Even we humans say we “lionize” someone when we want to glorify or immortalize them. In fact, most other wild animals yield to lions because they are the apex predators of their domain and they have very few foes. The lion’s regal bearing exudes confidence and charisma. In fact, in Swahili, the word for lion is “ simba,” which also means king. We’ll go into detail on these throughout this post.Īround the world, the lion is a symbol of royalty. Their powerful hunting skills allow them to thrive as apex predators.Here is a quick list of lion meanings. But lions are flexible hunters, able to take down animals across the size spectrum. The exact prey spectrum depends on habitat and availability. Lions are true carnivores, so they live exclusively on meat. Baby elephants – Vulnerable when separated from the herd.Fish – Lions located near rivers eat fish like catfish and eels.Flamingos – When hunting near waterholes, lions grab these birds by surprise.Lions only attack young, sick or isolated hippos. Antelope – Lions hunt various antelope species, including impala, kudu, gazelles, and duikers.The kick of an adult giraffe can be lethal. Giraffes – Usually young or sick individuals.Warthog – When hunting small prey, warthogs are a frequent target.Buffalo – The Cape buffalo is a huge, aggressive prey animal that lions target.Zebra – Lions hunt young, old or isolated zebras.Wildebeest – A large antelope that often travels in herds.As apex predators, they hunt a wide range of prey across their habitat. Their strength and lethal bite finish the job quickly. Lion hunting requires teamwork, stealth, patience and explosive power to kill prey. Suffocation – Lionesses often use a suffocation technique, laying on the prey’s head and chest to smother it.Strangulation – To make the kill, lions clamp down on the nose, mouth or throat, clamping the windpipe shut so prey asphyxiates.They wrestle large animals to the ground before killing them. Strength – Lions pull down prey using their powerful forelimbs, shoulders, and jaws.They rely on getting close before bursting out in a quick chase. ![]() Short bursts – Lions can reach 50 mph, but only for very short sprints.They stay downwind so prey doesn’t scent them. Patience – Lions stalk prey very patiently, getting as close as possible before attacking.The biggest, strongest lions make the final lunge and kill. Roles – Some lions stalk and chase the prey while others wait in ambush.Pride members work together and coordinate their attack, with each lion having a role. Teamwork – Lions often hunt in prides, which are family groups.Here are some key facts about their hunting methods: This ensures they get the best, safest meal possible. So, in most cases, lions will kill an animal first before settling in to feed. Avoiding those defensive attacks is safer for the lion pride. Avoid injury – Prey animals are most dangerous when cornered and scared.The meat starts going bad soon after death, so killing it just before eating guarantees freshness. Freshness – Lions have a strong taste preference for fresh kills.Killing it first conserves the lions’ strength for eating. Energy efficient – It takes a lot more energy for lions to restrain and eat a live, struggling animal.Dead prey is still and safe for lions to eat. Prey animals make erratic movements when panicked, which could damage the lion’s jaws. Safer – A live animal can still fight back and injure the lions with kicks, horns or teeth.There are a few good reasons why dead prey is better for lions: Yes, lions strongly prefer killing prey before they start eating. It takes less effort than restraining a panicked, thrashing animal. But generally, lions kill prey before feeding. Their diminished hunting abilities make it harder to strangle large, healthy prey. There are some accounts of old, sick lions eating prey alive more often. ![]() Eating into these soft tissues delivers a quicker kill. They usually start feeding on the hindquarters or underbelly. If prey is scarce, weak or slow, lions may start eating it alive. However, lions are opportunistic hunters. Eating the prey alive ensures the meat is as fresh as possible. ![]() They typically begin eating immediately, often starting with the belly and hindquarters. Once the prey is dead, the lions will start feeding. This causes the animal to suffocate and die within a few minutes. The lions grab the animal by the throat or nose and clamp down, choking off the air supply. When lions take down large prey like buffalo, zebra or wildebeest, they usually kill it by strangulation. Lions most often kill their prey before eating it.
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