Young lions have light spotting on their coats. Lions stand between three and a half and four feet tall at the shoulder. Except for a small population that hangs on in the dry Gir Forest of northwest India, lions now live only in Africa. They are found from the Sahara's southern fringe to northern South Africa, but are absent from equatorial areas dominated by moist tropical forest. The Gir Forest population, which consists of about 300 lions, is listed as endangered.
Lions inhabit a wide range of habitats, from open plains to thick brush and dry thorn forest.
Lions eat primarily large animals, such as zebra and wildebeest, weighing from 100 to 1,000 pounds. In times of shortage, they also catch and eat a variety of smaller animals from rodents to reptiles. Lions steal kills from hyenas, leopards, and other predators, but may also lose their catches to hyena groups. Lions may also feed on domestic livestock, especially in areas near villages. Keepers feed the Zoo's lions ground horsemeat.