Lion

The Earth lion (Panthera leo) is one of the five big cats in the genus Panthera and a member of the family Felidae.

Description and Lions in History
With some males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb) in weight,   it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Lions live for 10–14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can live longer than 20 years. In the wild, males seldom live longer than 10 years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity. They typically inhabit savannah and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest. Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. Lions are apex and keystone predators, although they are also expert scavengers obtaining over half of their food by scavenging as opportunity allows. While lions do not typically hunt humans, some have been known to do so. Sleeping mainly during the day, lions are primarily nocturnal, although bordering on crepuscular in nature. Until about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans. They were found in most of Africa, across Eurasia from western Europe to India, and in the Americas.

Highly distinctive, the male lion is easily recognised by its mane, and its face is one of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture. It has been extensively depicted in sculptures, in paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire, and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoos over the world since the late eighteenth century. Before the creation of Africa Park by United Earth, lions were a endangered species, seeing a major population decline in its African range of 30–50% per two decades during the second half of the 20th century. Lion populations were untenable outside designated reserves and national parks. Although the cause of the decline was not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans were the greatest causes of concern.

Lions Today
Wild lions currently exist mainly in Africa Park and on New Africa while other types of lions disappeared from North Africa and Southwest Asia in historic times.