Today, with the exception of some 300 highly protected animals in the Gir National Park of India, the only naturally-occuring lions are found in Africa. Lions do not live in heavy forests and jungles and they do not inhabit desert areas due to a scarcity of game. Lions feed on a variety of large and medium-size prey. Otherwise they eat buffalo, zebra, antelope, giraffe, and warthogs. They also steal kills and carrion from other predators.
Lions are the only cats that live in large family groups.
Each pride differs in size and formation, but a typical pride consists of two males and seven females and a variable number of cubs. When the pride hunts as a group they employ an ambush that forces large prey into the waiting paws of the males. Despite their tremendous power and adaptive efficiency, lions are more likely to fail than succeed in their attempts to kill. Females mature in about two years, males a few years later. All big cats are induced ovulators, i.e. release of the ovum is brought about by the act of mating, which explains the spitting, hitting, and roaring contest during courtship.