Animal Facts:
Lions are known as the kings of the jungle, but that term is misleading since they live in open grasslands and savannahs.
They’re the most social of all the wild species in the cat family, and live in groups called prides. The average pride consists of several adult females and their offspring of both sexes, as well as one male lion.
In general, male lions are only able to remain leaders of their pride for about three to five years in the wild, before they are evicted by another male that takes over. When that happens, the new dominant male will kill all the lion cubs to bring the pride’s females into heat again so he can mate with them and pass on his own genes.
In this case, several of the females may attack the new male to protect their young.
Male cubs are evicted from the pride once they reach sexual maturity at about two to three years of age. They join bachelor groups or become nomads, either in pairs or alone.
Female lions can also be ousted from prides and become nomads – for example, if a pride gets too large – but that’s the exception. They usually remain with the pride they were born in.
Like other cats, the male lion’s penis has spines that point backwards. So, when he withdraws, the spines rake the walls of the female’s vagina, which triggers ovulation.
The lionesses in a pride all tend to give birth around the same time. In order to give birth, and the first few weeks afterwards, a lioness will go to a sheltered area away from the pride and take care of her young on her own, moving them several times from one den site to another so that their scent won’t attract predators. Afterwards, the lionesses come back to the pride to nurse their cubs communally and to raise their young together.
Males and females take on different roles.
Male lions guard their territory, their females and cubs, with their thick manes protecting their necks in fights. Meanwhile, females are the primary hunters of the pride as they’re smaller and more agile than males.
A single lion is capable of bringing down a zebra or wildebeest, while a group can also attack larger prey, such as buffalo and giraffes.
During the hunts, each lioness has a favoured position in the group. Some stalk prey on the wing before attacking, while others move to the centre of the group and capture the prey fleeing from the other lionesses.
Males don’t usually participate in hunts. If they hunt on their own, they prefer to ambush smaller prey, such as mice, birds, hares or lizards.
In general, lions are not known for their stamina. They need to get close to their prey before starting to attack, taking advantage of long grass or the cover of darkness.
They also steal other kills from hyenas, wild dogs, cheetahs and leopards, and scavenge on carrion when they have the opportunity, keeping a lookout for circling vultures that indicate the location of a dead animal.
Lions typically consume prey at the location of the hunt. The pecking order dictates that the male eats first, then the females and then the young.
Lions can go four to five days without drinking, obtaining the necessary moisture from their prey’s stomach contents and its blood, but they will drink water every day, if it’s available.
What they do every day, though, is sleep. Lions spend 16 to 20 hours a day resting because they don’t have many sweat glands and need to conserve energy during the heat of the day.
While they rest, they are very affectionate towards each other. The most common tactile gestures are head rubbing, social licking and grooming each other.
Lions also have plenty of vocalisations to communicate with each other, such as purring, meowing, roaring, snarling, huffing and growling. The roar is one of the loudest animal sounds, and can be heard from up to 8 kilometres away.
Additionally, lions communicate through facial expressions and body posture, from opening their mouths and baring their teeth to wrinkling their noses. And, on top of that, they use chemical and visual marking by spraying or scraping the ground.
Lions have excellent vision – their eyes are six times more sensitive to light than those of a human. This means that their night vision is better than that of some of their prey.
Another interesting fact is that lions walk in an unusual manner. Their heels do not touch the ground because of the big toes and pads on the bottom of their feet, which allow them to move quietly. A lion’s claws are retractable.
The lion population has dropped considerably in the past few decades. The main threats are retaliatory or pre-emptive killing to protect local people and their livestock, or to acquire a trophy. This is exacerbated by a decrease in habitat and prey, and changes in climate such as delayed rains and extended droughts.
Some spiritual meanings:
Lions are the only big cats to live in a family group.
If the lion is your spirit animal, family is very important to you.
Do you feel close to your loved ones?
Or do you need to spend more quality time with them?
A lion’s group is called a pride.
Be proud of yourself!
You have met challenges head-on, and these have made you the person you are today.
The lion is an apex predator.
It symbolises strength, assertiveness and personal power.
Are you empowered in your life? Are you self-confident?
Or do you need to take on a leadership role?
Lionesses show powerful maternal instincts and they’re very protective of their young.
Do you feel unprotected in your life? What can you do to feel safer?
Or can you give protection to others?
Set healthy boundaries and stand your ground.
This might also be the right time to have children of your own or to nurture your existing relationships.
In a pride, males and females work together to keep the group healthy and strong.
This symbolises the balance between the male and female energies within you.
Are you connected to both?
Create harmony between them to improve your life.
Lions live cooperatively, with each member taking on the role they’re best suited for. They know that when each individual is supported, every member of the pride benefits.
Examine your role in your group.
Are your talents well used? How can you all contribute better?
Tap into your areas of excellence to help others. But also learn to recognise other people’s talents and how to ask for help from them.
The lion sneaks up on its prey for a surprise attack.
Don’t tell others of your goals too soon. You will be more successful if you work in secret for a while.
The lion’s habit of resting for hours every day indicates your natural talent for meditation and trance work.
Become still and take the time to reflect before taking the next step.
Lions are affectionate with each other.
Allow yourself to show your heart.
You don’t always need to be fierce. There’s strength in letting yourself be soft, too.
The roar of a lion makes a bold statement.
When you rise to a challenge, everyone will take notice and you can easily influence people.
Do you use that power to inspire others to make positive changes in their lives?
Also, you might have a well-developed throat chakra.
Can you express yourself? Are you authentic?
Or do you need to heal any traumas in relation to this?
More to discover:
If you want to read up on more spirit animals or want to learn more about spiritual topics in general, pick up a copy of my two-book series “Willow and Strix” ©, available as paperback or ebook (free for kindle unlimited users) US – UK – DE and in other countries
A. Wakan's Spirit Animals 