Deux femelles couchées, avec un lionceau.

Mammifère

The African lion

Panthera leo

Symbolised as the King of beasts since ancient times, the lion, Panthera leo, is a mammal from the Felidae family. Contrary to popular belief, the lion is actually the second largest cat, after the tiger, but the largest carnivore in the African continent.

Distinctive features

The lion is the largest carnivorous mammal in Africa.

It has considerable strength and its roar can be heard several kilometres away!

Atlas lions are mostly descendants of the lions in the Royal Menagerie in Rabat, Morocco, which are thought to have been hybridised with lions from sub-Saharan Africa. Also known as Barbary lions, these were lions captured by the Romans in ancient times to fight gladiators in amphitheatres. The mane of Atlas lions is often more voluminous than that of other African subspecies.

The lion: an endangered species

The African lion population has fallen from 100,000 to 30,000 individuals in 50 years. Its main threat is man, due to competition for territory with livestock, habitat degradation, trophy hunting, local rituals, disease and poaching for Asian medicines. The main conservation measures are the creation of reserves, a ban on hunting, financial compensation for farmers who have fallen victim to lions, and the protection of villages by plant fences.

The Museum's action to protect the atlas lion

The Parc zoologique de Paris is committed to protecting this species by raising public awareness.

The lion clans

Get to know the lions

The lion clan at the Parc zoologique de Paris is made up of three individuals: a lioness born in the United Kingdom, a young male named Kibo, born at the Parc zoologique de Paris and an adult male named Volcan, the only one in the group to wear a mane.