by Aurora Lestrange
Welcome to Kitty Cat’s Corner, a monthly column all about cats. What else would a proud Gryffindor talk about? For each Paw Print issue, I will research a new cat for the readers to enjoy. For the first cat, I did some research on the Gryffindor mascot: the lion.
Lions are the second largest cats, only second to the tiger. Some male lions can weigh as much as 550 pounds. This is definitely one kitty you don’t want to pounce on you. Lions live in parts of Africa and on the continent of Asia. Unfortunately, lions have decreased in numbers in the recent decades due to hunters and poachers.
Lions have distinct different features between the males and the females. You can tell a male lion by his mane. Male lions are also highly recognizable and are used for many different entertainment purposes. Though the male lion has the reputation of being the hunter in muggles’ eyes, it is actually the females that hunt for the pack. They also hunt in groups. Surprisingly, lions only eat about one hour a day. The number one activity a lion does during the day is sleep. Lions sleep up to 20 hours a day. Doesn’t that sound nice?
What does a lion eat? “Anything it wants,” some might say. Some of the different animals that lions prefer to eat are buffalo, warthogs, wildebeest, and zebras. Mainly though, lions will eat whatever type of animal is in their hunting grounds.
Lions are very social by nature, which the females sometimes choosing more than one male to have cubs with. Lionesses can have a litter of one to four cubs at a time. Once a lioness has a litter of cubs, they are not fertile again until the cubs mature or, sadface, die. Baby lions, or cubs, are born blind and their eyes don’t open to see until they are about a week old. Cubs are essentially helpless for the first three weeks of life. The momma and babies usually separate themselves from their pride (pack of lions) during this time and they don’t integrate back until the cubs are rough 6-8 weeks old. Sadly the percentage of cubs do not reach the age of two. Nothing is more precious than a lion cub playing and wrestling with their dad. Can you say Simba and Mufasa? Once a cub matures, if the pride is too large, the new matured lions are ousted and force to make a new pride of their own.
Lions are an extremely popular attraction in muggle zoos. Interestingly enough, lions live longer in captivity then they do in the wild. There could be many reasons for this, but the lack of predators is the most obvious one. Be careful though; these animals look fuzzy and death to the c word, but I urge you to never try to pet them. You might lose a hand or an arm!
I hope you enjoyed the first issue of Kitty Cat’s Corner and I will be back for the next Paw Print with a new and exciting cat: the tiger. See you then.
Lions are the second largest cats, only second to the tiger. Some male lions can weigh as much as 550 pounds. This is definitely one kitty you don’t want to pounce on you. Lions live in parts of Africa and on the continent of Asia. Unfortunately, lions have decreased in numbers in the recent decades due to hunters and poachers.
Lions have distinct different features between the males and the females. You can tell a male lion by his mane. Male lions are also highly recognizable and are used for many different entertainment purposes. Though the male lion has the reputation of being the hunter in muggles’ eyes, it is actually the females that hunt for the pack. They also hunt in groups. Surprisingly, lions only eat about one hour a day. The number one activity a lion does during the day is sleep. Lions sleep up to 20 hours a day. Doesn’t that sound nice?
What does a lion eat? “Anything it wants,” some might say. Some of the different animals that lions prefer to eat are buffalo, warthogs, wildebeest, and zebras. Mainly though, lions will eat whatever type of animal is in their hunting grounds.
Lions are very social by nature, which the females sometimes choosing more than one male to have cubs with. Lionesses can have a litter of one to four cubs at a time. Once a lioness has a litter of cubs, they are not fertile again until the cubs mature or, sadface, die. Baby lions, or cubs, are born blind and their eyes don’t open to see until they are about a week old. Cubs are essentially helpless for the first three weeks of life. The momma and babies usually separate themselves from their pride (pack of lions) during this time and they don’t integrate back until the cubs are rough 6-8 weeks old. Sadly the percentage of cubs do not reach the age of two. Nothing is more precious than a lion cub playing and wrestling with their dad. Can you say Simba and Mufasa? Once a cub matures, if the pride is too large, the new matured lions are ousted and force to make a new pride of their own.
Lions are an extremely popular attraction in muggle zoos. Interestingly enough, lions live longer in captivity then they do in the wild. There could be many reasons for this, but the lack of predators is the most obvious one. Be careful though; these animals look fuzzy and death to the c word, but I urge you to never try to pet them. You might lose a hand or an arm!
I hope you enjoyed the first issue of Kitty Cat’s Corner and I will be back for the next Paw Print with a new and exciting cat: the tiger. See you then.