and give birth to live young. REPRODUCTION

o Lions have 4-chambered hearts, with closed circulatory systems. o The lions’ digestive system is fairly simple –food goes from the mouth to the esophagus; then to the stomach, where food is reduced to liquid form; it goes to the liver, where bile salts are provided; the food proceeds to the pancreas; and finally the small and large intestines. o The lion is a very cephalized animal, as 4 of its 5 senses are on the head. o Lions move when muscles attached to skeletons in the body contract, pulling the bones and causing the lion to move. INTERNAL ORGANS

PICTURES OF LIONS Did you know? A lion’s roar can be heard from more than 8 kilometers away.

Bauer, H., Nowell. Panthera leo (Lion, African Lion) May Bowen, R. Basic Functional Anatomy of the Digestive System. 18 March May S., Chase. Lion - Panthera Leo May REFERENCES