World Lion Day

 Today is World Lion Day!

In honor of this day, here's some lion facts courtesy of MSN.

1. Baby Lions have spots.

When lions are young, their fur has little spots on it. These disappear as the cubs grow up.

2. Lion manes have a purpose.

Male lions' manes look cool, but there's also a point to them. Much like glam rockers in the 80s, male lions use their manes to attract mates. However, the manes also help provide some protection for their heads and necks.

3. Lions are pretty fast.

While they're no cheetahs, lions are no slouch when it comes to speed. they can run at speeds up to 50 miles per hour for brief periods to catch prey.

4. Lions are LOUD.

Lions do not do things small. That includes roaring. A lion's roar can be heard up to five miles away, thanks to it reach the ear-splitting height of 114 decibels. This is handy as a lion's roar has a variety of purposes, including intimidating away others from its territory.

5. Lions are great leapers.

When we think of animals that can leap, for many of us, frogs and kangaroos come to mind. Which is understandable. After all, leaping is their thing. But lions can leap pretty far, too. A healthy lion can leap as far as 36 feet. A lion would be handy to have on the long jump. 

6. Lions love sleep.

Like many other cats, lions love to sleep. Sleep is their passion. In fact, they can sleep for up to 20 hours a day. 

7. Lions are big.

Lions are pretty big animals. On average, a male lion weighs over 410 pounds. The more active female lions can weight only almost 280 pounds on average. But then again, the female lions are significantly more active. 

8. Lions are big eaters.

As I said before, lions do nothing small. They are big, their roars are big and loud, and so are their meals. A lion can eat up to nearly 90 pounds of food per meal. Maybe that's why male lions are so big? 

9. Lions are nocturnal hunters.

Lions may sleep most of the day, but the remaining four hours of the night? It's hunting time. Yup, night is when the lion goes to get some food.

10. Lions are endangered.

Like the tiger, the lion is a very endangered species. It has lost almost all of its historical range, and it's believed there are only about 23,000 lions left in the world. Yeah, like the tiger, it's in big trouble, population-wise.

So, yeah. Ten facts about the lion. They are fascinating, beautiful creatures. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!