Lee - Lions [eBook - NC Kids Digital Library]

Published in the United States by Xist Publishing www.xistpublishing.com PO Box 61593 Irvine, CA 92602 2013 Text by Calee M. Lee All images licensed from Fotolia All rights reserved No portion of this book may be reproduced without express permission of the publisher All images licensed from Fotolia First Edition eISBN: 9781623954857
ePib ISBN: 9781623954864 My favorite animals are lions. Would you like to learn about them? Lions are big cats that mostly live in the African savannah and grasslands. Lion habitats originally reached from Greece to India but today most lions live in eastern and southern Africa. The lion is considered a vulnerable species and now the only lions left outside of Africa live in and around the Gir Forest of northwestern India. Male lions are generally larger than females.

They have big manes that make them look even bigger. Female lions dont have manes, but they are very fast and strong. Most lions are around three feet tall. Lions grow between 5 and 7 feet long. Youre probably taller than a lion standing normally. Butif one stood on its hind legs, the lion would be much taller than your mom or dad.
Lions weigh between 300 and 500 pounds.

Its a good thing lions dont usually sit on people. You would be squished! Do You Remember? Which picture shows a male lion? Check and see if youre right at the end of this book. Lions are the most social of all wild cats. A lion family is called a pride. The pride usually is made up of five to six females called lionesses, their cubs and one to two males. Lions show how much they like each other by licking and head rubbing.

They are very talkative animals. Lion sounds include snarling, hissing, coughing, meowing, woofing and roaring. A male lions roar can be heard from up to 5 miles away (8 kilometers). When other animals hear it, they know to watch out! When lion cubs are born, they need lots of help. Since they cannot defend themselves, cubs are usually hidden in the brush. This lasts for six weeks until they are old enough to join the pride.

Cubs need their mothers milk for 6-7 months and stay with their mothers for about two years. Adult lions are mostly golden colored. Lion cubs are born with brown spots called rosettes. These will fade as they grow older. Female lions may stay with the pride but young males will be sent out when they reach maturity around three years old. Do You Remember? How long will a lion cub need to drink its mothers milk? Check and see if youre right at the end of this book! Lions usually hunt in groups. Do You Remember? How long will a lion cub need to drink its mothers milk? Check and see if youre right at the end of this book! Lions usually hunt in groups.

They love to eat large mammals like wildebeast, zebra, impala, warthog and buffalo. Lionesses do most of the hunting for the pride. They are faster and fiercer than the males! Male lions will join the hunt only when the prey is too large for the lionesses to take on their own. No matter who finishes the kill, the male lion always eats first. One lion can eat up to 88 pounds of food in one meal. Do You Remember? Who in this picture is in charge of hunting for the pride? Check and see if youre right at the end of this book! My favorite thing about lions is even though they need to hunt and play, they also know how to relax. Do You Remember? Who in this picture is in charge of hunting for the pride? Check and see if youre right at the end of this book! My favorite thing about lions is even though they need to hunt and play, they also know how to relax.

On average, a lion will rest up to 20 hours each day. Shady spots under trees and bushes are their favorite places to stay cool and take a nap.