Background Information

Pride

Lions are the onlygroup in the felidae family that live in groups called prides. A pride typically consists of no more than three males and around twelve to twenty females plus their young.

Diet

Lions have a wide variety of prey because they eat whatever they can catch. Their diet can consist of antelopes, zebras, buffaloes and can even contain rhinos and hippos. Around 50% of a lions diet is made up of scavenged food. They often take over kills made by hyenas, leopards and cheetahs.

In one sitting, they can eat 40 lbs (almost 3 stone!) of meat.

The African Lion

The Salt Water Crocodile

Crocodylus Porosus

Panthero Leo

Habitat

Salt water crocodiles are found in many countries such as East India, Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. They like to live in rivers, creeks, swamps, lagoons and billabongs. Salt water crocodiles like to live in fresh water as well as salt water conditions.

Diet

Crocodiles have a very diverse diet because they eat whatever comes into their territory. Smaller crocodiles eat small organisms like fish and lizards. Larger and more powerful crocodiles are able to eat animals such as water buffalos, monkeys and wild boars.

Hunting

Crocodiles are opportunistic and stealthy hunters. They lurk as the edge of the water just beneath the surface, waiting for prey. Using their powerful tails, crocodiles lunge from the water and snap their jaws shut around their prey. Once caught, the crocodile will drag its prey into the water to drown it.

Crocodiles are also scavengers and will eat the remains of another animals prey. They are also known to be canabalistic and eat young crocodiles or even fully grown.

Taxonomy

Kingdom = Aminalia

Phylum = Chordata

Class = Mammalia

Order = Carnivoria

Family = Felidae

Species = Panthera leo

Fact File

Height:

Males = 4ft

Females = 3.5ft

Body length:

Males = up to 8ft

Females = up to 6ft

African lions' tails can grow up to 3ft in males and have distinctive black tufts of hair at the end.

Habitat

Lions used to be found all over Africa but now they are only found in the South of the Sahara desert and parts of South and East of Africa. They prefer to live in grassland, dense bush and woodlands.

Did you know?

- Males can weigh up to 575lbs and females up to 400lbs

- Female lions are much more successful hunters compared to males due to their larger size and manes making them much more conspicuous. They use their dominance to get first dibs on the catch.