Hope

Hope - Lion original painting by Anne-Marie Bloor.

Some interesting facts about lions - On average, male lions weigh 190kg (almost 30 stone) and females weigh 126kg (almost 20 stone). They need this weight and power behind them to hunt large prey and defend their pride. Male lions grow impressive manes the older they get. These manes grow up to 16cm long and are a sign of dominance. The older they get, the darker their manes go. As well as attracting females, their manes may also protect their neck and head from injuries during fights. A group of lions, also called 'a pride', often roar together to mark their territory - a roar can be heard from 5 miles away. There are thought to be as few as 23,000 lions left in the wild. When you think there are around 415,000 wild African elephants, you realise lion numbers are incredibly low. In fact, lions have disappeared from over 90% of their historical range. This is tragic.