Most kinds of cats live alone. Lions live together in groups. Lions live in family groups called prides. A pride is built around related adult females and their young. It also has a few adult males who are not their relatives. Almost all wild lions live in Africa. A small group lives in India. Lions live on grassy plains called savannas and in open woodlands.

The lion is a big cat, in the same group as tigers and jaguars. Male lions grow a shaggy mane. No other kind of wild cat grows one. A male lion's mane gets darker as he gets older. Male lions weigh about 330 to 550 pounds, and females weigh about 265 to 395 pounds. Lions stand about 3.5 to 4 feet tall at the shoulder. Lions walk on their toes.

Female lions, called lionesses, do most of the hunting for the pride. Lions hunt together. That gives them a better chance of getting food. They hunt big animals such as zebra and wildebeest. Most lion hunts do not succeed. At a kill, the resident male lion usually eats first. When prey is scarce, lions will eat almost any animal. They scavenge the kills of other predators.

Lion cubs are born with dark spots on their fur. A lioness hides her newborn cubs for the first several weeks while they grow strong. A lioness has a litter of cubs about every two years. Lionesses in a pride raise their cubs together. A cub can drink milk from other lionesses in the pride. It does not drink only from its own mother. Cubs drink their mother's milk for about six months.

Lions rest for most of the day, as much as 20 to 21 hours. A lion's roar can be heard from up to five miles away. Male lions start to roar at about one year old. Females start a few months later. Lions in a pride show affection. They touch, rub heads and lick each other.

Words to know

• pride: a lion family
• savannas: grassy plains
• scavenge: eat leftover food
• litter: cubs born together

The short version

Lions are big cats that live in family groups called prides, which is unusual because most kinds of cats live alone. Almost all wild lions live in Africa. A small group lives in India. Female lions, called lionesses, do most of the hunting for the pride, and male lions grow a shaggy mane.

Quick facts

• Lions live in family groups called prides.
• Male lions grow a shaggy mane, and no other kind of wild cat grows one.
• Female lions, called lionesses, do most of the hunting for the pride.
• Lions rest for most of the day, as much as 20 to 21 hours.
• A lion's roar can be heard from up to five miles (8 kilometers) away.