The lion is certainly the most famous big cat on the savannah. Their lifestyle is rather different to that of other African big cats as lions prefer to live in large family groups to protect themselves from threats.
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As a general rule, male lions do not hunt much because the females are much more skilled and more agile. When lion cubs are born, they live peacefully within their pride until they are old enough to fight the dominant male of the pride. There can be up to four males in a pride, known as a coalition. Male lions therefore often leave their birth pride when they reach maturity, and may either become nomad or attempt to take the place of a male lion in another pride, whilst female lions generally remain with their birth pride.
For many years lions have been threatened by the destruction of their habitat and by illegal poaching. Lions have already been practically wiped out from Asia—Asiatic lions are listed as 'endangered' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, whilst other lions are categorised as 'vulnerable.'
