Lion

We were on a four-week tour of Tanzania and Kenya. This reigning king of his pride was obviously battle-tested. This shot was taken from about thirty feet away, and the Lion was not bothered. If one were to get out of the vehicle, however, that would be another story.

Lions are the second largest cat, behind tigers (which aren't found in Africa). Adult males in East Africa avergae 386 pounds, while females average 100 pounds less. Lions are also the most social. They hunt in groups, targeting mostly large ungulates like gemsbok, wildebeast, buffalo, and giraffes. Their hunting success, based largely on teamwork, is less than 20% (compared to leopards at 33%, and cheetahs at up to 50%). But they are not too proud to steal dinner from hyenas and smaller cats. 40% of their food is scavenged.

Until about 2017, there were around a dozen subspecies of lion. There are currently two subspecies, the African lion (Panthera leo melanochaita), like this one, and the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo leo), now found only in Gir National Park and the surrounding areas in the Indian state of Gujarat. But the dust hasn't settled yet; lions in northern and western africa seem to have more in common with the Asiatic lion. Stay tuned.

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