Lions are the only true social cats. They are the largest and most and most imposing carnivores in Africa. They are the  only social member of the cat family, lions live in large groups called “prides,” consisting of about 15 lions. Related females and their young make up the majority of the pride. A single male, or sometimes a small group of 2-3 males, will join a pride for an indefinite period, usually about 3 years or until another group of males takes over.

Lions within a pride are often affectionate and, when resting, seem to enjoy good fellowship with lots of touching, head rubbing, licking and purring. The males are territorial, and will roar and use scent markings to establish their domains.

Females do almost all of the hunting. They are mainly nocturnal and work in teams to stalk and ambush prey. Lions inhabit grassy plains, savannahs, open woodlands and scrub country. These landscapes allow the hunters to creep stealthily through vegetation and leap upon their unsuspecting prey.

• When it comes to life expectancy, lions have an average lifespan of about 12 years in the African wild. Lions have a gestation period of around 110 days.A lioness usually gives birth to a litter of about 3 cubs.
• While the lion roar is one of the most amazing sounds you could ever hear in the wild, lions roar for a reason- to attract mates.
• Lions consume a wide variety of prey, from wildebeest, impala, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and wild hogs to sometimes rhinos and hippos. They will also feed on smaller animals such as hares, birds and reptiles. Lions are also known to attack elephants when food is scarce.
• Lions often hunt in packs .It is the females that go out to hunt for prey/food. The male’s role is to protect.
• In a lion pack/family, the little ones usually eat last. They are the last in line for the share.

Lions can be found and seen in game parks across the country. These include; Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National park and Kidepo Valley National park.