Lion (Panthera leo)

Hello friends today we are talk about on (living in nature) Lion.

Scientific name              : Panthera leo persica

Class                                   : Mammalia

Higher classification  : Panthera

Phylum                               : Chordata

Lifespan                             : 10 – 14 years (Adult, In the wild)

Rank                                    : Species

Family                                : Felidae

Diet                                      : Carnivore

Known as the "king of beasts" or "king of the jungle," these  regal felines once roamed Africa, Asia and Europe, but now only live in parts of Africa and India. Experts have long recognized two subspecies of lion, Panthera leo leo (the African lion) and Panthera leo (persicaLion). 

History of Indian Lion

Survival of the Asian lion is endangered. The Asian lion once occurred in southeast Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and India. By 1884, it survived only in an area of about 3 000 square kilometres (1,140 mi.²) in northern India's Gir Forest, under the private protection of the ruler of the small state. Official protection by the Imperial government was given in 1900, but with increasing human population, overgrazing, and destruction of forest cover, suitable habitat has been reduced to about 1 300 km² (494 mi.²).

There are now two surviving populations of Asiatic lions. In 2001 there were approximately 225 to 275 wild lions in the Gir Forest Sanctuary. The other is an artificial population made up of animals scattered around the world in zoos. In 2000 there were about 82 of these pure-blooded Asiatic lions altogether.

Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than their African relatives. (The Asian and African lions are subspecies of Panthera leo). An average adult male weighs about 175 kg (385 lb.) and adult females about 115 kg (253 lb).

The pride size of the Asian lion also tends to be smaller. This may be accounted for by the fact that male Asiatic lions do not tend to be part of a pride. In general the prey size is smaller in India so the males do not need to be part of a group effort in order to catch their food.

Behavior

Lions spend much of their time resting; they are inactive for about 20 hours per day. Although lions can be active at any time, their activity generally peaks after dusk with a period of socialising, grooming and defecating. Intermittent bursts of activity continue until dawn, when hunting most often takes place. They spend an average of two hours a day walking and 50 minutes eating.

Reproduction and life cycle

Most lionesses reproduce by the time they are four years of age. Lions do not mate at a specific time of year and the females are polyestrous. Like those of other cats, the male lion's penis has spines that point backward. During withdrawal of the penis, the spines rake the walls of the female's vagina, which may cause ovulation. A lioness may mate with more than one male when she is in heat.Generation length of the lion is about seven years. The average gestation period is around 110 days; the female gives birth to a litter of between one and four cubs in a secluded den, which may be a thicket, a reed-bed, a cave, or some other sheltered area, usually away from the pride. She will often hunt alone while the cubs are still helpless, staying relatively close to the den. Lion cubs are born blind; their eyes open around seven days after birth. They weigh 1.2–2.1 kg (2.6–4.6 lb) at birth and are almost helpless, beginning to crawl a day or two after birth and walking around three weeks of age.To avoid a buildup of scent attracting the attention of predators, the lioness moves her cubs to a new den site several times a month, carrying them one-by-one by the nape of the neck.

Usually, the mother does not integrate herself and her cubs back into the pride until the cubs are six to eight weeks old.this introduction to pride life occurs earlier, particularly if other lionesses have given birth at about the same time. When first introduced to the rest of the pride, lion cubs lack confidence when confronted with adults other than their mother. They soon begin to immerse themselves in the pride life, however, playing among themselves or attempting to initiate play with the adults. Lionesses with cubs of their own are more likely to be tolerant of another lioness's cubs than lionesses without cubs. Male tolerance of the cubs varies—sometimes a male will patiently let the cubs play with his tail or his mane, while another may snarl and bat the cubs away.

Pride lionesses often synchronise their reproductive cycles and communal rearing and suckling of the young, which suckle indiscriminately from any or all of the nursing females in the pride. The synchronisation of births is advantageous because the cubs grow to being roughly the same size and have an equal chance of survival, and sucklings are not dominated by older cubs. Weaning occurs after six or seven months. Male lions reach maturity at about three years of age and at four to five years are capable of challenging and displacing adult males associated with another pride. They begin to age and weaken at between 10 and 15 years of age at the latest.

When one or more new males oust the previous males associated with a pride, the victors often kill any existing young cubs, perhaps because females do not become fertile and receptive until their cubs mature or die. Females often fiercely defend their cubs from a usurping male but are rarely successful unless a group of three or four mothers within a pride join forces against the male. Cubs also die from starvation and abandonment, and predation by leopards, hyenas and wild dogs. Up to 80% of lion cubs will die before the age of two. Both male and female lions may be ousted from prides to become nomads, although most females usually remain with their birth pride. When a pride becomes too large, however, the youngest generation of female cubs may be forced to leave to find their own territory. When a new male lion takes over a pride, adolescents both male and female may be evicted. Lions of both sexes may be involved in group homosexual and courtship activities; males will also head-rub and roll around with each other before simulating sex together.

Communication

 The most common peaceful, tactile gestures are head rubbing and social licking,which have been compared with the role of allogrooming among primates. Head rubbing—nuzzling the forehead, face and neck against another lion—appears to be a form of greeting and is seen often after an animal has been apart from others or after a fight or confrontation. Males tend to rub other males, while cubs and females rub females. Social licking often occurs in tandem with head rubbing; it is generally mutual and the recipient appears to express pleasure.

Health

Although adult lions have no natural predators, evidence suggests most die violently from attacks by humans or other lions. Lions often inflict serious injuries on members of other prides they encounter in territorial disputes or members of the home pride when fighting at a kill. Crippled lions and cubs may fall victim to hyenas and leopards or be trampled by buffalo or elephants. Careless lions may be maimed when hunting prey.

Captive lions have been infected with canine distemper virus (CDV) since at least the mid 1970s. CDV is spread by domestic dogs and other carnivores; a 1994 outbreak in Serengeti National Park resulted in many lions developing neurological symptoms such as seizures. During the outbreak, several lions died from pneumonia and encephalitis. Feline immunodeficiency virus and lentivirus also affect captive lions.

Population

Related Videos. NEW DELHI: Wildlife conservationists have something to cheer about as India has recorded a 29% increase in the population of Asiatic lions, living in Gujarat's Gir forests, in the past five years, with their population going up from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020.

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