Abstract.
Buy and large, many people tend to question which animal possess the crown of the jungle. They tend to look at the individual physical features of the animals and associate them with the absolute authority and reign over the jungle. Some of the most commonly listed is the epic elephant, whose size and aggressiveness makes many believe that nothing can put it down. Others consider marine creatures like whales, sharks and crocodiles that have proved to have unquestionable dominance over the seas and oceans. In the same barrel, still others that understand the power of the air find the eagle the best feat since he reigns over all the elements of matter; he watches the skies, he fishes in the water and disturbs land creatures. So they question why shouldn’t he be considered the guru and tactical wizard of the all the beasts. All these are some of the arguments that many people tailor in pursuit of coining the best candidate to be trusted with the crown of the wild lands, as they purport to disapprove the fabled dominance of the lion with his title King!! However, these arguments have in many cases and instances failed to find balance as everyone finds their own more dominant and characteristically more significant.
The king of the beasts.
Apart from what is usually presented in movies, the lion along with its starring roles in human legends has had a collection of a series of stories of its own over the years. These, if not about the magnificent dominance and unparalleled strength usually depicted, tend to concentrate about the phenomenal mantra “king of the jungle.” This has erupted into nothing but debates which have stood a test of time in failing to find rest and balance. This inconclusiveness has resulted into a profusion of numerous and unsolved puzzles which are continually being presented to the senses of many. This can partly be attributed to the complexity in animal behavior, historical beliefs as well as irrational and rational bias towards certain species of animals, which has made it hard to set out rankings.
The kernel of the debates usually corner around the question of which animal really lies with the royal scepter of the jungle, with some frankly criticizing the idea of the answer being lion. Others even question whether the lion even lives in the jungle. The argument continues with some (opposers) not seeing any reason as to why animals like tiger, jaguar and elephants are placed at the margins of focus in pursuit of coining the lion with the title king, something which is seen as a legitimate neglect of reality and facts in pretense of personal satisfaction. This has seen many browsers’ address bars notably filled with connotations about the king of the jungle as a characteristic URL!! All these arguments are replied with intensive tenacity with the proposers obstinately raising the standard of perfection. In this case, they divorce themselves from the utilization of the term, “king of the jungle” and adopt the utilization of the term “king of the beast”. This has invariably transmuted into a long song that is filled with verses of animal physical characteristics and choruses of individual species’ behavior!!
Facts that make the Lion exceptional.
The lion is sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females with a typical weight range of 150 to 250 kg for males and 120 to 182 kg for females with the male lions having a prominent mane, which is the most recognizable feature of the species. They are the animal character that has appeared most in many movies!! But have you ever wondered why the lion is called the king of the jungle? Have you ever even felt that it might actually not be the strongest of all animals? Well, you could be right.. But, there’s just something about the lion’s attitude that makes it earn respect even from the bigger animals. This is justified in the Lion’s approach, while on the hunting ground. For example, when a lion sees an elephant, one word that comes to its mind is; “food” “I can eat this thing” and he acts the way he thinks. On the other hand when an elephant (bigger and more powerful) sees a lion, his mind recalls, “predator.” This beast wants to eat me and, depending on the age and number of attacking pride of lions, tries to run away!! The lion is a generalist hypercarnivore at the top of the food chain and is considered to be both an apex and keystone predator due to its wide prey spectrum. It does not possess any natural predators.
Another characteristic quality that makes the lion king unique is his character and behavior. A typical lion sleeps almost for 16–20 hours, henceforth living a royal life of a king. Lions spend an average of two hours a day walking and 50 minutes eating.
The social quality of a lion which is reflected in their gatherings to construct a pride also gives the predator another tick. Membership only changes with the births and deaths of lionesses, although some females leave and become nomadic. The average pride consists of around 15 lions, including several adult females and up to four males and their cubs of both sexes. Large prides, consisting of up to 30 individuals, have been observed. The sole exception to this pattern is the Tsavo lion pride that always has just one adult male. Male cubs are excluded from their maternal pride when they reach maturity at around two or three years of age. The area occupied by a pride is called a “pride area” whereas that occupied by a nomad is a “range. Groups of male lions are called “coalitions”. Females form the stable social unit in a pride and do not tolerate outside females. This social organization is similar to harem societies in human beings, which makes the lion species quite exceptional.
Other characteristically unique features that the Lion physically identifies with are the gait and mane in the males which give a majestic appearance to the lion. The mane sort of acts as a natural crown for a lion.
Meet the African lion.
When it comes to searching out Africa’s Big Five, with a particular emphasis on seeing the king of beasts, your success rate is largely determined not only by where you go on safari, but with whom. Choosing the right African safari, provided by a leading safari company can make all the difference in the quality of your game viewing experience. The excitement of seeing them is somehow connected to our primal fascination with them. Their muscular, barrel-chested bodies and arrogantly jutting chins let everyone know who the boss is. In East Africa, they can be found in numerous and various National parks with the most famous being Serengeti National Park, Masai Mara, Ruaha National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park among others.
Come witness the lion’s attack- short and powerful; it attempts to catch prey with a fast rush and final leap, and usually kills prey by strangulation or by enclosing the mouth and nostrils in their jaws.
