Points

25

per confirmed sighting

VulnerableUncommon
mammals • Felidae

Lion.

L

Panthera leo

Africa's largest cat and the only truly social one, living in prides that hold territory across savanna and semi-desert.

Category

mammals

Family

Felidae

Size

1.7–2.5 m body length, 120–225 kg

Points

25 pts

Log a sighting

A closer look

Field notes for spotting, identifying and understanding lion in its natural range.

Overview

Africa's largest cat and the only truly social one, living in prides that hold territory across savanna and semi-desert.

How to identify it

Tawny coat, tufted tail. Males carry a mane that darkens with age; females are slimmer with a flat-topped head profile.

Habitat

EltonTraits foraging-stratum classification: ground-dwelling/terrestrial (including aquatic ground-associated coding).

Diet

Buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and other large herbivores

Behaviour

Prides of related females with a coalition of males; cooperative hunting

When to look

EltonTraits activity classification: nocturnal and crepuscular.

Where to see it

South Africa flagSouth AfricaNamibia flagNamibiaBotswana flagBotswanaZimbabwe flagZimbabweZambia flagZambiaMozambique flagMozambiqueEswatini flagEswatiniMalawi flagMalawiAngola flagAngola
  • Kruger National ParkZA
  • Kgalagadi Transfrontier ParkZA
  • Moremi Game ReserveBW
  • Hwange National ParkZW
  • South Luangwa National ParkZM

Field notes

  • A lion's roar can carry roughly 8 km across still night air.
  • Kgalagadi's black-maned males are a distinct desert-adapted population.

Safety and etiquette

Stay inside your vehicle. Never walk in lion country without an armed guide.

Verification and sources

1500 verified species across ten Southern African countries. Spotted an error? Tell us through community guidelines.