Lions possess a tawny covered body, and are the only cats to have tufted tails. The underparts of the body are lighter in colour and the back is usually darker. The male lion has a large mane, while the female has no mane at all. The African lion¿s mane is very thick and usually covers the ears (unlike Asian lions). The heavy mane emphasises the lion¿s powerful size and shows off its good state of health to opposing males without the wasted energy of supporting increased body size. Manes vary in colour from blonde to ginger to black.

Weight

Male 180-200 kilograms.

Female 115-135 kilograms.

Height

1.2 metres (four feet) to the shoulder.

Length

1.5-3.3 metres (5-11 feet).

Tail

60-90 centimetres (2-3 feet).

Life Span

The lion¿s life span is 15-30 years. Males in the wild live for around 12-16 years, while females generally live for 15-16 years. Less than a quarter of the lions born in the wild survive their first year. Lions in captivity can survive up to 30 years of age.

Head

The lion¿s tongue has backward facing projections which assist in picking up meat, licking scraps from bones and grooming the fur. Its ears are short and rounded; only the lynx among larger cats has long, pointed ears. Lions also, like other cats, can see at night just as humans see during the daytime. This is due to the fact that their retinas are lined by a tissue called ¿¿tapetum lucidum¿¿ that reflects back the light passing the rods of the retina. Its powerful jaws are capable of carrying twice the lion¿s own weight.

Teeth

The lion¿s incisors act as daggers while the premolars and molars shear like scissors.

Body

The female lion has six mammary glands. The lion¿s tail has a tuft of long hairs at the ends and it is swished when hunting or excited.

Front Limb

The are five digits on the lion¿s front limb, each with retractable claws. The first digit is very small and lions walk on the other four digits. Elastic, cushioned pads sit on the under surface of the digits and these are tough and granulated for slip protection. The ¿elbow¿ and ¿knee¿ joint is close to the body, while the ¿wrist¿ and ¿ankle¿ is the obvious joint in the middle of the leg.

Hind Limb

The hind leg is arranged so that the heel is held off the ground. This helps shift the centre of gravity forwards and increases the length of the leg. Both actions help to increase the speed and agility of the lion. The foot has four digits, the first digit is absent.