5 Interesting Facts About Lions

 

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There has been controversy these last few weeks over the illegal killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe. Some are reacting with anger while others do not see what the big deal is. Learning more about lions will help you understand the controversy surrounding Cecil.

1. They Take Family Very Seriously

Lions are the only social members of the big cat family. They like to live in groups, which are called prides. Prides are close-knit families that work together to defend their territory and hunt. Conservationists were worried that Cecil’s cubs would be killed, but his friend Jericho is protecting the young ones. The bond between Cecil and Jericho was so strong that they were often mistaken for brothers. Unrelated male lions will sometimes compete with each other so they can team up against males from other prides.

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2. They Are Learning To Fear Humans

It is hard to believe such ferocious creatures could be scared of us, but the fear of humans is now affecting their behavior. It is unlikely that the fear is innate, since they can easily defeat us in nature, but rather, lions are learning from each other to be wary of people. Perhaps they can communicate the history with humans to their children, who knows? It is clear that lions have changed the way they behave in their environment due to clashes with humans.

3. We Can Be Good Friends If We Try

If humans and lions meet in non-threatening situations, they can actually get along very well. One lion, named Zion, was saved from infanticide as a cub and is still best friends with his caretaker. The lioness Sirga was abandoned as a cub and saved by a human. She loves to hug her human father.

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4. They Like To Sleep

If you have a house cat, then you know that cats love to lounge around doing nothing. Lions are not that different. They like to relax and sleep during the day to conserve their energy. They can spend anywhere from 16 to 20 hours a day sleeping and relaxing. They prefer to be active during the cooler temperatures at night. Some say that because of this trait, killing a lion with a long range weapon is not very difficult. In fact, there are many who believe that killing a lion is the most cowardly thing one can do.

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5. They Are Going Extinct

Lions once lived in countries throughout the Middle East all the way to northern India, as well as being all over Africa. Now, they can only be found in the south of the Saharan desert and in some parts of east Africa. The lion population in Africa has been halved since the 1950s. Now there are less than 21,000 in the continent. Many countries have begun protecting lions, like Cecil, to ensure the species does not go extinct. Some fear that lions will be extinct by 2050.

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