{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "lion",
  "name": "Lion",
  "scientificName": "Panthera leo",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "Lions are large social cats native to sub-Saharan Africa, with a small population in India's Gir Forest. They live in groups called prides, can weigh up to 250 kg (550 lb), and are the only cats that hunt cooperatively. Wild lions typically live 10 to 14 years.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Carnivora",
    "family": "Felidae",
    "genus": "Panthera"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 250,
    "lengthM": 2.5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 80,
    "lifespanYears": 14
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Panthera leo"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Savanna, grassland, open woodland"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "10–14 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "120–250 kg (260–550 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "80 km/h (50 mph) in short bursts"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Sub-Saharan Africa, with a small surviving population in India's Gir Forest.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "Bauer, H. et al. (2016). Panthera leo. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15951/115130419"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Schaller, G. B. (1972). The Serengeti Lion: A Study of Predator–Prey Relations. University of Chicago Press.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Nowak, R. M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World (6th ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Hayward, M. W. & Kerley, G. I. H. (2005). Prey preferences of the lion (Panthera leo). Journal of Zoology.",
      "url": null
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/lion/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/lion/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}