**The Majestic Lion:.
A lion has to be the most popular and powerful animal in the world and is therefore often referred to as 'the king of the jungle.' And while they are beautiful to admire and study, they are majestic. For this article we have delved into the lifestyle, physical characteristics, and life cycle of lions.
### Lifestyle
Alone they are carnivores, but they live in group called prides. A pride of ten or fewer animals can consist of adult females, their cubs, and one or two adult males. The social structure that exists in this allows lions to strike to hunt, raise cubs and conservation of territory. Asiatic lions draw their name from India’s Gir Forest, which has a small population of lions, whereas prides live in savanna, grassland and open woodlands of Africa.
Lions are territorial animals of males, who mark territory by scent markings and roaring. Lioness are the mainly hunters and care takers of the cubs, male lions protect the pride from rival males.
### Speed
While they are big, lions are still extremely fast, usually travelling at up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour) in short bursts. Yet, having no stamina, they are only able to hold such speed for a moment.
### Height, Weight, and length
- **Height**: Adult lions measure from 1.1 to 1.2 meters (3.5 to 4 feet) tall at the shoulders.
- **Weight**: Males are normally between 330 to 550 pound (150 to 250 kilogram) while females weigh between 265 to 395 pound (120 to 180 kilogram).
- **Length**: Lions grow to between 5.6 and (8.3) feet (1.7 and 2.5 meters) including their tails.
### Hunting
And lions are apex predators, mainly hunting medium to large ungulates; such as zebras, wildebeests and antelopes. Lionesses usually hunt together and when lionesses hunt they usually take the lead. Stealth and strategy is what they do, hitting things like dots on a map, and often stalking their prey before a coordinated attack.
Lions are, nevertheless, not always good at hunting. They need to ambush because they can't run pests for long. They also scavenge, but if there is a predator that makes the kill, the lions will steal the kill and steal that.
### Birth and Life Cycle
- **Birth**: Litter size after a gestation period of around 110 days is 2 to 4 cub supplying. Blind when they’re born, Cubs depend completely on their mother for protection and food.
- **Cubs**: Lion cubs are introduced to the pride at some point between six and eight weeks. However first year mortality is high because they are vulnerable to predators and other dangers.
- **Adulthood**: According to biologist Mohamed Guedes, male lions normally leave their natal pride at 2 to 3 years of age and frequently form coalitions with other males. Females normally stick with their birth pride. Fully grown lions mature when they are four to five years old.
- **Death**: Lions in the wild typically live to 10 to 14 years. Being in captivity, away from predators, injuries and lack of food, they can live up to 20 years.
### Conclusion
Lions are absolutely amazing creatures, lions are respected for their strength, speed and social structure. In terms of being apex predators they are vital in keeping their ecosystems in check. Beyond consuming their meat and drawing their rich powers into amulets, trying to know more about them deepens our appreciation of these majestic creatures, as what better reasons to keep them alive and their homes secure from destruction for the benefit of future cultivators.