Lion – large, powerfully built cat that is second in size only to the tiger. The lion is a well-muscled cat with a long body, large head, and short legs.
A full-grown male is about 1.8–2.1 m(6–7 feet) long, excluding the 1-metre tail; he stands about 1.2 m high at the shoulder and weighs 170–230 kg (370–500 pounds)
Lions are the only cats that live in groups, which are called prides—though there is one population of solitary lions. Female lions are the pride’s primary hunters and leaders. They often work together to prey upon antelopes, zebras, wildebeest, and other large animals of the open grasslands. Female lions also raise their cubs communally.
Nearly all wild lions live in Africa, below the Sahara Desert.