How long do lions live? Lions can live up to 29 years; however, they don’t survive that age naturally. In captivity, they can live for 25 years if treated well. In the wild, they can live up to 10-13 years. Lions survive more in a zoo, as compared to the wild.
Facts about lions
Lions belong to the group of animals, class of mammals, and have Felidae family-group. It has a long body, round hair, short legs, and a hairy tuft at the end of the tail. They are the best wild animals known so far.
A healthy male lion weighs about 350-500 pounds (160-220kg), while lioness weighs about 110-170kg. A lion’s coat is usually smaller and alters in colour from yellow, orange-brown, and grey to dark brown. The tail of the lion is darker than compare to other body parts.
What is a pride of lions?
They live in the form of groups known as pride. One group on average comprises 15 members. Lions don’t pray alone; they always prey in the way of group and then share their food. A pride usually comprises many generations of lionesses and some breeding males.
Lions are usually more active at night. Most of the time, they prey during night time. The lion usually roars at night time, and in the midnight. Lion hides in bushes, trees and somewhere on the plane ground too.
What do lions eat?
Lions eat carnivores. They prey on other wild animals and eat them. They usually prey on gigantic animals like buffaloes, zebra, crocodiles, antelopes, giraffes and younger elephants. But they also hunt small animals and birds, i.e. mares, lizards, tortoises and mice.
Where do lions live?
In ancient times, lions were present to roam in Asia, Africa and Europe. Then, with time, they disappeared from Asia and Europe. 93% of the lions vanished at the time; now lions can be found in the Sub-Saharan of Africa, mainly in the forests of India.
Currently, lions are present mainly in Africa and Asia, classified as Asian and African lions. You must think of where lions are present in these areas. Well, no need to worry! Below is the answer:
1. Asiatic lions
We can see Asiatic lions in the National forest of India, locating in the state of Gujarat. We know India as the home of lions. Recently, around individual lions can be found in India. IN 1965, Indian Govt specified an area as National Park in Gujarat. This area was mainly confined to lions.
That was a practical step towards the safety and protection of lions. There was an increase in the population. In 2015, they found only 534 individual lions in India, while in 2020 almost 674 individuals are present in the National Park.
1. African lions
African lions live in the west, central and southern Africa. No doubt, lions are still surviving in Africa, but they are not secure over there. Almost 495 lions are in a very critical situation in West Africa, while on the other hand, about 2000 lions facing fundamental problems of central Africa.
The local public is the biggest threat to African lions. People of Africa haunt lions and hence there population is decreasing day by day. Moreover, in the West and South Africa, there is an open system for wildlife.
Wild animals can roam in and outside places without any hustle. That can cause a significant conflict between human and animals. Therefore, due to this conflict people from local public haunt and kill lions without any restriction by govt.
Life-cycle of the lion
Life-time of animals entirely depends on the place they are living in. I.e. naturally wild-animals do live in forests, but then with time, people started preying animals for the business purpose. Some people also adopt them as pet animals.
Lifespan of lions
Practically, all animals have two types of lifespans: highest possible lifespan and typical wild lifespan. Animals living in a zoo can tend to have a longer life as compared to the ones living in the wild. Underman captivity, they get proper medical care, food, and complete protection from outside threats.
Same is the case with lions. Lions live in two lifespans, i.e. in the forests as well as in zoo. How long do lions live depends on their lifespan? Naturally, a lion can live for 25-30 years. But that’s only possible if lions are living a cavity life.
How long do lions live in the wild?
In the wild, the lion has to live on their own. It has to find pray for their food, protect itself from human haunting and many other threats. They do more struggle to survive. Lioness can live longer as compared to the lion.
Therefore, the life duration of a lion living in the wild is about 12-16 years. The only lioness does live this period; lions usually die when they are 10-12 years old.
Lions living in the wild usually get old very soon. Lions become very weak as they get old. They find it difficult to find prey for their food. Therefore, most of the lions died due to hunger. Sometimes, other lions cast them out, and once they are out of their cage, they cannot live long.
How long do lions live in captivity?
Lions can survive a longer life when living in the captivity. In captivity, they get proper medical care, well diet and complete protection from outside threats. They live a much-secured life in the zoo. That’s the reason; lions can easily survive up to 25 years of their experience in a zoo.
What do lions die of?
As discussed earlier, lions don’t survive a broad span of living in the wild. They face a lot of troubles and struggle while living in forests. Most of the times, lions do die of hunger. Sometimes, they get ill and then fail for not getting proper medical treatment.
Also, there are some areas where governments don’t provide any protection for wild animals. In South Africa, there is no restriction between wild animals and living areas. Wild animals can roam anywhere. That is creating many conflicts between and human life.
Therefore, the local public usually kills them or prey them, sometimes in threat and sometimes as an enjoyable hobby. The number of lions in South Africa is decreasing day by day. Maybe, soon lions will be extinct in that area too.
How long can a lion live without food?
Lions don’t drink water every day, but they need something to eat every day. On average, lions can live 14 days without eating anything, and four days without water. However, if a lion is healthy, it can protect itself better and have great pride, it can live about a month without eating anything.
Frequently asked questions
People usually ask many questions about lions. A few of them are discussed below:
1. What is a lion cub?
The baby of the lion is known as a cub. When they took birth, they are usually tiny in size. They cannot even see when they are newly born. They need a lot of attention and care from the lioness. Lions don’t take any consideration of their cubs.
Lioness alone takes care of them and grows them. When lions are young, at least for 5-6 months, they join the pride. Sometimes, lions do eat their cabs. Cubs sometimes steal milk to grow them as soon as possible.
2. Can a lion cub kill you?
Lions are not domestic animals. It doesn’t matter; if they get raise in the forest or captivity as a pet, they are still wild animals. When cubs are newly born, they cannot even take care of them, so they are no threat for you.
But once they are young enough to find their food, or to join a pride, they are dangerous. Younger lion cub can kill you. Even they are in the zoo, they are still wild animals, which can split you down even in a single second.
3. How old are lions in human years?
Lions are considered teenagers at the age of 2-3 years, which is almost 18-19 years of the human era. Lions become mentally mature at the age of 3-4 years, which is 20-23 years of the social age.
Lions become sexually mature at the age of 5, which is 22-24 of the human years. Lion’s on average live up to 14 years, about 46-50 of human years. Lions years are smaller than in human years.
4. How old is the oldest lion?
The oldest lion found on the earth so far was 29 years old, and that’s the maximum life period a lion can survive when it is living in captivity. But that’s a scarce case. Only 1 in 15 lions, can survive that long period of living.
5. What are some interesting facts about lions?
Here are some interesting and unique facts about lions
- Lions are known as “king of the jungle”.
- Male lions are the only big who live in the form of groups.
- Lion’s roar can be heard from a distance of 8km.
- A male lion can kill and eat its cub.
- Lions pride can consist of 30 members, depending on the fact that they are looking for how much food and protection.
- Lions drink about 8 cups of water in a day.
6. What are lions afraid of?
According to a study, lions are mostly afraid of human beings. From ancient times, people are haunting them, preying and killing them. Lions are decreasing day by day due to uncontrolled and unethical social activities. Therefore, they are becoming extinct day by day.
7. What are the lion’s weaknesses?
One of the biggest weakness of lines is that they cannot run fast. Due to their more significant body and heavyweight, they find difficulty in running. Also, they fell for diseases very quickly. Along with, they are easily preyed by the hooves of other animals.
8. Which animal can kill a lion?
Lions are the most powerful of the wild. However, their strength is their pride. When they leave pride, they become easy to pray. Usually, when they take off their pride, younger lions try to attack or kill them.
Other big animals like giraffe, gnu, and sometimes deer can kill a lion, which is separate from pride. However, still, it is possible to attack or to kill lions when they are in the form of pride.
Conclusion
How long do lions live? It depends on which lifespan they are living in. Lions can live up to 28-30 years of living in the captivity. But, they can only survive 12-14 years of life, if living in the wild. Lions are becoming extinct day by day.
Recently, they can only be seen in the forests of India and South Africa. The local public is a significant threat for the wild lions. Lions living in the zoo get proper medical care and food, and live for a more extended period, while in the wild, they become weak very soon, and then die.
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