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African lion
'Lions have the loudest roar of all the big cats. You can hear a lion’s roar from as far as 8 kilometres away.'
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
Carrying time:
3.5 months
IUCN status:
vulnerable
EEP:
yes
About the African lion
Even though African lions usually live in groups, there are males that travel together. When young males become adults, they are driven out of the pride by their father. Brothers often stay together and form small groups of two to five lions. Together they are stronger in the fight to claim a new territory.
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Theme area: Social or Solitary
You can see the African lion in the ‘Social or Solitary’ theme area. Here, you’ll discover how animals live alone or in groups, and what the benefits of each are.
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 10,000 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