As it turned out, the lions weren t really that close to us. The male s roars are actually so deep that they can be heard up to five miles away. Lions are big, powerful hunters. There are times when lions attack people, but it s pretty unusual. Scientists think most man-eating lions are lions that can t catch their normal prey, either because the prey is too scarce or because the lion is old or weak.
Lions are the only social big cats.
Their groups, called prides, are actually extended families. Prides include 10 to 15 related females and two or three males. The males are often brothers. Males defend the group s territory, and lionesses cooperate to do everything else, including hunting. Lions recognize each other by their signature roar.