How Lions are grouped

Throughout history, African lions have been revered as symbols of bravery and strength. These iconic cats have powerful bodies—they're only second in size to tigers in the cat family—and roars that can be heard from five miles away. The coat of an adult lion is yellow-gold, and that of a juvenile lion has some light spots that fade with age. The impressive fringe of long hair that encircles the heads of only male lions is known as a mane.

African lions used to roam the entire continent of Africa, as well as parts of Asia and Europe. However, the species has vanished from 94 percent of its historic range and is now only found in sub-Saharan Africa. Apart from tropical rainforests and deserts, these lions prefer grasslands, scrub, or open woodlands where they can more easily hunt their prey, but they can live in most habitats. Asiatic lions are a subspecies of African lions that only exist in India's Forest in small numbers.

Though there is one population of solitary lions, lions are the only cats that live in groups called prides. Prides are family groups of lions that can range in size from two to forty, with up to three or four males, a dozen or so females, and their young ones. The lionesses in a pride are all related, and female cubs typically stay with the group as they grow older. Young males eventually leave and form their own prides by taking over another male-led group. The Male defends the pride's territory by marking it with urine, roaring menacingly to warn intruders, and chasing away animals who intrude.

The pride's primary hunters and leaders are female lions. They frequently collaborate to prey on antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, and other large grassland animals. Because many of these animals are faster than lions, it pays to work together. Female lions also raise their cubs in a group setting.

Following the hunt, the group effort frequently devolves into squabbling over who gets to keep the kill, with cubs at the bottom of the food chain. Until they are about a year old, young lions do not assist in hunting. If the opportunity arises, lions will hunt alone, and they will also steal kills from hyenas or wild dogs.

Only half as many African lions exist today as there were 25 years ago. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that fewer than 25,000 lions remain in Africa, making them vulnerable to extinction, according to the organization.

African lions are threatened by a variety of factors, the majority of which can be traced back to humans. Ranchers may kill lions in retaliation and as a preventative measure, sometimes using pesticides as poison, if they are afraid that lions will prey on their livestock, which can be a significant financial blow. Poachers are also after the species because their bones and other body parts are sought after in the illegal wildlife trade.

The role of trophy hunting is debatable. Mismanaged hunting in the past has resulted in the extinction of lions in some habitats, despite the fact that hunters and those involved in the industry claim that hunting fees generate funds for lion conservation. National Geographic Explorer Craig Packer, on the other hand, has stated that the amount generated by hunting is so underwhelming...[that] it's no surprise that the lion population has plummeted despite years of lion hunting being allowed in [some] countries.

The loss of prey across the species' range is exacerbating the conflict between lions and humans. African lions prey on large herbivores, a population that is increasingly being hunted for a commercial bush meat trade. According to the IUCN, these populations have declined by up to 52% in East Africa and 85% in West Africa. Because there is less food available in the wild, lions may be more likely to hunt domesticated animals such as livestock.

It is critical to assist humans in learning how to coexist with lions in order to ensure their survival. Conservation organizations are using compensation programs to change people's attitudes toward lions. Some of these models provide financial incentives to communities when local lion populations increase, while others pay farmers to replace livestock killed by lions.

Other conservationists have focused on establishing lion-protected areas. When filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, both National Geographic Explorers, turned the land in Botswana's Selina area into a protected reserve and photographic tourism camp, only a single lioness and her cub lived there. The reserve now has about a hundred lions roaming it.

In Mozambique's Zambezi Delta, where lion numbers had plummeted due to the effects of a protracted civil war, the largest-ever lion translocation project brought in 24 lions from South Africa in 2018—they're now settled in and having cubs.