Classroom lesson 路 Wildlife馃嚦馃嚞 Nigeria

West African lions

A very rare lion living in Nigeria's national parks

A male and female lion together in the shade

Photo 路 Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

Lions used to live across most of West Africa, including Nigeria. Today they are much rarer. A small group of West African lions still lives wild in Nigeria's Kainji Lake National Park. They are slightly smaller than their cousins in East Africa, with shorter manes - and rangers work hard to keep them safe.

Tell me more

Lions are the second-biggest cats in the world, after tigers. They are also the only big cats that live in family groups, called prides. A pride is usually made up of several mums and aunties (often sisters) with all their cubs, and one or two adult males.

West African lions are a special group of lions that scientists think split off from East African lions thousands of years ago. They are slightly smaller, the males have shorter manes, and there are fewer of them in the wild. Kainji Lake National Park in northern Nigeria is one of the only places they still live.

The mums do most of the hunting - usually as a team. They are very good at sneaking up close in the long grass before chasing. The adult males have manes - long, thick hair around their head and shoulders - that make them look even bigger than they are. Most of the time, lions sleep. They can sleep for up to 20 hours a day, especially when it's hot.

Cubs spend the first year of their lives mostly playing. They pounce on each other's tails, climb on the mums, and play-fight. Without realising it, they are learning everything they will need to know about hunting and looking after their own families one day.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

  1. 01Lions live in family groups, but most cats live alone. Why might it be helpful for lions to live together?
  2. 02Cubs spend most of the day playing. What do you think they are learning while they play?
  3. 03What makes a national park important for keeping animals safe?
Try this

Classroom activity

Draw a 'pride' on a sheet of paper - all the mums and aunties, the cubs and the adult males. Give each lion a name and one talent (best at hiding, fastest, loudest roar). Compare your prides as a class.

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