Lion's habitat is the mainland. Why is the lion the king of beasts? Description of the lion, habitat and lifestyle. Where do they live?

The author, in love with his science - zoogeography, claims and proves that it is as interesting as everything connected with the life of animals in the wild. He talks surprisingly clearly about the biological properties of animals that help them exist in a certain environment, about the connections of fauna with plant formations, about the distribution of animals around the globe and about the factors limiting their settlement, about the history of the development of fauna on various continents.

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Savannah occurs in areas with a hot climate, where all seasons of the year are reduced to two periods: dry and wet. This formation resembles a steppe with tall grass and sparsely scattered trees, most often acacias, the crowns of which look like umbrellas. The dry period forced savannah plants to create biological adaptations in the process of evolution that determined their drought resistance. The rainy season is the equivalent of a steppe spring or a short period of rain in the desert. The main task of plants is to use the rainy season as fully as possible for intensive development and then survive the drought. Herbaceous plants have adapted well to this. Trees have a harder time. There are not enough water reserves in the savannah for forests to grow there. The lack of water available to plants determines that the trees here are sparse. The sun is burning with unheard of force. There is not enough soil water, and many trees lose their leaves during drought, like ours in winter. They go into “winter sleep” and spend the dry season this way.

But during the rainy season, the savannah simply explodes with life. There is plenty of water, the temperature is high and constant, without sudden changes during the day, the soil is quite fertile. Everything is turning green and growing at a frantic pace, trying to make up for the time lost due to drought. Plant productivity is high, and the mass of phytoproducts allows a huge number of its consumers - herbivores - to live in the savanna.

Almost all of sub-Saharan Africa is a huge savannah. The only exceptions are the mountains, the Congo River basin and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, occupied by tropical forests, and in southern Africa - the Kalahari Desert and part of the southernmost tip of the continent. Taken together, this entire territory does not even constitute half the area covered by savanna.

The savannah landscape is quite diverse depending on the microclimate of its individual areas. In drier areas, trees are sparse. Sometimes they completely disappear, and a strip of “tropical steppe” is formed. In other places the trees grow more densely. Near the sources they form entire groups. In the valleys of rivers and streams, in places where, due to the topography, the groundwater level is high, small groves and even forests grow.

The invertebrate fauna of the savannah is similar in composition to the steppe fauna. Among the insects, locusts and ants are numerous. They are hunted by spiders, salpugs and scorpions. There are also gastropods in the savannah that are adapted to withstand drought.

Unlike the steppes, termites are an important element in the fauna of the savannah. Everywhere you look there are their buildings. A termite mound is sometimes just a half-meter-high mound, sometimes it looks like a small castle with towers and walls, and sometimes termite structures resemble six-meter-high “clubs of Hercules.” Inside, behind the thick walls of such a fortress, live whitish defenseless insects that never see daylight. The walls protect them from pursuers and from the heat. Termites provide themselves with moisture by gnawing holes down to the groundwater. They feed on wood and must travel underground to reach a branch lying on the ground. Many animals are related to termites in one way or another. There are animals that feed primarily on them. These are lizards and anteaters. When the lizard digs up a termite mound and, having had enough, leaves, birds feed on these “ruins.” Some species of birds make nests in the crevices of the walls of termite mounds or unceremoniously hollow out their “hollow” in them. And even buffalos and rhinoceroses sometimes come to scratch themselves against the walls of the termite mound or rest in the shade of this large farm of small builders.

There are few amphibians in savannas; there are no newts or salamanders. But there are frogs and toads that during the rainy season have time to mate and lay eggs, and tadpoles have time to grow and go through the stages of metamorphosis. During the dry season, all amphibians seek shelter and go into hibernation, which lasts until the new rainy season. But many reptiles thrive in the savannah throughout the year. Covered with keratinized skin, they are not afraid of drought, and there is plenty of food here: plants for turtles, insects for lizards. Snakes are perhaps the most numerous among the reptiles here. Their prey is amphibians and lizards, and in addition, small mammals, mainly rodents. There are many poisonous snakes.

The life forms of savannah birds resemble steppe birds. The savanna bird fauna is much richer and more diverse, mainly due to those species that nest in trees. Thus, a variety of weavers are typical for savannas (Ploceidae), among which the most numerous are small red-billed weavers - quelia (Quelia quelia). They build their nests in the crowns of acacia trees, often forming entire colonies. Such an umbrella tree, hung with hundreds of nests and surrounded by a cloud of chattering inhabitants, is a typical picture for the savannah. In the savannah, there are quite a few species of chickens: quail, various types of guinea fowl, francolins (Francolinus). Peculiar bushlarks are common (Mirafra).

In savannas, as in steppes, running birds are typical. Here is the homeland of the best runner among birds - the ostrich, which has completely lost the ability to fly.

Even among feathered predators there was one species that, although capable of flying, prefers to walk. This is a long-legged secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) with a tuft hanging from the back of the head. The first European travelers thought she looked like a secretary with a feather tucked behind her ear. Her favorite prey is snakes, even large and poisonous ones. Eats snakes and marabou (Leptoptilus)- a huge bird, related to storks, with a large ugly bare head and bare neck, with a long thick beak. She walks with a sedate step across the savannah, grabbing any animal that she can swallow. Even a jackal puppy can find its end in the beak of this glutton. There are many diurnal birds of prey in the savanna: hawks, kites, vultures. They have as much food as they want here. If there are a lot of herbivorous mammals, then, of course, often some antelope dies, either in the claws of a lion, or for some other reason.

There are a huge number of rodents in the savannas, which are rarely seen and therefore are almost not mentioned by travelers. However, they represent a very important element of the biocenosis. Dozens of species of mouse-like rodents hide in the tall grass, and jerboas live in more open places, and large striders are found here and there (Pedetes caffer).

It should be noted that, along with herbivorous jerboas, insectivorous jumpers are numerous here (Macroscealididea), they can be distinguished only by their teeth. The family of spiny-tailed flying squirrels is widespread exclusively in African savannas. Anamaluridae. These animals are similar to flying squirrels and also lead an arboreal lifestyle. They are able to jump from tree to tree, which is facilitated by a leathery membrane connecting the front and hind limbs.

Tree mice (family Dendromurinae) and squirrels (family Gliridae).

In some places in the savannahs, calm and phlegmatic porcupines are found, relying on their reliable “armor” of long and sharp quills.

Lagomorphs are represented by several species of hares, while in the savannah hares are smaller than in Europe.

But the most characteristic of the savannah are large ungulate mammals. In the recent past, the African savanna was a paradise for hunters. Among ungulates, in terms of number and diversity of species, antelopes hold the lead, most of them graceful animals with large eyes, bearing horns on their heads. The smallest of the antelopes are gazelles. The genus of gazelles has more than a dozen species. They're sort of the ecological equivalent of jerboas. (Antidorcas). Large impala antelopes are widespread (Aepyceros melampus).

Herds of waterbucks live near streams (Kobus) with saber-shaped horns. Antelopes from the genus Oryx (Oryx) reach a height of 1.3 meters at the withers. These are fast saber-horned antelopes (Oryx algazel), East African oryx-beisa (Orix beisa) and others.

A whole group of species belonging to the genus Bubals is widespread in the savannah. (Alcelaphus). Ugly, long-necked and long-headed creatures with ugly inverted horns, they resemble a caricature of an emaciated horse. Wildebeests look like real monsters (Connochaetes). Their height at the withers is about 1.5 meters, that is, they are the height of an average horse and look the same as a horse, but with the head of a bull. The most valuable hunting trophies are the long helical horns of the kudu antelope. (Strepsiceros), especially the great kudu (Strepsiceros strepsiceros). Antelopes from the genus Cannas (Taurotragus)- real giants among antelopes; they reach a height of two meters and weigh up to one thousand kilograms.

Of other bovids, large Kaffir buffaloes are typical. (Syricerus caffer). There are bulls with a height of 1.8 meters at the withers. There are hundreds of chilling hunting stories about the dangers of hunting these fearsome animals, and in this case they are true.

Among other ungulates, giraffes stand out. They not only have a unique figure, but differ from other ungulates in that they feed exclusively on leaves, fruits and tree branches. This food is available to them due to their unprecedented growth. Although they have only small horns covered with hair on their heads, they are by no means defenseless. The blow of their long legs with sharp hooves can discourage even a lion from attacking.

In the giraffe enclosure at London Zoo, the posts are covered with five-millimeter steel sheeting. One of them shows a deep imprint of a giraffe's hoof. The blow was aimed at the caretaker's head, but he managed to dodge.

Everyone has heard about herds of zebras in the savannah. Wild donkeys are less well known and there are fewer of them. By the way, donkeys live only where there are no zebras. There are two types of them, one of them is the ancestor of the domestic donkey. There are three types of zebras.

Almost all herbivores live in herds. Herds migrate to watering places and roam in search of pasture. In the savannah, herds are usually mixed and consist of several species of animals. Zebras are almost never seen without their companions - wildebeest and other antelopes. Ostriches often join them. A herd consisting of several different species ensures greater security for each member of the community. Some animals have better vision, others have better hearing, and some have an excellent sense of smell. And it is enough for one to notice the enemy, and the whole herd flees.

The largest herbivores are rhinoceroses and elephants. Rhinoceroses live alone or in small herds of two to four animals. Elephants usually live in herds of several dozen individuals. Elephants and rhinoceroses consume huge amounts of food. They don't have any enemies. Even lions rarely risk attacking their cubs.

Where there are many ungulates, there are also many predators. Contrary to popular belief, lions do not live in deserts. There they would die of hunger and thirst. Only in the savannah is the number of ungulates so large that this powerful predator can feed itself. Lions live in harem families consisting of an old male, several females and sometimes a dozen kittens. Lions hunt collectively, and when the hunt is successful, the whole family begins to feast, observing a certain order.

Another large savannah cat is the leopard (Pantera pardus). It is smaller and lighter than a lion, lives alone, climbs trees, from where it quickly jumps on its prey. Its victims include small antelopes and calves of larger animals.

Smaller than a leopard, about the size of a lynx, the Serval cat (Felis serval). It attacks small antelopes, rodents and birds. Cheetahs lead a somewhat atypical lifestyle for most cats. They are somewhat similar to a large greyhound dog dressed in leopard skin. The cheetah is a good runner and usually does not sneak up on its prey, like other cats, but in broad daylight it catches up with it in the open.

A formidable enemy of antelopes is the hyena dog. (Lycaon pictus). She is small in stature, about the size of a medium-sized domestic dog, but she hunts in a pack like a wolf. A pack of these animals chases the chosen victim, surrounds it and simply tears it apart. If any warlike bull tries to fight back, it will not delay its death. While he is trying to hit one dog with his horns, four others will rip open his belly and release his entrails.

Peculiar predators in the savannah - hyenas (Hyaenidae). These are strong animals with powerful jaws. They are not very fast when running. More often they do not hunt healthy, strong animals, but slaughter those weakened by disease, the old and the wounded. Hyenas are not limited to just ungulates. A lion dying from wounds is as much prey for them as an antelope. A hungry hyena eats mice, lizards, snakes, bird eggs and even locusts and spiders. Hyenas most readily feed on the carrion of large animals and sometimes wander after lions, hunters, or simply following herds.

Jackals play a similar role in the savannah. (Thos). They are small and independently capable of hunting only rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. But they destroy carrion, near which they feed for several days in a row.

Therefore, in the savannah, a certain complex of species is always found near the corpse of a large animal: hyenas, jackals and several species of feathered predators.

Small herbivores serve as prey for a range of small, numerous and diverse predators. This is an African wild cat (Felis ocreata)- probable ancestor of domestic cats; The caracal, known to us from the desert, and long-eared desert foxes are also found here (Otocyon, Fennecus). An important element of the fauna in the savannah is the predatory civets (Viverriadae). The largest of them is the civet. (Civettictis civetta) the size of an average dog. Several species of mongoose (family Herpestes). They are known as snake hunters. In Ancient Egypt they were highly revered. These small predators feed mainly on rodents and birds, but also devour frogs, lizards and snakes; They do not neglect either insects or gastropods. Mongooses, more than anyone else, regulate the numbers of all small animals on the savannah. However, hyenas, servals, and other predators also take part in this.

There is another small group of extremely specialized mammals in the savannah that have adapted to eating only termites. These are strange creatures. One of them is a lizard (Manis)- covered with large horny scales and belongs to the order of lizards (Pholidota). Another animal is a squat, long-faced anteater (Orycteropus afer), belonging to a special order of aardvarks (Tubulidentata). These animals have powerful claws for digging up termite mounds, backward-facing teeth and a long, sticky, worm-like tongue for quickly picking up termites. It’s surprising that one species of hyena has also switched to feeding on termites. (Proteles cristatus). Her specialization has not yet gone that far, but her dental system has already undergone some changes.

In the savannah, especially among the hilly areas, live monkeys that lead a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle. These are different baboons (Papio). They live in groups consisting of an old male - the leader, several females and ten to twenty young ones. Such groups can unite into herds numbering tens or hundreds of monkeys. They eat everything that falls into their paws: leaves and locusts, fruits and caterpillars, everything down to lizards, birds and mice.

In savannah biocenoses, deep internal catastrophic changes usually do not occur. But the life of the savannah is regulated by climate. During the dry season, when the springs dry up one after another, herds of animals go in search of pastures and watering places. Sometimes they travel hundreds of kilometers. If the drought drags on and more springs dry up than usual, the animals will die from the heat. Of course, this does not happen so often and only in exceptionally dry years.

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Representatives of the cat family. An impressive lush mane, a ferocious roar, a muscular huge body, a death grip - all this very much characterizes the powerful and strong king of the jungle. People call lions the kings of the jungle. Hence the misconception was born that these live in tropical thickets.

The weight of an adult male lion can reach 250 kg, and a female 150 kg. The body length of the animal is from 2.3 m to 3.0 m.

Lion habitats

In fact, lions today can be found exclusively in two places on the globe - in the African savannah, and also in India. They settle mostly in groups, which scientists call prides. These groups number about 20 individuals, of which, as a rule, no more than 4 are males.

In the Middle Ages, Lviv was much more extensive - the entire territory of Africa, excluding the tropics and desert, the Middle East, Iran, part of Europe, even the southern outskirts of Russia, India. But the hunt for lion skins and wars destroyed the predator’s usual environment. Lions have lost much of their range. In 1944, the last lion in Europe was found in Iran - it was dead.

Now in Africa, lions occupy the territory south of the famous Sahara Desert. Here, in unlimited living conditions, animals feel more than comfortable, which contributes to their reproduction. Despite this, the lion population is rapidly decreasing every year.

About 80% of all lions on the globe live on the hottest continent on the planet - Africa.

In India, the kings of the jungle occupy an area in the West of the country with an area of ​​1400 sq. km. They settled in an area in a region called the Gir Forest. Unfortunately, this population of felines is quite small - about 360 individuals. The sad statistics forced the country's government to protect lions and do everything to prevent a decline in the wild cat population. And this played a positive role: according to the latest data, the number of the group began to slowly grow.

Savannah is considered a favorite place where lions prefer to live, but they often settle in areas with an abundance of shrubs and forests. Important for lions is the presence of a special type of acacia in the area of ​​settlement. It is this plant that protects flocks from the scorching sun, and also saves them from heat and sunstroke. Lions do not live in dense, humid forests and arid deserts.

Proud and formidable King of Beasts -. Despite its size, strength and power, this animal, through the efforts of humans, has significantly reduced its numbers. Lions are protected and live mainly in protected areas, but even there they are at risk from poachers. It is too honorable to kill a lion and hang its skin or stuffed it at home.

Appearance of an African lion

The lion is a member of the cat family and of all the members of the cat family, lions have the most pronounced gender differences. A lion and a lioness can be distinguished from afar, thanks to the presence of a lush long mane in male representatives.
It is quite possible that the lack of a mane in lionesses is the main advantage that helps lionesses during hunting; after all, the long mane constantly gets tangled in dense thickets.

Lions are the largest of the wild cats, the weight of an adult male sometimes reaches 250 kg, and the weight of an adult female can approach 170-180 kg. The length of an adult lion is up to three meters, not counting the tail, which, in turn, can reach a meter in length. Females are somewhat smaller, their length is about two meters, their tail is about 70 cm.

African lion habitats

African lions live in the savannas of southern Africa. Previously, their numbers were much higher, and they inhabited not only the territory of Africa, but also India, the Near and Middle East, and part of Europe. A small number of African lions live in India today, in a protected area called the Gar Forest.

African lion lifestyle

Another difference between lions and other representatives of the feline family is the creation of large families called prides. A pride consists of one or two strong lions, and a large number of females. A clan created in this way has a number of advantages:

• A lion, or a pair of lions, takes upon themselves the protection of the territory in which the family lives. They protect their families from attacks from other lions who want to have their own clan.

Such battles occur often and last until the complete victory of one lion over the other. If an outside lion wins, he destroys all male cubs in the pride.
At night, lions with their roar notify all neighbors located 8-9 kilometers from the pride that the flock is protected and this territory is guarded.

• A large number of females makes it possible to better provide the family with food, because The main hunters are female lions.

Lionesses are always under the protection of their family, remaining in the pride until the end of their lives. Grown-up sons are kicked out of the pack, and they create their own clans, sometimes at the cost of defeating another leader and his sons.

For convenience, lionesses tend to have offspring in approximately the same period; this makes caring for small lion cubs easier. Before the babies reach the age of 2 months, lionesses with lion cubs retire, teaming up with other lion mothers, organizing something like a kindergarten. During the hunt, one or several females remain with the babies, while the rest hunt at this time. The remaining females look after the cubs, protect them and feed them. Grown-up lion cubs are brought into the pride and raised within the clan until the young males reach the age of 3 years. After this they are expelled from the family. Females remain in the pack. They reach childbearing age at the age of 4 years.

African lion nutrition

The main diet of the lion family is the meat of animals obtained by hunting. Males go hunting extremely rarely, only in case of severe hunger. Lionesses are very experienced and silent hunters; they rarely go hunting alone, which also distinguishes them from other wild cats. During a hunt, lionesses eat small prey on the spot, and bring large prey to the family, where it is divided among all members. Until the hunted carcass is completely destroyed, lionesses do not go hunting, even if the prey walks around their habitat.

Lions attack people extremely rarely; most often these are animals that have already tasted human meat or are very hungry.

Danger to African lions

Lions are in greatest danger from people, this is their main enemy. Representatives of lions also have clashes with their main competitors for food - hyenas, although they are afraid of African cats, but can try to attack on the sly.

Another danger that awaits lions at a watering hole is Nile crocodiles. A crocodile in the water is much stronger than both a lion and a lioness and is able to cope with the animal.

Video about the African lion

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Powerful, strong, stately and fearless - we are talking about the lion - the king of beasts. Having a warlike appearance, strength, the ability to run quickly and always coordinated, thoughtful actions, these animals will never be afraid of anyone. Animals living next to lions are themselves afraid of their menacing gaze, strong body and powerful jaw. No wonder the lion was nicknamed the king of beasts.

The lion has always been the king of animals, even in ancient times this animal was idolized. For the ancient Egyptians, the lion acted as a sentry creature guarding the entrance to the other world. For the ancient Egyptians, the god of fertility Aker was depicted with a lion's mane. In the modern world, many state emblems depict the king of beasts. The coats of arms of Armenia, Belgium, Great Britain, Gambia, Senegal, Finland, Georgia, India, Canada, Congo, Luxembourg, Malawi, Morocco, Swaziland and many others depict the warlike king of beasts. The African lion, according to the International Convention, was included in the Red Book as an endangered species.

This is interesting!
African lions were first tamed by ancient people back in the eighth century BC.

Description of the African lion

Since childhood, we all know what a lion looks like, since a small child can recognize the king of beasts by the mane alone. Therefore, we decided to give a brief description of this powerful beast. The lion is a powerful animal, but is only slightly more than two meters long. For example, it is much longer than a lion, reaching 3.8 meters in length. The usual weight of a male is one hundred eighty kilograms, rarely two hundred.

This is interesting!
Lions living or in natural history zones specially designated for them always weigh more than their counterparts living in the wild. They move little, eat too much, and their manes are always thicker and larger than those of wild lions. In natural history areas, lions are looked after, while wild cats in nature look unkempt, with disheveled manes.

The head and body of lions are dense and powerful. Skin color varies depending on the subspecies. However, the main color for the kings of animals is cream, ocher, or yellow-sand. Asiatic lions are all white and gray in color.

Old lions have coarse hair that covers the head, shoulders and extends down to the lower abdomen. Adults have a black, thick mane or a dark, brown mane. But one of the subspecies of the African lion, the Masai, does not have such a lush mane. The hair does not fall on the shoulders, and there is none on the forehead.

All lions have rounded ears with a yellow spot in the middle. The spotted pattern remains on the skin of young lions until the lionesses give birth to cubs and the males reach sexual maturity. All representatives of lions have a tassel at the tip of their tail. This is where their vertebral section ends.

Habitat

Once upon a time, lions lived in completely different territories than in the modern world. A subspecies of the African lion, the Asiatic, lived mainly in southern Europe, India or inhabited the Middle Eastern lands. The ancient lion lived throughout Africa, but never settled in the Sahara. The American subspecies of lion is therefore called American, as it lived in North American lands. Asiatic lions gradually began to become extinct or exterminated by humans, which is why they were. And African lions remained in small flocks only in the African tropics.

Nowadays, the African lion and its subspecies are found only on two continents - Asian and African. The Asian king of beasts live quietly in Indian Gujarat, where there is a dry, sandy climate, savannah and scrub forests. According to the latest data, all five hundred and twenty-three Asiatic lions have been recorded to date.

There will be more real African lions in the western countries of the African continent. In the country with the best climate for lions, Burkina Faso, there are over a thousand lions. In addition, many of them live in the Congo, there are over eight hundred individuals there.

Wildlife no longer numbers as many lions as there were in the seventies of the last century. To date, they only thirty thousand left, and this is according to unofficial data. African lions have chosen the savannahs of their favorite continent, but even there they cannot be protected from hunters scurrying everywhere in search of easy money.

Hunting and feeding of the African lion

Leos do not like silence and living in silence. They prefer the open spaces of savannas, plenty of water, and settle mainly where their favorite food, artiodactyl mammals, lives. It is not for nothing that they deservedly bear the title of “king of the savannas,” where this animal feels good and free, since he himself understands that he is the ruler. Yes. Male lions do just that, they only dominate, resting most of their lives in the shade of bushes, while the females get food for themselves, him and the cubs.

Lions, just like our men, wait for the queen lioness to catch dinner for him and prepare it herself, presenting it “on a silver platter.” The king of animals must be the first to taste the prey brought to him by the female, and the lioness herself patiently waits for her male to eat and leave leftovers from the “royal table” for her and the lion cubs. Males rarely hunt, unless they do not have a female and they are very, very hungry. Despite this, lions will never give offense to their lionesses and cubs if other people's lions encroach on them.

The lion's main food is artiodactyl animals - llamas, wildebeests, zebras. If lions are very hungry, then they will not disdain even rhinoceroses and hippos if they can defeat them in the water. He also does not skimp on game and small rodents, mice and non-venomous snakes. To survive, a lion needs to eat a day over seven kilograms any meat. If, for example, 4 lions unite, then one successful hunt for all of them will bring the desired result. The problem is that among healthy lions there will be sick ones who are unable to hunt. Then they can even attack a person, since, as you know, for them “hunger is no big deal!”

Lion breeding

Unlike many mammals, lions are pack predators and mate at any time of the year, which is why you can often see an old lioness basking in the sun with cubs of different age categories. Despite the fact that females have nothing to worry about, they can calmly bear lion cubs and even walk side by side with other females; males, on the contrary, can seriously fight for a female, even to the point of their death. It is survival of the fittest, and only the strongest lion has the right to possess the female.

The female carries the cubs for 100-110 days, and mainly three or five cubs are born. Lion cubs live in large crevices or caves, which are located in places that are difficult for humans to reach. Lion cubs are born as thirty-centimeter babies. They have a beautiful, spotted color that persists until puberty, which usually occurs in the sixth year of the animal’s life.

In the wild, lions do not live long, on average 16 years, while in zoos lions can live for thirty years.

African lion species

Today, there are eight varieties of the African lion, which differ in color, mane color, length, weight and many other features. There are subspecies of lions that are very similar to each other, except that there are some details that are known only to scientists who have been studying the life and development of lions from the cat family for many years.

Classification of lions

• Cape Lion. This lion has not been in the wild for a long time. He was killed in 1860. The lion differed from its brothers in that it had a blacker and overly thick mane, and there were black tassels on its ears. Cape lions lived in the southern African region, many of them chose the Cape of Good Hope.
• Atlas lion. He was considered the largest and most powerful lion with a massive build and overly dark skin. Lived in Africa, lived in the Atlas Mountains. The Roman emperors loved to keep these lions as guards. It is a pity that the very last Atlas lion was shot dead by hunters in Morocco at the beginning of the 20th century. It is believed that descendants of this subspecies of lion live today, but scientists still argue about their authenticity.
• Indian lion (Asian). They have a more squat body, their fur is not as splayed, and their mane is more sleek. Such lions weigh two hundred kilograms, females even less - only ninety. In the entire history of the existence of the Asiatic lion, one Indian lion was entered into the Guinness Book of Records, whose body length was 2 meters 92 centimeters. Asiatic lions live in Indian Gujarat, where a special reserve is reserved for them.
• Katangese lion from Angola. They called him that because he lives in the province of Katanga. It has a lighter color than other subspecies. An adult Katangese lion reaches three meters in length, and a lioness - two and a half. This subspecies of the African lion has long been considered endangered, since there are very few of them left to live in the world.
• West African lion from Senegal. It has also been on the verge of complete extinction for a long time. Males have a light mane, rather short. Some males may not have a mane. The physique of predators is not large, and the shape of the muzzle is also slightly different, less powerful than that of an ordinary lion. Lives south of Senegal, in Guinea, mainly in central Africa.
• Masai lion. These animals differ from others in that they have longer limbs, and the mane is not tousled, like that of the Asiatic lion, but “neatly” combed back. Masai lions are very large; males can reach a length of over two meters and ninety centimeters. The height of the withers of both sexes is 100 cm. Weight reaches 150 kilograms and above. The habitat of the Masai lion is southern African countries; they also live in Kenya, in reserves.
• Congolese lion. Very reminiscent of its African counterparts. Only he lives mainly in the Congo. Just like the Asiatic lion, it is an endangered species.
• Transvaal lion. Previously, it was classified as a Kalahari lion, since by all appearances it was reputed to be a very large animal and had the longest and darkest mane. It is interesting that in some subspecies of the Transvaal or South African lion, significant changes were observed for a long time due to the fact that in the body of lions of this subspecies there were no melanocytes, which secrete a special pigment - melanin. They have white fur and pink skin color. In length, adult individuals reach 3.0 meters, and lionesses - 2.5. They live in the Kalahari Desert. Several lions of this species have been housed in the Kruger nature reserve.
• White lions- Scientists believe that these lions are not a subspecies, but a genetic deviation. Animals that suffer from leukemia have light, white fur. There are very few such animals, and they live in captivity, in the eastern reserve of South Africa.

We would also like to mention the “Barbary lions” (Atlas lion), kept in captivity, whose ancestors lived in the wild and were not as large and powerful as the modern “Berberians”. However, in all other respects, these animals are very similar to modern ones, they have the same shapes and parameters as their relatives.

This is interesting!
There are no black lions at all. Such lions would not survive in the wild. Maybe somewhere they saw a black lion (people who traveled along the Okavango River write about this). It seems that they saw black lions there with their own eyes. Scientists believe that such lions are the result of crossing lions of different colors or between relatives. In general, there is still no evidence of the existence of the black lion.

The appearance of the African savanna is often called “park” for the alternation of “lawns” - areas with forbs - and “groves” - small groups of trees with umbrella crowns, picturesquely “scattered” among the lawns. The main inhabitants of African savannas are numerous ungulates.

Herds of antelopes, zebras, gazelles, and buffalos trample and eat grass vegetation, preventing shrubs from settling. It is thanks to them that savannas have their “park” appearance. Ungulates have adapted to the changing seasons in savannas and constantly roam in search of food and water from place to place. Numerous birds live in the swampy lowlands and near lakes - cranes, flamingos, marabou, pigeons, and various waterfowl. The largest bird currently living on Earth is the African ostrich - approx. It cannot fly, but when running it reaches speeds of up to 70 km/h - faster than a passenger train! Many birds, such as South American vultures, feed on carrion and the remains of predators. This is also what hyenas do. However, a pack of hyenas can get their own lunch, even win it from lions or other predators.

One of the most famous insects of the savannah are the huge termite ants. Their cone-shaped tall structures are an integral part of the savannah landscape.

The largest savannah animal is the African elephant. It differs from its Indian relative in the size and shape of its ears. African giant elephant up to four meters tall and weighing up to ten tons. The long and flexible trunk allows the elephant to easily reach the top branches of trees and put them in his mouth. Acting as a pump, the trunk allows the elephant to drink. Elephants spray streams of water on each other and themselves at watering holes. Not only water is used for dousing, but also mud, which, frozen as a crust on the elephant’s body, protects these animals from annoying swarms of insects and the scorching sun.

A herd of elephants can drain a small reservoir, leaving only liquid mud in place of a small lake. Like herds of ungulates, elephants heavily trample the surface of the savannah. The places of their passages can be determined by trampled grasses, broken and eaten shrubs and trees. Elephants live in groups of several individuals, led by a large female elephant. For many decades, elephants were killed for their tusks. Ivory was highly valued in Europe and served as a fashionable material for jewelry.

Giraffe - decoration of the savannah. It is distinguished by a graceful gait and a surprisingly long neck, which no other representative of the animal world can boast of. Tall growth (up to 6 m - approx.) and long legs allow the giraffe to pluck the topmost succulent leaves and branches of acacias - its main food. But drinking from a reservoir with such height is inconvenient: you have to not only bend your neck, but also spread and bend your legs, otherwise he will not reach the water. Interestingly, translated from Latin, the name of the giraffe sounds like “camel-leopard”. That's what the discoverers called it, considering it a cross between the camel, already known to them at that time, for its long neck, and the leopard, for its yellow-black color.

The large cat cheetah is the fastest predator on the planet. It can reach a speed of 110 km per hour. When running, a cheetah relies not on three, but only on two paws - this explains its seemingly flying movements. In the vast expanses of the savannah, the animal is required to be strong or to be fast. Speed ​​is the key to being able to catch up with your prey or stay alive while fleeing. The cheetah is both strong and amazingly fast. Its speed and flexibility allow it to catch up and overcome even stronger, but less agile prey, such as an antelope or zebra. The coloring of the cheetah - yellow-fawn with black spots - allows it to hide in thickets of dense grasses and sneak up on its prey unnoticed.

The lion is the king of animals and reigns in the savannah. Its prey includes ungulates, buffalos, and wild pigs. The lion is not as fast as the cheetah, but is much stronger. Lions live in families - prides: a male, the owner and protector of the pride, several females and their cubs. The male has a luxurious long mane. Females do not have it, and this allows them to be more successful hunters, because the mane prevents them from hiding in open areas and getting close to prey unnoticed.

The kangaroo is a marsupial animal that, except for the savannahs and woodlands of Australia, is found nowhere else in the world. In these places there are generally numerous marsupial animals, but the kangaroo is the largest of them. Marsupials have an important distinguishing feature - the pouch in which the cubs spend their infancy. Inside the bag are the nipples of the mammary glands, so that the babies both rest and feed without leaving the mother - note. Another remarkable ability of the kangaroo is the ability to jump very high. Thanks to their strong hind legs, animals can jump over obstacles and evade pursuit, moving quickly both on flat surfaces and along rocky areas and rocks.