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A loud roar
'A lion's roar can be heard up to eight kilometers away. Lions roar so loudly to let other lions know what their territory is.'
Discover in real lifeHabitat:
savannas in Africa
Diet:
Meat, mostly ungulates
Lifespan:
10 to 15 years old
Weight:
♀ 120 to 180 kilograms ♂ 150 to 240 kilograms
Number of young:
1 to 6 young
Gestation period:
3.5 months
IUCN status:
vulnerable
EEP:
yes
About the African lion
African lions live on savannas in Africa. They are the only felines that live in groups. How big such a group is can be very different. It depends mainly on how much food can be found in an area. Groups of up to forty lions have been known. A group usually consists of two or three males, a number of females and their young. Females stay in the same group their entire lives. Males leave the group they are born into when they are about two years old.
Habitat and threats
The African lion lives in sub-Saharan Africa. They are found in all kinds of habitats except for the tropical rainforest and desert. The lion used to live in many more places in Africa than today. Over the past 500 years, the lion's habitat has shrunk about 85%.
There are still about 25,000 African lions in the wild. In 1970, there were 90,000. The two main reasons for the decline in lion numbers in Africa are habitat loss and human-animal conflict. Because humans need more and more space, there is less space and less food for lions. When lions come too close to farms with cows or goats, for example, they are often shot.
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Species conservation in Eindhoven Zoo
Did you know that more than 4,000 animal species in the world are in danger of extinction? Eindhoven Zoo works with about 325 European zoos to conserve these species. Through management programs (EEPs)we ensure healthy reserve populations. Together, we form the European Association of Zoos (EAZA).
The African lions at Eindhoven Zoo are also part of an EEP. A coordinator maintains a pedigree of the species and manages the population in zoos. Together with a committee, the coordinator gives advice on which animals are allowed to have cubs together. Sometimes that means moving an African lion to another zoo. This way we increase the chance of healthy cubs and the survival of the species. You can recognize animal species with an EEP by the logo of a rhino with a calf.
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Species conservation in the wild
Through the Wildlife Foundation, Eindhoven Zoo supports nearly thirty conservation projects around the world. The African lion is also helped in the wild. Every year Stichting Wildlife donates to the Namibian Lion Trust, which is dedicated to lions in Namibia, around Etosha National Park.
More info about Namibian Lion TrustMore info about Stichting Wildlife