African Lion Safari

The lion is one of four big cats. With exceptionally large males exceeding 250
kg in weight, it is the second-heaviest living cat after the tiger.
Wild lions currently exist in Sub-Sahara Africa and in Asia, with a critically
endangered population in Gir, Gujarat, India. Lion has disappeared from
North Africa, the Middle East and Western Asia in historic times.
Until the late Pleistocene (about 10,000 years ago), the lion was the most
widespread large land mammal beside humans.
If they survive the rigors of cub hood, lionesses in secure habitat –zoo, may
frequently reach an age of 12–14 years whereas lions seldom live for longer
than 8 years
Groups of female lions hunt together, preying mostly on large animals. While
lions, in general, do not selectively hunt humans, some have been known to
become man-eaters and seek human prey.
The lion has seen an irreversible population decline of 30 to 50 percent over
the past two decades in its African range. Although the cause of the decline is
not well understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the
greatest causes of concern.
Lions have been kept in menageries since Roman times and have been a key
species sought after and exhibited in zoos the world over since the late
eighteenth century. Zoos are cooperating worldwide in breeding programs
for the endangered Asiatic subspecies.
Visually, the male is highly distinctive and is easily recognized by its mane.
The head of the male lion is one of the most widely recognized animal
symbols in human culture. It has been depicted extensively in literature, in
sculptures, in paintings, on national flags and in contemporary films and
literature.
The lioness has been recognized, however, as the pinnacle of hunting
prowess from the earliest of human writings and graphic representations.
The lionesses are the hunters for their pride and capture their prey with
precise and complex teamwork.