Lions are one of the most powerful and fearful animals of the world. These animals are known as the king of the animal kingdom, and belong to the family of cats. Looking at their powerful personality and fierce nature, these magnificent creatures make us all curious about their lifestyle, what do they eat, and specifically, how long do Lions live? In this article, we will explore the lifespan of lions, and the effects of gender, their habitat and other factors on their average age.
How long do Lions live?
On average, a lion lives for 10 to 14 years. Looking at them, it seems like they have very long lives, but apparently, that’s not the case. These wild and powerful creatures usually do not live longer than 14 years. However, there are various factors which affect the average lifespan of a lion. These factors include:
Gender
Usually, the female lions or lioness live longer than their male fellows. And why is that? As you can see in the animal documentaries, the male lions look around for prey and fight with other animals for food or other reasons. This can result in early death of lions and hence, they live a shorter life than lionesses.
Availability of food
There might be some situations where lions are not able to find their prey. In these tough situations, like it would be for any other animal, it is very difficult for lions to survive. In this way, having constant availability of food for these animals is very necessary for them to be able to live a long life.
Habitat
Different animals live in different habitats. Even the different members of the same species live in different geographical regions. Some lions live freely in larger territories with unlimited supply of food, while others have to live at places like a zoo, where it is very difficult for them to survive for a longer period.
Oldest Lion in the World
Let’s have a look at the oldest lion in the world.
Arjun
Living in captivity allows species to live longer, and Arjun, the lion living in captivity India, was the oldest lion to ever get recorded in history. He lived in a rescue center and was more than 26 years of age. Argun died in 2018, and is still the longest living lion in history.
Zenda
Zenda is the second oldest lion that has ever lived. She also lived a life of captivity in the United States and passed away at the age of 25.
How long do Lions live without food?
If we ignore other factors like age, habitat etc, a grown-up lion can survive only for two weeks if not given food at all. This duration can increase or decrease depending upon the nature of the environment an animal lives in.
How long do Lions live in the zoo?
If living in a zoo or captivity, the lions’ life span increases up to 20 years. This is because there are no threats in the zoo and no competition for food. The lions can simply get food by staff on a regular basis and hence, lions live longer in captivity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How old is the oldest lion in the world?
The oldest lion in the world, Arjun, had an age between 26 to 29 years, and he lived in captivity in India.
Can a lion live for 100 years?
No, Lions have a very short lifespan. In the wild, a male lion lives only for up to 12 years, and the lioness can live for up to 16 years.
Conclusion
The age of Lions depends upon the conditions they live in. Lions living in zoos live much longer than lions which live in the wild. The average lifespan of a lion living in a jungle is 12 for male lions and 16 for female lions. In captivity, they can live for about 20 years.
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