The lion (Panthera leo) is a large cat of the genus Panthera, native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. It is a social species, forming groups called prides.

A lion's pride consists of a few adult males, related females, and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. The lion is an apex and keystone predator; although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans, lions typically do not actively seek out and prey on humans.

The lion inhabits grasslands, savannahs, and shrublands. It is usually more diurnal than other wild cats, but when persecuted, it adapts to being active at night and at twilight.

During the Neolithic period, the lion ranged throughout Africa and Eurasia, from Southeast Europe to India, but it has been reduced to fragmented populations in sub-Saharan Africa and one population in western India. It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996 because populations in African countries have declined by about 43% since the early 1990s. Lion populations are untenable outside designated protected areas. Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are the greatest causes for concern.

One of the most widely recognized animal symbols in human culture, the lion has been extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in literature and films. Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoological gardens across the world since the late 18th century. Cultural depictions of lions were prominent in Ancient Egypt, and depictions have occurred in virtually all ancient and medieval cultures in the lion's historic and current range.

The lion is one of the most widely recognized animal symbols in human culture. It has been extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature.

It is considered to be the monarch of the beasts; symbolizing power, royalty and protection. Several leaders have had "lion" in their name including Sundiata Keita of the Mali Empire, who was called "Lion of Mali", and Richard the Lionheart of England.

The male's mane makes it a particularly recognizable feature and thus has been represented more than the female. Nevertheless, the lioness has also had importance as a guardian.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the lion has been a common character in stories, proverbs and dances, but rarely featured in visual arts.

In the Swahili language, the lion is known as simba which also means "aggressive", "king" and "strong".

In parts of West and East Africa, the lion is associated with healing and provides the connection between seers and the supernatural.

In other East African traditions, the lion represents laziness.

In much of African folklore, the lion is portrayed as having low intelligence and is easily tricked by other animals.

In Nubia, the lion-god Apedemak was associated with the flooding of the Nile.

In Ancient Egypt, lions were linked both with the sun and the waters of the Nile. Several gods were conceived as being partially lion including the war deities Sekhmet and Maahes, and Tefnut the goddess of moisture. Shu, god of the air, was depicted kneeing between two lions while holding a headrest. The lions mark where the sun rises and sets and symbolize yesterday and tomorrow.

The Sphinx is sometimes depicted with the head of a lion.

The lion was a prominent symbol in ancient Mesopotamia from Sumer up to Assyrian and Babylonian times, where it was strongly associated with kingship.

The big cat was a symbol and steed of fertility goddess Inanna.

Lions decorate the Processional Way leading to the Ishtar Gate in Babylon which was built by Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th century BCE. The Lion of Babylon symbolized the power of the king and protection of the land against enemies, but was also invoked for good luck.

The constellation Leo the lion was first recognized by the Sumerians around 4,000 years ago and is considered to be the fifth sign of the zodiac.

In ancient Israel, a lion represented the tribe of Judah.

Lions are frequently mentioned in the Bible, notably in the Book of Daniel, in which the eponymous hero refuses to worship King Darius and is forced to sleep in the lions' den where he is miraculously unharmed.

Indo-Persian chroniclers regarded the lion as keeper of order in the realm of animals.

The symbols for Zoroaster (Zarathustra) are the Lion, the Flame, Wings, and the Circle.

The Sanskrit word mrigendra signifies a lion as king of animals in general or deer in particular.

In India, the Lion Capital of Ashoka, erected by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century CE, depicts four lions standing back to back. In Hindu mythology, the half-lion Narasimha, an avatar of the deity Vishnu, battles and slays the evil ruler Hiranyakashipu.

In Buddhist art, lions are associated with both arhats and bodhisattvas and may be ridden by the Manjushri. Though they were never native to the country, lions have played important roles in Chinese culture. Statues of the beast have guarded the entrances to the imperial palace and many religious shrines. The lion dance has been performed in China and beyond for over a thousand years.

In ancient Greece, the lion is featured in several of Aesop's fables, notably "The Lion and the Mouse".

In Greek mythology, the Nemean lion is slain by the hero Heracles who wears its skin.

Lancelot and Gawain were also heroes slaying lions in medieval Europe. In some medieval stories, lions were portrayed as allies and companions.

Lions continue to appear in modern literature such as the Cowardly Lion in L. Frank Baum's 1900 "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", and in C. S. Lewis's "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".

The lion's role as king of the beasts has been used in the 1994 Disney animated feature film, "The Lion King".

The white lion is a rare color mutation of the lion, specifically the Southern African lion. White lions in the area of Timbavati are thought to have been indigenous to the Timbavati region of South Africa for centuries, although the earliest recorded sighting in this region was in 1938. White lions first became known to the English-speaking world in 1977 through the book The White Lions of Timbavati.

White lions are not albinos. Their white color is called leucism, and is caused by an allele that is found at the same genetics as the allele that causes albinism. It is thought, but not proven, that the allele is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion.

They vary from blonde to near-white. This coloration does not appear to pose a disadvantage to their survival.

White lions were considered to have been technically extinct in the wild between 1992 and 2004, when the Global White Lion Protection Trust achieved the first successful reintroduction of white lions to their natural habitat. These prides have continued to hunt and breed successfully in the wild, whilst other occurrences of white lion births have been reported in the greater Kruger region since then. Continue reading

The lion hugger   BBC - March 26, 2015
In 2012 Valentin Gruener rescued a young lion cub and raised it himself at a wildlife park in Botswana. It was the start of an extraordinary relationship. Now an astonishing scene is repeated each time they meet - the young lion leaps on Gruener and holds him in an affectionate embrace. "Since the lion arrived, which is three years now, I haven't really left the camp," says Gruener.

"Sometimes for one night I go into the town here to organize something for the business, but other than that I've been here with the lion." The lion he has devoted himself to is Sirga - a female cub he rescued from a holding pen established by a farmer who was fed up with shooting animals that preyed on his cattle. "The lions had killed the other two or three cubs inside the cage, and the mother abandoned the remaining cub. She was very tiny, maybe 10 days old," Gruener says. "I don't believe we have to teach the lion to hunt. They have this instinct like a domestic cat or even a dog that will try to hunt. Any cat will catch a bird or a mouse. The lion will catch an antelope when it gets big enough," Gruener says.

Modern lions' origin revealed by genetic analysis   BBC - April 2, 2014
The origin and history of modern lions have been revealed by scientists. A genetic analysis of living lions and museum specimens confirms modern lions' most recent common ancestor lived around 124,000 years ago. Modern lions evolved into two groups; one lives in Eastern and Southern Africa, the other includes lions in Central and West Africa, and in India. This second group is now endangered, meaning half the genetic diversity of modern lions is at risk of extinction.