Why lion called the king
of the beasts?
Lion is the largest and the most powerful of the wild
cats; no wonder it is called the king of the jungle. It is regarded as the
symbol of power and strength in almost all the countries of the world. We often
hear strong people being referred to as lion hearted. Also the figure of the
lion is engraved on many shields awarded to players. Even some flags carry the
picture of a lion. The ancient Egyptians believed lion to be a sacred animal.
It attacks so swiftly that the victim does not get any
time to defend it. It can also attack animals much bigger than itself, like
giraffe and wild buffaloes, from behind, tearing them apart with the help of
its powerful paws and teeth. Lions often hunt in a team.
Lions were found in many parts of Europe
as long as 2000 years ago, but gradually they were wiped out form those parts.
Now they are found mainly in the jungles of Africa
and North West India. There are only 200 lions remaining in the Gir forest,
today.
Lion is a carnivorous animal that kills wild animals and
live on their flesh. It is a member of the cat family. The average length of an
adult lion is about 3 meters and its weight varies from 180 to 224 kilograms.
The female lion is smaller in size as compared to the
males and does not have a mane. Lionesses generally hunt and kill the prey. It
rests during the day and kills at night. It does not attack elephants and
hippopotamus.
The main animals of its prey are zebra, deer, bear,
jackal, etc. if it is not disturbed, it does not attack anybody. But on being
teased or attacked, it turns extremely ferocious. Some lions that get the taste
of human flesh become man-eaters and start living in the jungles around
villages. Whenever they get an opportunity, they kill man, sheep, goats, etc.
Lions live in family groups called prides of 4 to 30 in
the forest. A lioness, after a gestation period of 110 days, can give birth to
one to six spotted cubs. The roar of a male lion is a territorial proclamation.
Unlike the cat, it cannot climb trees.
Lions can be domesticated and we can see them I the
circus performing tricks. Lions have a potential lifespan of 20 to 30 years.
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