Lions are big social cats, which live together in prides. The size of a pride varies from a few to as many as 40 individuals but it usually consists of one or sometimes two dominant adult males, about ten females and their young.

The dominant male establishes the territory of his pride by marking it with urine and a glandular secretion. He also roars to warn any would-be intruders of his presence in the territory. Not all lions live in prides. Some males spend their entire adult lives as loners, while old adult males are usually forced out of their pride by a younger, strong male.

Hailed as the ‘king of beasts’, the male lion’s handsome shaggy mane, large head and broad forehead conjure images of royalty. The distinctive mane, besides being an indicator of good health, is an important signal of its territorial dominance and also a protection for its neck during fights.

Lions are the most sociable cats. Living in prides made up of females and their cubs with two to five grown males forming a ‘fighting gang’, lions are often the most powerful predators. Hunting at dusk, the lionesses are usually the ones who cooperatively encircle and capture an unsuspecting zebra herd or other hoofed animals. However, the males get to feast on the hunt first and they also get the ‘lion’s share’.

The rare Asiatic lions, once common throughout Asia, from Middle East to India, have since been almost exterminated by man everywhere. Today, only a small population of 300 cats remain in a protected area in the Gir Forest of northwest India.