Amazing and Interesting Facts about the majestic Lion

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Lions come in many colors and variations. You can see them in  tawny/light brown/, dark brown, gold, yellows, orange, reddish, grey, and many different variations of White Lions.

Lions have been proven to be the smartest big cat https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lions-are-the-brainiest-of-the-big-cats/

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Lions have longer muzzles than the other big cats, other big cats have shorter muzzles.

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Lions noses are shaped like hearts.Lions also have a star/diamond like shape usually on their foreheads, they can also have speckles and dots on their forehead.

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Lionesses are factually the cleanest mammal on earth, Lions spend a lot of time grooming, this also helps them with hunting.

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Lionesses have very fluffy chests unlike manes. Lions have a white underbelly, where as Lionesses underbellies are usually a brighter white. Lionesses have usually brighter colors like gold or orange while male Lions usually have darker shades of gold or brown or orange, ect. White Lionesses usually are long haired having very fluffy pelts.

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White Lions are said to be the heart and soul of Africa, and if White Lions went extinct, Africas soul would die. White Lions are often worshipped in Africa. White Lions where said to have come from a ball of light in the sky by Africans.

This also makes white lions greatly sought after on the black market, many are illegally killed, and this is allowed in Africa as money is thought to be more important. Sadly, lions are also thought to be evil beasts to locals, and showed this way in stories. 

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Did you know white tigers are fake? if it wasn't for humans, white tigers wouldn't be real. they are man made and because of that, are very unhealthy animals. many are born with diseases and mutations because being man made. Unlike white tigers, White Lions are real. White Lions are born in the wild, and can survive in the wild. you will never see a white tiger in the wild, because all white tigers where bred and created in zoos after a mutation, they arnt real and are not natural in zoos unlike White Lions. White Lions can hunt and survive just as well as any other color of Lion. This is why people encourage to NOT encourage white tigers, because the more they are encouraged the more fake white tigers are made, these unhealthy big cats are only found in zoos where they will stay as they have no part in the wild. White Lions are to be encouraged though, since they need to be saved and protected from being hunted by humans for their beautiful white fur, and to keep them out of zoos and in the wild. White Lions, are created when a Lion has a recessive gene, making them a light color like white, allowing them to be natural.

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One of the oldest living Lions is 26 in an Indian zoo! The 26 year old Lion is still going strong and active with a powerful roar! Some Lions live even longer like the famous 28 year old Lion.

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Prehistoric Lions (Cave Lion) like todays Lions, had no threat to them from other predators, they hunted other predators like bears.

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 Barbary Lions hunted Atlas Bears when they lived in Atlas Mountains. Barbary Lions can only be found in zoos, they are the biggest subspecies of Lion living today.

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Lions are often referred as the second biggest big cat, but actually researchers say this is not true, and there really isn't a biggest big cat. Lions for one, are taller and longer than any tigers, and Lions and tigers both in zoo's weigh the same. In the wild, they both weigh nearly the same aswell. Barbary Lions, weigh more than any tiger in a test, and was bigger than tigers. Prehistoric Lions, where much bigger than any prehistoric tigers, as the Cave Lion beat others like the prehistoric tigers of asia.

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Lions have amazing eyesight, they can see in color, they have powerful nightvision, incredible hearing, they can rotate their ears to aim their hearing, (can hear over a mile away) and a powerful sense of smell.

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Did you know Lions use to be the most migrated animal in the world after humans? Lions used to be able to be found in nearly every part of the world, where you live probably had lions in the past. Before they where hunted for royal sport by kings and hunters, they lived in all areas from America to Europe, to Asia and many others.

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Some Lionesses and Lions exceed way over 700 pounds. There have even been rumors of modern 900 pound Lions

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A Lions name translated to swahili, means "King".

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Lions are hugely symbolized. They are national animal to over 13 countries, making them the number 1 national animal. In areas like Ethiopia, when Lions die they are buried with royalty. Sadly this also means they where hunted out of extinction by royalty, which is why certain Lions like Indian Lions are endangered. 

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There are no black lions, but there are grey Lions. 3 Grey Lion cubs where born in Ukraine from a white Lioness and a brown/orange colored father. Grey Lions are created by maltese, these cubs have a beautiful bluish grey color, look it up yourself to see these adorable cubs!

Although maltese tigers have never been proven, and are actually said to be fake as there is no such thing as a grey tiger, there are Grey and maltese Lions.

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In a recent study, Lions (especially males) spend 80 percent of their time exploring and walking the lands, and their territories. Talk about a daily exercise!

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Black Lions where real. In prehistoric times, Cave Lions came in different colors like white and black. Cave Lions had smaller manes than Lions today. Cave Lions bones where researched to be the biggest, baddest, and smartest big cat and predator of its time. Just one Cave Lion could take down a wooly mammoth.

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While tigers roars can only be heard a mile away, Lions roars can be heard over 5 miles away. Lions roars where compared to thunder in ancient scriptures that where found, as they are very similar. Lions have a lot of different noises and roars. A Lions true roar is so loud, it can actually make the ground nearby shake. If you are too close, you can go deaf for a few seconds when a Lion is roaring. Lions can do extremely scary and loud growls, or howl sounding roars, or territorial roars. They can do chuffs, and have many different body languages they use to communicate, they are high structured animals. No wonder Lions roars/growling are so used and famous, Lions roars in movies are usually used to replace animals like bears in tigers, as seen in movies like the jungle book and other cartoons.

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White Lions are also called ghost cats.

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Lions and Lionesses know the exact pressure to put on their cubs when playing with them. They are so smart they know how delicate to be with their cubs.

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Lions have the highest amount of muscle mass of all mammals. Lions can break the back of a zebra in one hit with their powerful force in their paws and legs.

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Lions are one of the fastest animals alive. Thy are faster than a cheetah at the start of a run because they have extremely quick acceleration. They can catch up to anything with their quick speeds and are much faster than tigers. Lionesses are actually the 2nd fastest big cat after cheetahs.

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Although you where probably told differently, Lions do live in the jungle. People think they are smart when they say "lions don't live in the jungle, they live in the savanna" but If they actually did research, the would see they are very wrong. Ethiopian Lions, a subspecies of Lion, are found in the Cloud jungles and rainforests of Ethiopia. Not only them, but Indian Lions (also known as Asiatic Lions) live in India's Jungled areas. Even more Lions used to live in jungles all around the world, until humans hunted them for their beautiful fur.

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White Lions have many colors just in themselves. They can be seen in pure white, yellow, cream, and even oranges. They can be pure white with beautiful red manes (which are also known as strawberry lions) or pure white with fluffy pure white manes, Lions have endless color variations.

 

Lions are the only big cat where you can tell the genders apart. Male Lions usually have the manes, while females don't, you can tell who is who unlike having to guess what gender a tiger is far away, as tigers look the same in both genders.

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Lions love the smell of mint in studies. Its like their signature scent. They also love pine trees, they will roll in pine trees anytime they can, to get the scent on them and to rub and scratch their faces against it, just like how cats act with catnip, lions act with pine.

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White Lions are even rarer than other subspecies of Lions. The main subspecies of Lions are Persian/Asiatic Lions, African Lions, Congo Lions, Cape Lions, Barbary Lions, Transvaal and Timbavati Lions, and a few other smaller subspecies.

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Although Cape Lions are thought to be extinct, there are still sightings of them, stopping research from saying they are gone.

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A Lions mane and belly mane are said to be like a kings cape and crown.

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Lions are often used as Gods in many religions. Even in Egypt, many gods where depicted as Lions. Many Lions arnt the king of beasts, they are the lord of beasts and of the lands.

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Barbary Lions are the King of the Mountain, they lived in the snowy forested atlas mountains until they where hunted out by royal sport. You can still find them in zoos where people are trying to repopulate and return the Barbary Lions where they belong and undo the regretful thing humans did of chasing them out in the first place.

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Lions have the natural ability to count. This is useful to tell if all the cubs are there, or if a pride member is missing, ect.

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A single Male Lion can beat a hyena clan, even single Lionesses are seen taking care of themselves against outnumbering numbers of hyenas. Lions arn't called the  King of beasts for nothing, they have no predator and are the top predators where they live.

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Lions are recording hunting every kind of prey. Giraffes, Elephants, wounded rhinos or baby rhinos, cape buffalo, hippos, and anything smaller, no other big cat can do this.

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Lions lick wounds on them to help heal them, their tongues help keep the wound clean.

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Lions will share their meals even with Lions who didnt help hunt for their meal. Sometimes injured Lions can not hunt or just not as well as a healthy Lion, but Lions are recorded still sharing their meals with them and caring for them.

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Lions have been seen many time adopting animals that aren't there's, sometimes adopting things like foxes, baby wildebeest, baby buffalo, and others, they are extremely caring animals.

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Whats even more cool, is Lions have been recorded killing all of those prey, alone. Lions and Lionesses have been recorded killing cape buffalo, giraffes, and even smaller elephants alone. A single Lion or Lioness can pull a giraffe down just by their neck with their incredible jumping skills, and take down a giraffe in seconds.

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Never base Lions of how they look in the Lion king, as lions look nothing like in that movie. Lion cubs are actually covered in spots, stripes, and dots when they are cubs. They have all 3 patterns of other big cats in them.

When they get older, some of the pattern fades, but Lionesses keep them on their belly, legs, and head. Many people do not know this, but Lionesses actually have striped markings on their legs, and leopard spots on their belly and stomach. Some Lionesses even keep their spots all over their body. Male Lions usually keep less of their pattern, but even they are seen with spots all over their legs, stripes on their haunches and leapard markings on their sides. Lions also have rings and stripes on their tails, again which can be still seen on Lionesses and some Lions, sometimes lions have a black ring above the tassle of their tail. No Lions pattern is the same.

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Lions normally kill by suffocation, but they also eat their prey alive, Lions can do both unlike many animals where both types of killing of prey has both have pros and cons.

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Although you where probably told differently, tiger pee does not smell pleasant or like popcorn. This was just a ridiculous tiger fanboy false claim. People who actually got peed on at the zoo by a tiger, state that it stains their clothes with a extremely unpleasant/smelly odor, and is very hard to get off their clothes, they have to wash their clothes 5 times just o get the stink away. Tigers also, especially in zoos, like to put their waste (feces) in the same water they drink from and walk in, its a habit of tigers. Lions on the other hand use their powerful scent from their pee to mark their territory and even leave messages!

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Lions have very powerful noses, scents left behind from other Lions actually can carry messages, Lions can tell from urine scents from other Lions if they are looking for a pride/ if they are saying stay away/ or if they are looking for a mate, and other things. Imagine how strong a Lions nose must be to be able to tell what another Lion is saying just from their pee!

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Lionesses are very good mothers, one if not the best mothers of the animal kingdom, Lionesses will carry their cubs across water and fight to death for them, they will hunt for them and groom them, their lives revolve around keeping their cub safe. Lionesses will take care and help raise other cubs in their pride. Lionesses will even adopt cubs that arn't theirs, and let them suckle. Lionesses will carry their dead cubs for many days up to weeks because they don't give up on them, and don't even leave their dead cubs behind, some are even seen sleeping next to their cubs if they have died and refusing to leave, they are very emotional with their cubs.

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Young Male Lions, who journey long ways to find a mate or pride, will hunt alone and are even seen hunting big game like bucks and wildebeest rather than hunting just small animals at their age. They hunt these animals at such a young age that some other adult animals still cant hunt yet.

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Lion cubs tend to play with their mothers and fathers tails.

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Even a Lions mane comes in many different colors. They can come from black, to light and dark brown, to blonde, to yellow, to pure white, to orange, to red, and many more. Did you know that a book in India is dedicated just to showing and naming all the different shades of a Lions mane?

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A  African Male Lions job is to stay back and guard the territory from other predators when the Lionesses leave to hunt, male lions are built to fight, they also must babysit the cubs if the Lionesses leave to hunt. This is much different in other subspecies of Lions. Kinds of lions like Barbary Lions, both the male and female hunt and usually are only a pride of 2. Indian Lions, the male lions hunt by themselves while the females hunt as a group. Its very interesting how different Lions social skills are in every subspecies of Lion, unlike other big cats who are all anti-social.

Another false claim is that male Lions don't hunt, but obviously that's not true. Even in African Lions, the subspecies of lion that must guard rather than hunt, is seen hunting in the African savanna and many groups of only male African Lions are found in Africa, where the prides of only males hunt daily. In any other subspecies of Lion, male Lions do the hunting always.

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Some Lionesses are found with manes, especially in White Lions. Certain female Lions have a gene that gives them a mane, so saying only male Lions have manes, is actually incorrect.

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Lions brain power are often overlooked. In actual research, Lions are proven to be the smartest big cat. They are the only big cat that developed social skills, and have unique and very high social skills and pride mechanics. Lions are recorded to have extremely sharp and good memory, remembering everything since cub life and who their parents are, and can tell if they are related to another Lion just by scent. Lions can tell who is who and if they are part of their pride just by scent.

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Lions have very sharp longest teeth, and one of the strongest bites of the animal kingdom. Their teeth are like scissors, allowing them to slice through meat.

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Christain the Lion is a very famous story, about a Lion who was raised by humans since cub life, when he was put back into the wild for a few years, his human parents came back for him, Christain remembered who they where and ran up to them giving them a hug. Its very touching and shows how smart and emotional Lions are, look up the touching video to see yourself if you have not already.

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Lions are found in many different habitats, they can be found in savanna/hill areas, mountains, jungles and forests, watery areas like shores and marshes and near rivers, deserts, and where found in even more before they  became endangered.

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Lions are extremely good at thriving.

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Lions are extremely good adapters, allowing them to stay in different areas like that. Lions are such good adapters they can own and rule the most dangerous areas like africas hot deserts, where they make little water and extreme temperatures there look easy. Many famous prides are documented there.

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Lions are very high jumpers. They can leap up to the top of a giraffes neck to pull it down! Lions can leap over 36 feet

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Lionesses can climb trees very well and are usually seen in them a lot. Unlike tigers, Lions can climb trees even with their weight. Male Lions can also climb trees, but not as well as female Lions. Lionesses are faster than male Lions while male Lions are usually stronger. Lions can be seen leaping up and climbing up trees no matter the size.

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a Lions claw is the size of a human finger. Their claws can shred up any ground or tree, and puncture through their prey.

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Lions are excellent swimmers. Lions are often overlooked at how much they actually like water. Indian Lions actually love water and the rain. They are seen swimming in waters and shores and walking in the rain. Even some African Lions who live in hot areas are seen enjoying water, hunting for prey in the water, and swimming through it. Many Lions in the zoo are seen gladly leaping into their water for a swim and going under the water gladly, unlike tigers who usually have to be baited to go in the water, tigers are actually usually trained to like water if they are in zoos, where as Lions do not need training. This is another misunderstanding Lions have.

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Lions are not lazy, actually they are the opposite. Old research says Lions are lazy, but new research and researchers actually say that's anything but true. Lions are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. So when people see them sleeping at day, they think they are lazy because they don't know that. Lions must sleep during the day because they hunt and are awake at night. Even though Lions are more active at night, they are seen very active at day aswell, unlike tigers who are only active during one time of the day. Lions have extremely good night vision while tigers actually have poor night vision or no night vision at all. Most tigers are only active during the day, and don't do nearly as much walking or exploring as Lions do both times of the day. Lions have very hard lives especially in dangerous African, they have to always be on guard and explore through out their territory to guard it many times a day. Even being active at night, they are still seen hunting and being active at day aswell. So who is the actual lazy one here? Tigers, as they are normally overrated animals.

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Male Lions without a mate, will go day and night WITHOUT sleep, to find a mate, they will venture through out all of Africa when they are in the search for a mate.

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Lions come in many mythological beasts, like the half eagle half lion, Manticore, winged Lion, and many more.

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Lions are actually much more friendly than tigers. Zoologists themselves state that since Lions are social unlike tigers, Lions are much more fun to play with. tigers when they get older, loose their playfulness and stay away from being friendly. Lions on the other hand, either being cubs or adults are extremely playful with zookeepers if zookeepers are brave enough to play with them. They state that Lions act like dogs since they are social, and are very active and playful around humans they trust.

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Lions are much more generous than tigers. Lions, as a whole family, will share a meal together and are recorded doing so. Unlike tigers, male Lions help raise the cubs with the female, while male tigers, leave the female and his cubs after they are born. Tigers will kill their own kind and their own family if they meet them again in the wild, but Lions will accept other members into their prides and are extremely loving and protectful of their pride of family.

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Male Lions are proven as one if not the best fathers of the animal kingdom. They are the only big cat who helps raise the cubs with the female. They will pretend to be hurt when their cubs play fight with him, he will risk his life for his cubs. Male Lions are often misunderstood when it comes to them being knowing of killing cubs that arn't his. But guess what? all animals do that. Once again, Lions are just the most misunderstood for it, even when all other big cats, and 99 percent of other animals kill babies that arnt theirs. If they kill cubs that arn't theirs, its only to limit competition to keep their own cubs safe, and its to make sure only his bloodline are in his cubs, to make sure they are healthy. Male Lions unlike others though have even been seen adopting cubs that arn't theirs.

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If you where to ever put a male, female, and their cubs together for a meal, they are recorded fighting over it. tigers never have a "family" meal or share their meal, because there is never a father tiger there, only the mother tiger and their cubs stay together. But unlike tigers, Lions, the father, mother, and cubs, are seen eating together. a group of tigers will fight over food, but Lions share their food through out the pride, and make sure everyone eats. Male Lions are even seen killing things like buffalo, and giving it to their cubs and mate first, and lets them eat first. Lions are one of the few animals where the father helps raise the cubs and doesn't leave after the female has them, so they are one of the few animals that actually share their food as a pride or family. So who is really generous? Often Lions are looked over even when they are one of the most generous and loving animals.

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Lions can gnaw through bone and are seen leaving virtually none of their prey behind, Lions do not waste. If anything is left behind like the fur or hooves, Lions generously leave it behind for scavenging animals.

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Lions are expert/apex hunters, and are expert scavengers. Scavenging is a very hard thing to do. Lions have to battle other animals for food when it comes to scavenging, but they make it look easy. Lions always work for their food, they are very stealthy in hunting or scavenging, they are actually one of the most patient animals and will wait for the perfect time to do either.

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Lions have extremely powerful digestive systems that allow them to break down any kind of food, their powerful stomachs keep them from getting sick.

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Although it is rare, some Lions accept hyenas into their pride. On rare occasions, hyenas have been seen in Lion prides especially in sanctuarys.

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Lions are the only big cat with a tassled tail, Lions have many things that are only found in Lions and not in any other big cat.

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No pattern on a Lions muzzle is the same, like fingerprints.

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Lions have very big and extremely sharp claws, they usually file them on trees by scratching at them, researchers can tell this by seeing huge claw marks on trees in lion populated areas.

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African Lions are the highest in numbers compared to other subspecies, but are still rare due to hunting. Lions are very rare animals especially these days. Lions are often referred to as royal animals.

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Want to donate to Lions? Check out sites like White Lion global trust, a program dedicated to protecting the rare and gorgeous White Lion, or donate to Barbary Lion programs, to get Barbary Lions back to ruling Atlas Mountains.

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