Lion: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Five facts

1. In a lion pride, the females bring home the food. They hunt as a team.
2. The males' job? Guarding the pride against rival males who try to take it over.
3. A lion's roar can be heard 8 km away. They roar mostly at night, to keep the pride in touch.
4. Males with darker manes tend to have more breeding success. The downside: they suffer more in the heat.
5. Lions are champion nappers: they rest about 20 hours a day. They can only run fast in short bursts.

The quiz

1. Who usually does the hunting in a pride?

• The males, alone
• The cubs
• The females, as a team (correct)
• Every lion for itself

Female lions usually hunt together.

2. How far can a lion's roar carry?

• 2 kilometres
• 8 kilometres (correct)
• 800 metres
• 30 kilometres

A lion's roar can be heard 8 kilometres away.

3. What is the male lions' main job in a pride?

• Guarding it from rival males (correct)
• Hunting for everyone
• Raising the cubs alone
• Finding water

The males guard the pride against rival males.

4. What is the downside of a big dark mane for a male lion?

• He copes worse with heat (correct)
• It makes him slower
• It scares off his pride
• It makes his roar quieter

Dark-maned males are more vulnerable to heat stress.

5. About how many hours a day does a lion rest?

• About 8
• About 12
• About 20 (correct)
• About 16

Lions rest for about twenty hours a day.

More about the Lion

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