Lion
LionLionLionLion

Lion

Panthera leo

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
60–70% · Likely
overall probability at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
451 Verified records at Ngorongoro Conservation Area
February Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, based on 451 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Leopard
VU Endemic

Leopard

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera pardus

20–30% · Possible
Cheetah
VU

Cheetah

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Acinonyx jubatus

30–40% · Possible
Serval
LC

Serval

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Leptailurus serval

30–40% · Possible
Caracal
LC

Caracal

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Caracal caracal

10–20% · With luck
African Wildcat
LC

African Wildcat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Felis lybica

Insufficient data
Spotted Hyena
LC

Spotted Hyena

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Crocuta crocuta

50–60% · Likely
African Golden Wolf
LC

African Golden Wolf

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis lupaster

40–50% · Likely
Banded Mongoose
LC

Banded Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Mungos mungo

10–20% · With luck
Bat-eared Fox
LC

Bat-eared Fox

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Otocyon megalotis

10–20% · With luck
Northern Small-spotted Genet
LC

Northern Small-spotted Genet

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Genetta genetta

10–20% · With luck
Common Dwarf Mongoose
LC

Common Dwarf Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Helogale parvula

5–10% · With luck
Honey Badger
LC

Honey Badger

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Mellivora capensis

5–10% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

60–70
Jan
70–80
Feb
60–70
Mar
40–50
Apr
50–60
May
60–70
Jun
60–70
Jul
60–70
Aug
60–70
Sep
50–60
Oct
60–70
Nov
60–70
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

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

# Park Country Probability
1 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
70–80%
2 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
70–80%
3 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
70–80%
4 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
70–80%
5 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
60–70%
6 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
60–70%
7 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
60–70%
8 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
60–70%
9 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
60–70%
10 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
60–70%
11 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
60–70%
12 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
13 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
14 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
50–60%
15 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
50–60%
16 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
50–60%
17 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
50–60%
18 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
50–60%
19 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
50–60%
20 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
50–60%
21 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
22 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
50–60%
23 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
24 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
50–60%
25 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
40–50%
26 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
40–50%
27 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
40–50%
28 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
40–50%
29 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
30 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
31 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
32 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
20–30%
33 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
20–30%
34 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
20–30%
35 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
36 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
37 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
38 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
39 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
40 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Lion in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?

About 65% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, based on 451 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Lion in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?

February has the highest sighting rate for Lion in Ngorongoro Conservation Area in our monthly data.

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