Lion

Lion, largest member of the cat family (Panthera leo), now found only in Africa, Asia, and zoos. Lions once lived in Europe, India, and the Middle East, but the expanding human population has eliminated lions from these regions. Lions live in family groups called prides. There may be as many as 30 lions in one pride, and they usually spend their time playing, resting, sleeping (a lion can sleep almost 20 hr a day), eating, and hunting. The pride tends to live together like a family for many years, but males are forced to leave at two or three years of age. A hungry lion may travel as much as 20 miles in one day in search of food. The male lion may reach 9 ft (2.7 m) and weigh as much as 400 lb (180 kg). The female can weigh up to 300 lb (140 kg) and can achieve a length of 8 ft (2.4 m). Because lions do not have exceptional speed, they must rely on the element of surprise for the hunt. They are fond of hunting at night. Most hunting is done by the lioness, and the prey is usually a large animal like a zebra, wildebeest, antelope, or buffalo.