what is the diet of the african lion
Lion Lions are generalist hypercarnivores[94] and usually hunt in groups. Their prey consists mainly of mammals, particularly ungulates, with a preference for wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, gemsbok, and giraffes in Africa[95] and chital, sambar deer, nilgai, wild boar, chinkara and chousingha in India.[96] African lions prefer prey weighing 190–550 kg (420–1,210 lb).[95] They generally avoid fully grown adult elephants, hippopotamuses and rhinoceroses, as well as very small prey like dik-dik, hyrax, hare and vervet monkey.[97] However, Thomson's gazelles may be hunted[98] and warthogs are often taken depending on availability, despite being below the preferred weight range.[95] In most areas, a small number of species may make up around three-fourths of the lion's diet. In Serengeti National Park, wildebeest, zebras and gazelle are the majority of prey.[99] In Kruger National Park, giraffes are the most common prey,[100] and in Manyara Park, Cape buffaloes constitute as much as 62% of the lion's diet,[101] due to the high number density of buffaloes. At the Okavango Delta, with its strong seasonal changes in prey, up to eight species may make up three quarters of a lion's diet.[99] Occasionally adult hippopotamus are taken at Gorongosa National Park and calves are commonly hunted at Virunga National Park. In addition to size, the aquatic nature of hippos makes them normally unavailable as prey.[94] The lions of Savuti, Botswana, have adapted to hunting young elephants during the dry season, and a pride of 30 lions has been recorded killing individuals between the ages of four and eleven years.[102] Lions also attack domestic livestock and in India cattle contribute significantly to their diet.[74][96] Unusual prey items include porcupines and small reptiles. Lions will kill other predators such as leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas, but they seldom devour them.[103]
Lion Most lions now live in eastern and southern Africa, and their numbers there are rapidly decreasing, with an estimated 30–50% decline per 20 years in the late half of the twentieth century.[3] Estimates of the African lion population range between 16,500 and 47,000 living in the wild in 2002–2004,[191][192] down from early 1990s estimates that ranged as high as 100,000 and perhaps 400,000 in 1950. Primary causes of the decline include disease and human interference.[3] Habitat loss and conflicts with humans are considered the most significant threats to the species.[193][194] The remaining populations are often geographically isolated from one another, which can lead to inbreeding, and consequently, reduced genetic diversity.[6] The lion population in the region of West Africa is isolated from those of Central Africa, with little or no exchange of breeding individuals. The number of mature individuals in West Africa is estimated by two separate recent surveys at 850–1,160 (2002/2004). There is disagreement over the size of the largest individual population in West Africa: the estimates range from 100 to 400 lions in Burkina Faso's Arly-Singou ecosystem.[3] Another population in northwestern Africa is found in Waza National Park, where approximately 14–21 animals persist.[195] Therefore, the lion is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, while the Asiatic subspecies is endangered.[6] However, in contrast to the African lion,[3] the Asiatic lion's number has risen over the years.[189][190]
Tiger versus lion In addition to historical recordings, clashes between lions and tigers were reported or even caught on camera,[62] in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was not always clear which species regularly beat the other, according to Doctor Packer (2015).[12][13]
Lion The lion (Panthera leo) is a species in the family Felidae and a member of the genus Panthera. It is the second largest extant species after the tiger. It exhibits a pronounced sexual dimorphism; males are larger than females with a typical weight range of 150 to 250 kg (331 to 551 lb) for the former and 120 to 182 kg (265 to 401 lb) for the latter. In addition, male lions have a prominent mane, which is perhaps the most recognisable feature of the species. Both sexes have hairy tufts at the end of their tails.