Lion [panthera leo]
The Lion male stands 1.2m at the shoulder and weighs up to 200kg. The Females are slightly smaller than the males, only weighing 130kg. Their coat is mainly a tawny colour with a sandy tinge and white under parts. Young lions have rosettes and spots under their body, with females sometimes retaining these spots into adulthood. Male lions have a long dark mane around their heads that are usually a darker tawny colour, with some males having complete black manes.
Lion’s prey mostly consists mostly of Buffalo, Zebra, Gemsbok, Wildebeest and sometimes Giraffe. Smaller animals like impala, porcupines and steenbok are also caught when the opportunity arrives. Lionesses usually do a majority of the hunting, with the males only hunting to provide necessary muscle.
Lion Prides consist of anywhere from 2 to 12 lionesses and all their young, with a few dominant males. The lion’s roar is a spine shivering, yet beautiful sound that has become synonymous with the Kruger National Park. A Lion Male’s grunts and roars can be heard up to 5km away. Lions also use scents and facial expressions to communicate. When a lions wants to display their aggression, they display their very impressive canines, pull their ears back, twitching tails and low grunting. Lions are a welcome and common sighting when you are on a Kruger National Park Safari.
