Lions vary in colour from light buff to yellowish, reddish or brown making them unmistakable compared with the other large cats in Africa. Lions live in groups called prides consisting of females, usually belonging to the same family, and between 1 and 4 males who defend the territory.

Most of the hunting is done by the smaller more agile females who will work together to hunt anything from small antelope up to buffalo and even giraffe; in Savuti in Botswana they have learnt to hunt young elephant. The males will often get involved to help tackle the dangerous animals. Males have a large mane of hair which can be beige or black depending on the individual and the area they live in.

Found in isolated parks throughout Southern Africa extending through Zambia and Malawi into Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Ethiopia and Uganda with pockets of prides found across Africa just south of the Sahara Desert.