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Close-Up of an African Lion
Photo: Close-up of an African lion
WALLPAPER

Fiercely protective of his pride, or family unit, male lions patrol a vast territory normally covering about 100 square miles (260 square kilometers).


National Geographic is working to avert the big cats' extinction with the Big Cats Initiative, a comprehensive program that supports innovative projects with quick results for saving big cats, anti-poaching programs, projects that test new technology and more.

Photograph by Chris Johns
African Lion Profile Page

Multimedia

Photo Gallery: Big Cats

African Lion Printable Factsheet

Video: Lives of Lions

Lion Features
Image: Lion Map

Lion Population Decline Map

Loss of habitat, prey decline, pesticides, even canine distemper and tuberculosis have caused lion numbers to quickly decline. This interactive map shows the dramatic decrease in lion population and specific moments that were particularly deadly.

See the Map
Photo: A lion walking through grasses

Big Cats Initiative

The National Geographic Society has launched the Big Cats Initiative, a comprehensive program that supports on-the-ground conservation projects, education, and economic incentive efforts all to halt the rapid population decline of lions, cheetahs, leopards, jaguars, and other top felines.

Learn More
Photo: Silhouette of a jaguar

Big Cats Quiz

How much do you know about lions, tigers, jaguars, and other wild felines? Take the Big Cats challenge and find out!

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Photo: African lion

Kids: Lion Creature Feature

Get fun facts on African lions, plus video, audio, photos, and more at National Geographic's Kids site.

Explore Kids
Photo: Lion

Lion Lessons

The king of cats rules with a roar and a fierce bite. What else do you know about this top predator? Take this quiz and find out!

Start the Quiz
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