The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia Encyclopedia World Factbook American Heritage Coll. Lions have short-haired coats of tawny brown, with the tail ending in a dark tuft.
Most males have black or tawny manes of varying length growing from the head, neck, and shoulders.
The mane may be quite long and magnificent, giving the lion the imposing appearance that has led it to be known as king of the beasts in folklore. Females are smaller and lack manes. The lion is anatomically very similar to the tiger although it is different in habitat and way of life. 1 Lions are the only cats that are social rather than solitary. They usually live in groups called prides, which vary in composition but may occasionally include as many as 30 individuals.