1. THE KING OF THE JUNGLE

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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 10-20 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

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. Bauer, H., Nowell. Panthera leo (Lion, African Lion). 2008. 24 May 2011. Bowen, R. Basic Functional Anatomy of the Digestive System. 18 March 2004. 18 May 2011. S., Chase. Lion - Panthera Leo. 2000. 23 May 2011. REFERENCES