Ask anyone what animal on our planet bears the proud title of king of beasts, and every one of them will answer that it is a lion. It is this big cat of the panther family that holds such a high position. But why exactly is the lion the king of beasts? The lion is a predatory member of the feline family, one of the smartest, fastest and largest animals. In this article we will tell you why the lion is the king of beasts.
Of all the variety of animals available on Earth, it is the lion that is called the king of beasts. Surely everyone has wondered why the lion is the king of beasts? Despite the fact that the lion is not one of the largest animals on the planet, it is the lion that has such a high rank in the animal world. First, let's take a closer look at lions.
A lion is a large cat of prey, which is one of the panther genus and belongs to the feline family. An adult lion weighs about 250 kg and has a body length of 2.5 meters, with a height at the withers of about 120 cm and a tail length of about 1 meter. Males are larger than females. The lion looks quite peculiar. These big cats have a very pronounced difference between males and females.
Not only are the males superior to the females in size, they also have a luxurious mane that covers the shoulders, part of the back and chest, while the rest of the hair on the lions body is short. The coloration of lions is varied and varies from species to species or subspecies. The coat is most often yellow-gray in color with various shades. The mane is usually the same color as the coat, but can be darker or even black. With age, lions have a darker mane. In females it is not developed, which allows for better camouflage and hunting. The tip of the tail of both sexes is decorated with a tassel of a bundle of long hair.
Many people wonder why the lion is the king of beasts and not the tiger. After all, the tiger is larger than the lion, but he is not the owner of this honorary title. Although the tiger is somewhat larger than the lion, it is the lion that is at the top of the food chain throughout the animal kingdom. Therefore, the lion is the king of beasts, while the tiger is not. Both of these representatives of big cats are in perpetual rivalry, they are often opposed to each other and compared to each other. Lions dominate among the other Felines.
The lion is the king of beasts because it is one of the most social predators with a pronounced hierarchy, such hierarchy can compete with only wolves. Most often lions live in groups. Such a group of lions is called a pride and consists of one or more males, 5-6 females and their cubs.
Territory of the pride is strictly guarded by males from unauthorized visitors. There are also wandering lions that live alone or in pairs. Such lions do not have their own territory and lead a nomadic lifestyle. Wandering lions are most often those males that have left their home pride. These males have a chance to create their own group.
Today, lions live in the savannahs of Africa and India. Lions are strong animals that hunt in groups and stalk their chosen prey. The lion has powerful paws, strong jaws, and large fangs. In Africa, the lion's prey are zebras, buffalo, gnu, and warthogs, while in India it hunts wild boar, some species of deer, and nilgau.
Hunting other animals depends on their availability. Since lions hunt in groups, this allows them to match many large animals. Despite this possibility, lions usually do not risk attacking adult elephants, rhinos, giraffes and hippos to avoid injury. The only predator other than humans that poses a threat to the adult lion is the Nile crocodile.
Curiously, lionesses are more successful at hunting than males. After all, they are faster, more flexible, and smaller in size. Males are more difficult to hunt because of their mane, which does not always allow them to go unnoticed and often causes overheating. Females hunt very dexterously and in a coordinated manner, which almost always ensures their successful hunting.
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