Wildlife Guide · Kenya & Tanzania
Lion
Panthera leo
The world's only social big cat, and one of Africa's most threatened icons.
Image: Source: Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia “Lion” — verify license before production
In brief
The lion (Panthera leo) is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 23,000 mature and subadult lions remaining in Africa plus around 670 in India, and the overall population is decreasing.
By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated
The lion is the most-searched animal on the planet and one of the most recognizable creatures alive, yet far fewer remain than most people assume. Once spread across Africa, the Middle East, and into India, wild lions now cling to a fraction of their former range, concentrated in the savannas and grasslands of eastern and southern Africa, with a single small population surviving in India's Gir Forest. They are the only truly social member of the cat family, living in cooperative family groups called prides. The IUCN lists the lion as Vulnerable, with roughly 23,000 mature and subadult lions estimated across Africa and about 670 in India. Habitat loss, conflict with people protecting livestock, and the collapse of their wild prey continue to push numbers downward.
~23,000
Lions remaining in Africa (plus ~670 in India)
Vulnerable
IUCN Red List status (2023 assessment)
~34%
Estimated range decline over three generations
Up to 80 km/h
Top sprinting speed in short bursts
~114 dB
Roar volume — audible up to about 8 km away
~650 PSI
Bite force — below a tiger's, and a jaguar's for size
Up to 20 h
Spent resting on a typical day
Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Panthera leo (Lion), 2023 assessment, IUCN Red List assessment PDF — Panthera leo, CITES — Lion (Panthera leo) species listing and other references on this page.
Lion: Quick Facts
| Lifespan | Around 10-14 years in the wild; longer in captivity |
|---|---|
| Weight | Males ~150-250 kg; females ~110-180 kg |
| Size | Body length ~1.4-2.0 m, plus tail; shoulder height ~1.0-1.2 m |
| Diet | Carnivore — mainly large herbivores such as zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo |
| Gestation | Around 110 days (roughly 3.5 months) |
| Young per litter | Typically 1-4 cubs |
| Baby name | Cub |
| Group name | Pride (a group of lions); a coalition refers to allied males |
| Top speed | Up to about 80 km/h (50 mph) in short bursts |
| CITES | Appendix II (African populations); Appendix I (Indian population) |
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Felidae |
| Genus | Panthera |
| Species | Panthera leo |
Conservation Status
- IUCN Status
- Vulnerable
- Population
- ~23,000 mature and subadult lions in Africa, plus ~670 in India
- Trend
- Decreasing
- Assessed
- 2023
- CITES
- Appendix II for African populations; Appendix I for the Indian (Asiatic) population
Listed as Vulnerable under criterion A2c, reflecting an estimated 34% decline in range over roughly three lion generations. A 2024 amended version of the 2023 assessment is the current published reference.
Did you know?
A lion's roar can be heard up to about 8 kilometers (5 miles) away, helping prides advertise their territory and locate one another across the savanna.
Key Facts: Lion
- Lions are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with about 23,000 left in Africa and roughly 670 in India.
- They are the only big cat that lives in social groups, called prides, which can include several related females, their cubs, and a coalition of males.
- Lionesses do most of the cooperative hunting, while males primarily defend the pride's territory and cubs.
- The species has lost a large share of its historic range, with an estimated 34% decline over roughly the past two decades.
- Main threats are habitat loss, conflict with herders protecting livestock, and the depletion of the wild prey lions depend on.
- Lions are protected under CITES, with African populations on Appendix II and the Indian population on Appendix I.
Where lions live and how their range has shrunk
Lions today are overwhelmingly an African species, found mainly in the savanna grasslands, open woodlands, and scrub of eastern and southern Africa. Strongholds include the grasslands and conservation areas of Kenya and Tanzania, such as the wider Serengeti and Maasai Mara ecosystems, where lions remain a centerpiece of the landscape. A single isolated population of Asiatic lions survives in and around the Gir Forest of Gujarat, India. This is a dramatic contraction: lions once ranged across most of Africa, much of the Middle East, and into southern Asia. The IUCN estimates the species has disappeared from a large majority of its historic range, with most remaining lions now confined to protected areas and the lands immediately around them.
Why prides make lions unique
No other cat lives the way lions do. A pride is a cooperative family unit, typically built around a group of related lionesses and their cubs, defended by one or more adult males that have formed a coalition. Females usually remain in the pride they were born into, while young males leave to seek territories of their own. This social structure shapes almost everything about lion life: females hunt together to bring down large prey such as zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo, cubs are often raised communally, and males invest heavily in defending territory and offspring. A male's mane signals maturity and condition, and darker, fuller manes are generally associated with stronger, healthier individuals.
The threats driving the decline
Lion numbers are falling for interlocking reasons. As farms, settlements, and livestock expand into former wildlife areas, lion habitat is fragmented and lost. When lions prey on cattle and other livestock, they are often killed in retaliation by communities protecting their livelihoods. At the same time, the wild herbivores lions depend on are being depleted by unsustainable bushmeat hunting and poaching, leaving prides with less to eat. Poorly regulated hunting and illegal trade in lion parts add further pressure. Because lions need large territories and abundant prey, even small declines in habitat quality can have outsized effects on whether a pride survives.
What is being done to protect lions
Conservation for lions centers on keeping large landscapes intact and connected, reducing conflict between people and predators, and protecting the prey base. Practical measures include reinforced livestock enclosures, community-led programs that compensate or support herders who lose animals, and anti-poaching work that protects both lions and the herbivores they hunt. Cross-border cooperation matters too, because lion populations often span national boundaries and rely on corridors between protected areas. Long-term recovery depends on local communities seeing living lions as more valuable than dead ones, and on safeguarding the wild spaces that prides need to roam.
Lion vs. Tiger: how the two largest big cats compare
| Trait | Lion (Panthera leo) | Tiger (Panthera tigris) |
|---|---|---|
| Social structure | Social — lives in prides | Solitary except for mating and cubs |
| Main habitat | African savanna and grassland (small Asian population) | Asian forests, mangroves, and grasslands |
| IUCN status | Vulnerable | Endangered |
| Coat / markings | Tawny coat; males grow a mane | Orange coat with black stripes; no mane |
| Typical male weight | ~150-250 kg | ~90-310 kg depending on subspecies |
| Hunting style | Cooperative group hunting by lionesses | Solitary ambush hunting |
What WARN Does
The lion lives across eastern and southern Africa, which is outside the countries where the World Animal Rescue Network currently funds frontline projects. We are honest about that: WARN does not fund lion-specific fieldwork, and this guide is educational and search-focused content created to support our broader mission of building global awareness for threatened wildlife. The conservation challenges lions face — habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and the illegal wildlife trade — are the same forces WARN works against in the regions we do fund. As our network grows, sharing accurate, well-sourced information about flagship species like the lion helps connect a global audience to the wider fight for wildlife.
Lions live outside the countries WARN currently funds, but the threats they face — vanishing habitat and the illegal wildlife trade — are exactly what your support helps us fight where we work today. Donating to WARN backs frontline habitat and anti-trafficking efforts in its partner-network countries, and helps build the global network that wildlife everywhere needs.
How does the lion compare?
How can I help save the lion?
There are three practical things that make a real difference for the lion — and the first is the one that funds everything else.
Fund frontline rescue
Back the partner-led teams, veterinary care and protection that reach lions where the need is greatest — WARN channels donations straight to that work.
Ease the pressures
Avoid the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buy wild animals as pets, and choose sustainable, habitat-friendly products — the threats behind the lion's decline fall when demand does.
Spread the word
Share accurate, sourced information about the lion. Wider awareness is what turns concern into lasting protection.
Lion: Frequently Asked Questions
How can I help save the lion?
Are lions endangered?
How many lions are left in the world?
Where do lions live?
Why are lions the only social big cat?
Do male or female lions do the hunting?
What do lions eat?
Are lions dangerous?
How long do lions live?
How big is a lion?
Sources & References
Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.
Related Rescue Guides
Focused answers for people searching how lion rescue works in high-need regions.
Terms used on this page
Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.
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