7 facts about lions you didn't know

Seven strange facts about lions. Lions are the only truly social cats. Unlike tigers, leopards or cheetahs that prefer solitude, lions live in groups called prides. A pride can consist of up to 40 members, including females, their cubs and a few males. This social structure is unusual among big cats and allows them to cooperate in hunting and protecting their territory. Their roar can be heard from five miles, eight kilometers away. A lion's roar is so powerful that it can reach up to 114 decibels, louder than a chainsaw. They use this deep, thunderous roar to communicate with their pride and to warn rivals to stay away. Each lion's roar is unique, almost like a fingerprint. Females do most of the hunting, lionesses are faster and more agile than males, so they usually hunt in groups at night to bring down large prey like zebras, buffalo or wildebeests. The males, on the other hand, protect the pride and defend their territory from intruders. Lions can sleep up to 20 hours a day. Despite being known as fierce predators, lions are also one of the laziest animals in the wild. They conserve energy by resting most of the day and usually hunt during the cooler hours of dawn or dusk. Their tails are a secret communication tool. A lion's tail isn't just for balance, they use different tail movements to signal emotions or intentions to the rest of the pride. For example, a raised tail can indicate excitement, while a flicking tail might warn others of irritation. Unlike tigers, lions dislike water. Tigers are strong swimmers and often enjoy water, but lions generally avoid it unless they absolutely need to cross rivers or cool down. Their dislike of water makes them less adapted to wet environments. A lion's roar is unique. Just like a voice ID, scientists have discovered that every lion has a distinct roar pattern. By listening to recordings, researchers can identify individual lions, similar to how we recognize people by their voices.