Lion
Panthera leo
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnívors)
- FamilyFelidae (Felids)
- GenusPanthera (Roaring Cats)
- SpeciesPanthera leo (Lion)
The lion (Panthera leo) is a large cat of the genus Panthera, currently ranging only in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane that extends from the head to the shoulders and chest. The lion inhabits grasslands, savannahs, and shrublands. It is an apex and keystone predator, preying mostly on medium-sized and large hooved mammals. It is usually more diurnal than other wild cats, but when persecuted, it adapts to being active at night and at twilight. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Gonarezhou National Park, based on 15 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Gonarezhou National Park
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
African Wildcat
Felis lybica
Common Dwarf Mongoose
Helogale parvula
Slender Mongoose
Galerella sanguinea
Painted Hunting Dog
Lycaon pictus
Spotted Hyena
Crocuta crocuta
Banded Mongoose
Mungos mungo
Selous's Mongoose
Paracynictis selousi
African Civet
Civettictis civetta
Honey Badger
Mellivora capensis
Bat-eared Fox
Otocyon megalotis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Lion in Gonarezhou National Park?
About 28% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Gonarezhou National Park, based on 15 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Lion in Gonarezhou National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Lion in Gonarezhou National Park in our monthly data.