{"id":358,"date":"2015-02-02T12:46:22","date_gmt":"2015-02-02T12:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/avada.theme-fusion.com_demos\/travel\/?post_type=avada_portfolio&#038;p=358"},"modified":"2018-01-19T16:53:49","modified_gmt":"2018-01-19T15:53:49","slug":"lion","status":"publish","type":"avada_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wildlife\/lion\/","title":{"rendered":"African Lion"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p><span class=\"fusion-dropcap dropcap\" style=\"color:#055A1C;\">T<\/span>he lion (Panthera leo) is one of the five large cats in the genus Panthera. Some males reach weights over 250 kilogrammes making it the second largest cat in the world after the tiger. Lions are unique among cats in many ways; it is the only cat with a tail tuft, they have an obvious sexual dimorphism (the males are easily distinguished from the females), it is the only cat that grows a mane (males only) and it is the only cat species with a truly social lifestyle, living in groups called prides.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-tabs fusion-tabs-1 clean horizontal-tabs icon-position-left\"><style type=\"text\/css\">#wrapper .fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1.clean .nav-tabs li a.tab-link{border-color:#cccccc;}.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .nav-tabs li a.tab-link{background-color:#f0f0ed;}.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .nav-tabs li.active a.tab-link,.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .nav-tabs li.active a.tab-link:hover,.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .nav-tabs li.active a.tab-link:focus{background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.4);}.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .nav-tabs li a:hover{background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.4);border-top-color:rgba(255,255,255,.4);}.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .tab-pane{background-color:rgba(255,255,255,.4);}.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .nav,.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .nav-tabs,.fusion-tabs.fusion-tabs-1 .tab-content .tab-pane{border-color:#cccccc;}<\/style><div class=\"nav\"><ul class=\"nav-tabs nav-justified\" role=\"tablist\"><li class=\"active\"><a class=\"tab-link\" data-toggle=\"tab\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"tab-d01c341ba0db371f583\" aria-selected=\"true\" id=\"fusion-tab-iucnstatus:vulnerable\" href=\"#tab-d01c341ba0db371f583\"><h4 class=\"fusion-tab-heading\"><i class=\"fontawesome-icon fa fa-plus-circle\" aria-hidden=\"true\" style=\"font-size:13px;\"><\/i>IUCN STATUS: VULNERABLE<\/h4><\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"tab-link\" data-toggle=\"tab\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"tab-6d555ec91648d6493d3\" aria-selected=\"false\" tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"fusion-tab-serengetilionproject\" href=\"#tab-6d555ec91648d6493d3\"><h4 class=\"fusion-tab-heading\"><i class=\"fontawesome-icon fa fa-plus-circle\" aria-hidden=\"true\" style=\"font-size:13px;\"><\/i>Serengeti Lion Project<\/h4><\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"tab-link\" data-toggle=\"tab\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"tab-17e2c152f3eaa8b2429\" aria-selected=\"false\" tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"fusion-tab-snapshotserengeti\" href=\"#tab-17e2c152f3eaa8b2429\"><h4 class=\"fusion-tab-heading\"><i class=\"fontawesome-icon fa fa-plus-circle\" aria-hidden=\"true\" style=\"font-size:13px;\"><\/i>Snapshot Serengeti<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"tab-content\"><div class=\"nav fusion-mobile-tab-nav\"><ul class=\"nav-tabs nav-justified\"><li class=\"active\"><a class=\"tab-link\" data-toggle=\"tab\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"tab-d01c341ba0db371f583\" aria-selected=\"true\" id=\"mobile-fusion-tab-iucnstatus:vulnerable\" href=\"#tab-d01c341ba0db371f583\"><h4 class=\"fusion-tab-heading\"><i class=\"fontawesome-icon fa fa-plus-circle\" aria-hidden=\"true\" style=\"font-size:13px;\"><\/i>IUCN STATUS: VULNERABLE<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"tab-pane fade fusion-clearfix in active\" role=\"tabpanel\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-labelledby=\"fusion-tab-iucnstatus:vulnerable\" id=\"tab-d01c341ba0db371f583\">\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.iucnredlist.org\/details\/15951\/0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img class=\"wp-image-1213 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/IUCN_Red_List.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"176\" height=\"164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/IUCN_Red_List-200x186.png 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/IUCN_Red_List-300x279.png 300w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/IUCN_Red_List.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px\" \/><\/a>The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.iucnredlist.org\/details\/15951\/0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Get all IUCN data on the African Lion (Panthera leo)<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"nav fusion-mobile-tab-nav\"><ul class=\"nav-tabs nav-justified\"><li><a class=\"tab-link\" data-toggle=\"tab\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"tab-6d555ec91648d6493d3\" aria-selected=\"false\" tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"mobile-fusion-tab-serengetilionproject\" href=\"#tab-6d555ec91648d6493d3\"><h4 class=\"fusion-tab-heading\"><i class=\"fontawesome-icon fa fa-plus-circle\" aria-hidden=\"true\" style=\"font-size:13px;\"><\/i>Serengeti Lion Project<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"tab-pane fade fusion-clearfix\" role=\"tabpanel\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-labelledby=\"fusion-tab-serengetilionproject\" id=\"tab-6d555ec91648d6493d3\">\n<p><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-1284 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/lion_research.jpg\" alt=\"Lion cubs in Serengeti. (Daniel Rosengren)\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/lion_research-66x66.jpg 66w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/lion_research-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/lion_research.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For decades, the team of the Lion Center at the University of Minnesota has conducted comprehensive research on lion behavior and human-lion interaction. Their findings have shaped the way we understand lions.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cbs.umn.edu\/research\/labs\/lionresearch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Get in touch with the researchers via their official website<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"nav fusion-mobile-tab-nav\"><ul class=\"nav-tabs nav-justified\"><li><a class=\"tab-link\" data-toggle=\"tab\" role=\"tab\" aria-controls=\"tab-17e2c152f3eaa8b2429\" aria-selected=\"false\" tabindex=\"-1\" id=\"mobile-fusion-tab-snapshotserengeti\" href=\"#tab-17e2c152f3eaa8b2429\"><h4 class=\"fusion-tab-heading\"><i class=\"fontawesome-icon fa fa-plus-circle\" aria-hidden=\"true\" style=\"font-size:13px;\"><\/i>Snapshot Serengeti<\/h4><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"tab-pane fade fusion-clearfix\" role=\"tabpanel\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-labelledby=\"fusion-tab-snapshotserengeti\" id=\"tab-17e2c152f3eaa8b2429\">\n<p><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-1295 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/lion_trap.jpg\" alt=\"Lion hugging camera trap (Photo by Daniel Rosengren)\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/lion_trap-66x66.jpg 66w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/lion_trap-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/lion_trap.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Snapshot Serengeti&#8221; is a camera trapping survey operated by the lSerengeti Lion Project. A grid of 225 camera traps is placed in Serengeti to collect information. With photographs from these cameras, the team is able to study how over 30 species are distributed across the landscape \u2013 and how they interact with lions and one another.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snapshotserengeti.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Visit Snapshot Serengeti<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>Historically lions were distributed all over Africa (except the Sahara Desert and Congo basin) as well as in south-eastern Europe and the Middle-East to the Indian subcontinent. Today, except for a small population in the Gir Forest in western India, lions are confined to sub-Saharan Africa. Since the early 1990s, the lion population has decreased by roughly 43% and most of that was in the non-protected areas. The lion species is listed by IUCN as vulnerable and the West-African sub-species as critically endangered. Habitat loss and human conflicts are the main threats to the lion population. About 20,000 lions are estimated to remain today.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>The Serengeti ecosystem is home to about 2,500 lions and therefore one of only a handful protected areas in Africa, with a healthy lion population, with an area that is large enough to sustain them on a long-term basis.<\/p>\n<\/div><style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-1 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><h2 class=\"title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\">Lion prides without a leader<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-4\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>Lions are famously associated with the open savannas, but do also inhabit denser bush and woodlands.<\/p>\n<p>A lion pride consists of related females and their offspring. Typically, in Serengeti, a lion pride has between 2 to 8 adult females plus their dependent offspring. They can also live solitary lives. The lions in a pride have an egalitarian system with no leader. Lions are territorial and the territory size depends on the quality of their area. Large prides can defend the best territories. In the Serengeti, the woodlands with rivers are the best areas, offering a year-round access to water, prey and shade. A small pride on the open plains need four to five times as large territory as a large pride in prime habitat.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-5\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>Lions give birth to up to four cubs who are weaned at about 6 to 8 months of age. Cubs can be born any time of the year but are usually synchronized within a pride so that they can raise same age cubs together. Females in a pride cooperate in raising and nursing each other\u2019s cubs. Young lions reach independence at about two years of age and sexual maturity at about 2.5 to 3 years of age. Female lions live about 14 to 16 years while males normally reach about 10 to 12 years of age. Old females reach menopause which makes lions one of the few animal species, except for humans, where this is known to occur.<\/p>\n<\/div><style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-2 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><h2 class=\"title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\">Lions are hunters and scavengers<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-6\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>A large variety of prey is on a lion\u2019s menu, basically anything they can catch and often scavenge food from other predators. They are specialized to hunt large to very large prey, typically zebra, wildebeest and buffaloes. Occasionally they even take giraffes and hippos and very rarely even elephants. Smaller prey like warthogs and gazelles seasonally make up a large part of their diet. Lions often hunt in groups as well as alone.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-7\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>The males are not pride members but form their own coalitions of up to 4 members who are often but not always related. Unlike in a female pride, usually there is a slight hierarchy among the males in a coalition. Male territories are larger than the female ones and may include two or three female pride territories. Thus, males often associate with more than one pride of females and father young with them. It is often thought that male lions never hunt. It is true that females hunt more often, but males do hunt. With their much larger body mass, they are better suited to bring down big prey like buffaloes.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 hundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.fusion-gallery-1 .fusion-gallery-image {border:0px solid #e2e2e2;}<\/style><div class=\"fusion-gallery fusion-gallery-container fusion-grid-4 fusion-columns-total-8 fusion-gallery-layout-grid fusion-gallery-1\" style=\"margin:0px;\"><div style=\"padding:0px;\" class=\"fusion-grid-column fusion-gallery-column fusion-gallery-column-4 hover-type-none\"><div class=\"fusion-gallery-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-8.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"\" title=\"Young male lion \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" aria-label=\"Young male lion \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-1640\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-8-200x125.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-8-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-8-600x375.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-8-800x500.jpg 800w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-8-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-8.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 2200px) 100vw, (min-width: 915px) 206px, (min-width: 824px) 275px, (min-width: 732px) 413px, (min-width: 640px) 732px, \" \/><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding:0px;\" class=\"fusion-grid-column fusion-gallery-column fusion-gallery-column-4 hover-type-none\"><div class=\"fusion-gallery-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-6.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"\" title=\"Lion cub \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" aria-label=\"Lion cub \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-1639\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-6-200x125.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-6-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-6-600x375.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-6-800x500.jpg 800w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-6-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-6.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 2200px) 100vw, (min-width: 915px) 206px, (min-width: 824px) 275px, (min-width: 732px) 413px, (min-width: 640px) 732px, \" \/><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding:0px;\" class=\"fusion-grid-column fusion-gallery-column fusion-gallery-column-4 hover-type-none\"><div class=\"fusion-gallery-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-5.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"\" title=\"A lioness stretching \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" aria-label=\"A lioness stretching \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-1638\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-5-200x125.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-5-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-5-600x375.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-5-800x500.jpg 800w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-5-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-5.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 2200px) 100vw, (min-width: 915px) 206px, (min-width: 824px) 275px, (min-width: 732px) 413px, (min-width: 640px) 732px, \" \/><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding:0px;\" class=\"fusion-grid-column fusion-gallery-column fusion-gallery-column-4 hover-type-none\"><div class=\"fusion-gallery-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-4.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"\" title=\"Male lion \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" aria-label=\"Male lion \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-1637\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-4-200x125.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-4-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-4-600x375.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-4-800x500.jpg 800w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-4-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-4.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 2200px) 100vw, (min-width: 915px) 206px, (min-width: 824px) 275px, (min-width: 732px) 413px, (min-width: 640px) 732px, \" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><div style=\"padding:0px;\" class=\"fusion-grid-column fusion-gallery-column fusion-gallery-column-4 hover-type-none\"><div class=\"fusion-gallery-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-3.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"\" title=\"Lion cubs playing. \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" aria-label=\"Lion cubs playing. \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-1636\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-3-200x125.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-3-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-3-600x375.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-3-800x500.jpg 800w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-3-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-3.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 2200px) 100vw, (min-width: 915px) 206px, (min-width: 824px) 275px, (min-width: 732px) 413px, (min-width: 640px) 732px, \" \/><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding:0px;\" class=\"fusion-grid-column fusion-gallery-column fusion-gallery-column-4 hover-type-none\"><div class=\"fusion-gallery-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-2.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"\" title=\"Lions \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" aria-label=\"Lions \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-1635\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-2-200x125.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-2-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-2-600x375.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-2-800x500.jpg 800w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-2-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-2.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 2200px) 100vw, (min-width: 915px) 206px, (min-width: 824px) 275px, (min-width: 732px) 413px, (min-width: 640px) 732px, \" \/><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding:0px;\" class=\"fusion-grid-column fusion-gallery-column fusion-gallery-column-4 hover-type-none\"><div class=\"fusion-gallery-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-1.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"\" title=\"Lion \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" aria-label=\"Lion \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-1634\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-1-200x125.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-1-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-1-600x375.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-1-800x500.jpg 800w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-1-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-1.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 2200px) 100vw, (min-width: 915px) 206px, (min-width: 824px) 275px, (min-width: 732px) 413px, (min-width: 640px) 732px, \" \/><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding:0px;\" class=\"fusion-grid-column fusion-gallery-column fusion-gallery-column-4 hover-type-none\"><div class=\"fusion-gallery-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-7.jpg\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1000\" alt=\"\" title=\"Lions \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" aria-label=\"Lions \u00a9 Daniel Rosengren\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-1641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-7-200x125.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-7-400x250.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-7-600x375.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-7-800x500.jpg 800w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-7-1200x750.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Lion-7.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 2200px) 100vw, (min-width: 915px) 206px, (min-width: 824px) 275px, (min-width: 732px) 413px, (min-width: 640px) 732px, \" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-3 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"background-color: rgba(255,255,255,0);background-position: center center;background-repeat: no-repeat;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;margin-bottom: 0px;margin-top: 0px;border-width: 0px 0px 0px 0px;border-color:#eae9e9;border-style:solid;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:20px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\" style=\"background-position:left top;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-size:cover;-moz-background-size:cover;-o-background-size:cover;background-size:cover;padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;\"><style type=\"text\/css\"><\/style><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-3 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\" style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;\"><h2 class=\"title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\">The Serengeti Lion Project<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-8\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>The Serengeti Lion Project has been studying lion ecology since 1966. It is the first study of lions in the wild and the second longest running research project of any wild animal in the world. Initially, some very basic questions about lions were answered, e.g. what they eat, how they hunt and what the pride composition looks like. Over the decades, the project has learnt a lot more about lions, like the fact that males with darker manes are better at defending their cubs and therefore preferred by females. It was also this project that discovered that lion males are infanticidal after having taking over a territory form other males, killing their cubs so that the females will go into oestrus and have cubs with them instead. Lions roar to advertise their territory to rival lions as well as to let their pride member know where they are. They can recognize each other by the voices while roaring. Lions can even count the number of lions in a roaring pride, compare with the number of lions in their own pride and make the calculation whether they should attack or retreat.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-9\" style=\"transform:translate3d(0,0,0);\"><p>On a daily basis, demographic data is collected of their movements, hunting success, reproduction and survival. The study area, usually containing around 26 prides, is about 2,000 square kilometres covering the short grass plains, the long grass plains as wells as the woodlands in the central and eastern parts of the national park. The lions are individually recognized using their unique patterns of whisker spots. A camera trapping grid with about 200 cameras has been set up in the study area catching a tremendous amount of data, not only of the lions, but also of their prey and competitors.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-testimonials clean fusion-testimonials-1\" data-random=\"0\" data-speed=\"4000\"><style type=\"text\/css\">#fusion-testimonials-1 a{border-color:#607d8b;}#fusion-testimonials-1 a:hover, #fusion-testimonials-1 .activeSlide{background-color: #607d8b;}.fusion-testimonials.clean.fusion-testimonials-1 .author:after{border-top-color:rgba(255,255,255,0) !important;}<\/style><div class=\"reviews\"><div class=\"review avatar-image\"><div class=\"testimonial-thumbnail\"><img class=\"testimonial-image\" src=\"http:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/daniel_quote.jpg\" style=\"-webkit-border-radius:6px;-moz-border-radius:6px;border-radius:6px;\" \/><\/div><blockquote style=\"margin: -25px;\"><q style=\"background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);color:#607d8b;\" class=\"fusion-clearfix\">\n<p><span class=\"bx-messenger-content-item-content\"><span class=\"bx-messenger-content-item-text-center\"><span class=\"bx-messenger-content-item-text-message\"><span class=\"bx-messenger-content-item-text-wrap\"><span id=\"im-message-150746\" class=\"bx-messenger-message \">The Serengeti Ecosystem is one of only a handful places on earth with a large enough protected area and a large enough lion population to safeguard them on a long-term basis. The income from tourism in the Serengeti National Park not only funds itself, it also keeps many other national parks in Tanzania funded. With the lions being one of the top attractions in Serengeti it is a very important species for all conservation in the country. Lions need the Serengeti and the Serengeti as well as other national parks need the Serengeti lions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/q><\/blockquote><div class=\"author\" style=\"color:#607d8b;\"><span class=\"company-name\"><strong>Daniel Rosengren<\/strong>, <a href=\"http:\/\/danielrosengren.se\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span>Serengeti Lion Project, Frankfurt Zoological Society, Freelance Photographer<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"testimonial-pagination\" id=\"fusion-testimonials-1\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-flip-boxes flip-boxes row fusion-columns-1 flip-effect-classic\"><div class=\"fusion-flip-box-wrapper fusion-column col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12\"><div class=\"fusion-flip-box flip-right\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"flip-box-inner-wrapper\"><div class=\"flip-box-front\" style=\"background-color:#f6f6f6;border-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);border-radius:4px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;color:#747474;transition-duration:0.8s;\"><div class=\"flip-box-front-inner\"><h2 class=\"flip-box-heading\" style=\"color:#333333;\">#Question<\/h2>How do researchers distinguish individual lions?<\/div><\/div><div class=\"flip-box-back\" style=\"background-color:#a0ce4e;border-color:rgba(255,255,255,0);border-radius:4px;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;color:#595959;transition-duration:0.8s;\"><div class=\"flip-box-back-inner\">\n<div id=\"attachment_1297\" style=\"width: 730px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1297\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1297\" src=\"http:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Picture1.jpg\" alt=\"Lion ID card showing placement of whisker spots (Daniel Rosengren)\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Picture1-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Picture1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Picture1-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Picture1-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Picture1.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1297\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Daniel Rosengren<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"bx-messenger-history-type bx-messenger-history-type-message\"><span id=\"im-message-history-85942\" class=\"bx-messenger-history-item-text \">There is one thing that stays the same throughout the life of a lion, comparable to the fingerprint of humans. It is the whisker spots. Every lion has four more or less straight rows of whisker spots on each side of its muzzle. Above the top row, there are usually a few irregularly placed spots. The placement of these, in relation to the top row, and their pattern are perfect for identification, and, it stays the same throughout their life, from when they are little toddlers until they die. The left side is also different from the right one. But of course, you need to get pretty close to the lions to be able to see these tiny spots.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":845,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"portfolio_category":[53],"portfolio_skills":[],"portfolio_tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/avada_portfolio\/358"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/avada_portfolio"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/avada_portfolio"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=358"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/avada_portfolio\/358\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1282,"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/avada_portfolio\/358\/revisions\/1282"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"portfolio_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio_category?post=358"},{"taxonomy":"portfolio_skills","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio_skills?post=358"},{"taxonomy":"portfolio_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.serengeti.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio_tags?post=358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}