“King of Jungle” 10 Fun Facts about Lions

We’ve written many factual articles about the different animals in Bali Safari Park; now its time we talk about the king of the jungle himself, the Lion!

What’s the first thing on your mind when you think of Lions? There’s a reason they’re regarded as king of the jungle. Lions have been the symbol of strength, nobility and power for many cultures.

Here are 10 fun facts about Lions:

1. Female Lions do most of the hunting

In a pride of Lions, it is the female Lions who go out hunting for food, sometimes in groups. The male Lion’s main job is to defend and protect the cubs from danger.

2. Biggest threat to Lions is habitat loss

Lions sit comfortably at the top of the food chain in the wild – this makes them the apex predator in their natural habitat. Sadly, the only thing that threatens their population is habitat loss, due to human expansion.

3. Excellent runners and jumpers

When hunting, Lions can run at a top speed of 80 km/hour in short bursts. They can also leap as far as 10 meters!

4. They don’t live in the jungle

Despite their title, they don’t actually live in the jungle at all. They only live in plains and grasslands.

5. Older lions have darker mane

You can tell a Lion’s age by the color of their mane. The darker the color, the older the Lion!

6. Tiptoe

When a Lion walks, its heels don’t touch the ground. This makes it seem like they’re tiptoeing!

7. Big vocals

A male Lion’s roar can be heard up to 8 km away! They are also deeper than the female Lionesses – yes female Lions can roar too.

8. Hefty eaters

Lions need to consume 5 to 7 kg of meat for each day they’re healthy. The amount of times they eat also depends on the prey they’re eating. If it was a large buffalo, they can go up to 5 days without having to eat again.

9. Long naps

Adult Lions can spend up to 20 hours a day just snoozing in the same place, especially if they’ve just finished a large meal. Also, they often sleep while keeping one eye open!

10. Lion cubs are born with blue eyes

Yes, you read that right. Lion cubs are born with beautiful blue eyes! However, these are temporary, and their eyes will gradually shift to brown or amber color when they reach 2 – 3 months old.

So, did you know all these facts about the Lion? Learn more about these majestic big cats by paying a visit to Bali Safari Park!