Marsha Ann Johnson, age 12, of Gadsden, Ala., for her question:
DOES A LION CUB STAY WITH ITS MOTHER A LONG TIME?
A lioness becomes an adult and mates with a male lion when she is from three to four years old. Then about three and a half months later, her cubs are born in a thicket. The babies stay with the mother from 18 to 24 months.
The cubs are born blind and helpless and weigh about three pounds each. Lions do not have permanent dens and from time to time the mother moves her cubs from one hiding place to another. She carries them in her mouth, one at a time.
At first, the cubs live only on milk from the mother. Then when they are about two months old, the lioness leads the cubs to an animal she has killed for their first meal of meat.
Occasionally, a mother abandons her cubs. When food is scarce, the mother eats and lets the cubs starve. Only about half of the cubs survive in the wilds.
The lion is the most companionable of all cats. A group, called a pride, may include from 10 to 20 lions, or as many as 35. Each pride has from one to three adult males, several lionesses and cubs.
Life in the pride is usually peaceful. Lions usually spend about 20 hours a day resting or sleeping. Cubs chase each other and wrestle. Hungry cubs nurse on any lioness that has milk, not just their own mother.
Lions usually walk about five miles a day. If they have had a big meal, they may rest for 24 hours, but if they are hungry, they may travel as far as 15 miles in search of food.
Each pride stays in a specific territory or area. When prey is plentiful, territories may be about 15 square miles. Where prey is scarce, the territory may cover 100 square miles.
Pride members stay together like a family for years, but changes occur from time to time. Ail male cubs are chased from the territory by their fathers when they are between two and four years old. They then wander until they can challenge another male for a pride spot.
The lion is called the "king of beasts." It is a well known symbol of beauty and power. It is probably the most famous member of the cat family.
Lions do not like to live in thick forests. Most of them live in woodlands, grassy plains and areas with thorny scrub trees. They live where they find a supply of food deer, antelope, zebra and other hoofed animals and where they have a place to drink.
In ancient times, lions lived in Europe, the Middle East, India and much of Africa. But man has killed thousands of lions as he settled in new areas. As a result, thefe are no more lions left in the Middle East and northern Africa. Only about 200 still live in Asia all in the Gir Forest in India. Lions still live in east and central Africa. But most of these lions live in national parks and areas called reserves, where they are protected from hunters.
Also, thousands of lions live in captivity in zoos throughout the world. And trained lions are also popular circus performers.
A male lion is about nine feet long from the nose to the tip of the tail and may weigh up to 500 pounds. Lionesses are about a foot shorter and weigh between 250 and 300 pounds.