The Animals

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Listen to an actual recording of a lion roaring!

Status:  Endangered.

Diet in wild:  Mainly large African animals including gazelles, zebra, buffalo, etc.; sometimes small rodents or lizards if other prey are scarce.

Life span in wild:  15 to 18 years.

Weight:  Males 330 to 530 pounds; females 270 to 400 pounds.

Native habitat:  South Sahara to South Africa.

ADOPT A LION!

Black Pine Animal Park

1426 W. 300 N.

P.O. Box 02

Albion, IN 46701

(260) 636-7383

©2008 Professional Animal Retirement Center, Inc.

 African Lion

On the plains of Africa, where wild lions live, females such as Nala (below) would play a critical role in the extended lion family, called a pride.  They would not only take primary responsibility for hunting prey, often doing so in groups, they would also play mom to dozens of cubs throughout their lifetime.  

Born in captivity, Nala was being raised by a family keeping her as a house pet.  They were "training" her as one would a large dog.  It was only when the head of household and his wife were in divorce court that a judge ruled the cat needed to be removed from the home, where two children were also living.  Nala was going to be euthanized, but the judge stepped in and found Black Pine just in time.  Nala arrived when she was just a few months old.  

Kovu (left and below) was adopted in August 2007, relocated after living in an indoor horse stall and in need of medical care.  Prior to that he was found abandoned, locked in a shed in Mexico.  He was likely used for photos to make money while a young cub, but once grown was left roadside as he was no longer safe for the public to interact with, and therefore no longer "profitable".  After four months of medical treatment, dietary changes, and an opportunity to keep up with cleaning habits, he emerged a majestic king at Black Pine!  (See photo below).

Male lions also play an important family role.  By the age of about two years, the adult cats in a pride will help push a young male out to live a lonely few months on his own.  That trying time helps him build the skills he'll need to survive as an adult.  The strongest will move on to find another lion pride with females to whom they are not related.  By challenging older, ailing males, a new young male can take his place within the pride as a father and protector.

This very structured life pattern assures genetic diversity among wild lion populations, which is one of the reasons lions are considered among the strongest of the animal kingdom.  Their social lifestyle is a form of teamwork that is unique among cats.