Factsheet Lions can run at speeds over 30 mph, but only over short distances.
Lions are able to take down prey three times their size.
A lion's roar can be heard up to 5 miles away. Roaring is believed to have a territorial function and to help animals locate each other. The lion is the second largest felid, weighing up to 425 pounds, males being slightly larger then the females. Both have a rounded head and are powerfully built and have a uniformly colored coat. Male offspring have to leave by 2.5 years.