http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid263790608/bclid269000809/bctid269000621

Bio Diversity

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid263790608/bclid269000809/bctid276484881

Porcupine vs. Lion

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid263790608/bclid269000809/bctid430296629

Lions Hunting   (Graphic)

Sometimes Photos just speak for themselves.    

Yeah Im beautiful.  

The Lion was named the king of the beast by the magnifiscent Mayne around his neck.   Resembling a crown of sorts.   But the true king in Africa is without a doubt the bull elephants. Even Lions run from these animals.

Ok Im ready, take my photo.   lol

Bath Time!!!    Oh Mom...

If you care about table manners, dont eat with these guys.

Playtime is crucial for all the Big Cats Cubs, this is where their skills will be developed. 

Im getting hungry, lets see what for dinner tonight.

Come on Mom were bored, play with us...

 [report anonymous abuse]

That it ladies catch my dinner.   lol

The second largest cat in the world, after tigers, the lion can grow up to 500 pounds. Lions are found in savannas, grasslands and woodlands in eastern and southern Africa.  In the wild, they can live up to 14 years. The male lion is unique among the cat species for its thick mane of hair encircling the neck and head. Lions range in color from yellow to dark brown, with a long tail that ends in a furry black tuft. Both male and female lions roar, a sound which can be heard as far as 5 miles away.

Unique among large cats, lions form close-knit social groups called prides, which average 15 individuals: 5 to 10 females, their young, and 2 to 3 territorial males. When lounging, lions engage in affectionate head rubbing, licking and purring.  A lioness will birth 2 or 3 cubs which will become capable hunters by the age of 2 and fully mature by the age of six.
Males patrol their territory and protect the pride from intruders.

Because females are lighter and smaller, they do most of the hunting. They cooperate to hunt large prey, such as zebra, wildebeest, impala and kudu, by encircling a herd from different angles. Lions can run in short bursts up to 40 miles per hour to catch their prey, usually killing it with a quick bite to the neck.

The lion population is rapidly decreasing, estimated at between 16,000 and 25,000, down from an estimated 100,000 in the 1990s. The majority of the population lives in protected national parks. The greatest threats to the lion include habitat loss, limited availability of wild prey, and contact with humans. Most lions drink water daily if it is available, but can go without it for 5 days.

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Legendary Kenya lions shed their mystery.

GREAT PICTURES July 05, 2007 3:26 AM

Great pictures, Sid,thanks for sharing !

Astrid D.

Astrid D.

 [

Astrid D.

Astrid D.

Erika S.

I am a little confuses about tha male Lions mane,is it real or is it made that way by some VERY BRAVE soul? I would NEVER want that for a job.

Thank you a head of time for your answer.

Dori M.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/597220/lion_vs_crocodile_and_buffalo/

Amazing video.

Lion cub playing hide and seek

A pride with cubs.

After a kill.

more to come, if you want!

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Please help save the Lions and other big cats who are being used for canned hunting, please sign my petition and stop this for good, thank you everyone who have already signed, bless you all. %#&!*%

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/help-stop-canned-hunting-in-south-africa

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Lions of Africa - how can i see Lionsin my own personal African Chapter - contact US

Range and Habitat

There are two separate subspecies of lions: the African and Asian lion. The African lion's former range included all of Africa, even within the Sahara desert. Now, they live in the savannas and forests south of the Sahara desert. The Asian lion (Panthera leo persica) lives in the Gir Forest of India. There are about 200 Asian lions remaining there, all that is left of what was a thriving lion population that was once widespread all over southwest Asia. They were hunted to extinction elsewhere, and the Gir forest, what used to be a sultan's game park, is the only place they have found refuge.

The lion's former range included not only all of Africa but extended farther east and northward. They occured as far north as Greece, and eastward through the Middle East to India. They became extinct in eastern Europe around AD 100, but their population remained steady throughout the rest of their range until the mid 19th century, when the invention and widespread use of firearms led to their extirpation throughout much of their range. They became extinct in the Middle Eastern countries in the early to mid 20th century, with the last reported lion killed in Iran in 1942. Lions were heavily persecuted in India especially.

Physical Appearance

Body Size: Height, and Weight
Lions are the largest African carnivore, and the second largest of the "Great cats" (lions, leopards, tigers, and jaguars). Great cats are distinguished from other cats by their ability to roar. Lions are also the second largest cats in the world; the tiger is the largest cat.

Asian lions are slightly smaller than African lions, weighing about 300 lb. (130 kg), and are 44 in. (113 cm) long plus 39 in. (100 cm) for the length of the tail. Unlike their African cousins, Asian lions posses a flap of skin that runs the length of their belly. Also, Asiatic lion's manes are thinner, so their ears are usually visible. Lions have four mammary glands.

Fur Coloration and Length

Lions have very short, dense fur covering their body that is generally a light tawny brown in color. The tip of the tail and the mane on males typically have longer fur, that can be black, brown, red, golden, or tawny in color. Lion cubs are born covered in dark brown spots and rosettes that disappear as they mature. Some lions retain faint spots, especially those found in East Africa.

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