subject: The Panthera Leo [print this page] The Panthera Leo The Panthera Leo
This is also known as the King of the Jungle. It is a very social animal commonly known as the lion. The lions live in groups of about three males, up to fifteen females and their young ones. During the day, you can find these social animals under a shade relating with each other. They communicate to each other by purring, licking and touching. They are the second largest cats in the world after the tiger. All the females in a group are normally related as they are born and mature in the group. The males once they mature, they leave the group and look for a pride they can forcefully take over.
The male Panthera Leo has a mane that runs from the neck to the upper back. This protects it when fighting. It also makes it look magnificent, majestic and proud. The males usually stay in a group for not more than three years. Other males normally come fight it and take over the pride. They therefore go to look for other groups to take over. As a result of the constant fighting, male lions do not live for more than ten years while in captivity.
The gestation period of the Panthera Leo is about one hundred and ten days. It normally gives birth to between three and four cubs at a time. The cubs are hidden away for sometime as they can be preyed by hyenas, leopards and jackals. Even the dominant male in a group can kill them so as to be able to mate with the mother.
