In habitats with more food and water, prides can have four to six adult lionesses. In dry areas with less food, prides are smaller, with two lionesses in charge. The unrelated males stay a few months or a few years, but the older lionesses stay together for life. The pride has a close bond and is not likely to accept a stranger. Lions are also the only cats that live in large, social groups called вЂњprides.вЂќ A pride can have 3 to 30 lions and is made up of lionesses (mothers, sisters, and cousins), and their cubs, along with a few unrelated adult males. The lionвЂ™s thick mane also protects his neck against raking claws during fights with other males over territory disputes or breeding rights. The maneвЂ™s function is to make the male look more impressive to females and more intimidating to rival males. The color, size, and abundance of the mane all vary among individuals and with age. Adult male lions are much larger than females and usually have an impressive mane of hair around the neck. Lions differ from the other members of the large catВ genus, Panthera-tigers, leopards, and jaguars. These areas of grassland habitat also provide food for the herbivores that lionsВ preyВ upon. Prime habitat for lions is open woodlands, thick grassland, and brush habitat, where there is enough cover for hunting and denning. If you lionize someone, you treat that person with great interest or importance.

If you call someone lionhearted, youвЂ™re describing a courageous and brave person.

The Swahili word for lion, simba, also means 'king,' 'strong,' and 'aggressive.' The word lion has similar meaning in our vocabulary. Stars of movies and characters in books, lions are at the top of theВ food chain. Lions have captured our imagination for centuries. Being smaller and lighter than males, lionesses are more agile and faster.

Lions eating prey