What Do Lions Eat

Lions are carnivores- meaning that they are mostly meat-eaters. So, what do lions eat? Different types of animals are hunted and consumed by the Lions- these animals hunted for food are known as ‘preys.’

A lion can consume about 7kgs on average and lionesses eat about 4.5kgs they can eat a lot. Both the male and the female lions can quickly eat 15% of their body weight in just one meal.

Lions are usually slow runners- with a speed of only 60km/hr. During longer runs, they can go out of breath quickly. For this, the lions have adapted themselves to be smart hunters. They stalk on their prey quietly to get closer to them before making the actual chase.  They creep very quietly behind animals and make sure that they are not seen or heard.

Lions are also greedy animals and are known to hunt down other prey (if spotted) even when they have just killed one.

What animals do the lions eat? Lions eat a variety of animals but to name a few common ones like:

• Zebras
• Rhinos
• Antelopes
• Giraffes
• Buffaloes
• Hippos
• Young elephants
• Crocodiles
• Warthogs

For smaller prey, lions do the ankle-tap on them. They do this by clipping their prey’s ankle from behind to trip them and making it much easier for the lion to catch them. Lions usually attack the larger prey from behind by jumping on their backs- done only when the stronger and bigger male lions join in for the hunt.

Lions are often able to hunt alone, but it makes hunting more comfortable with their pride. And when they hunt together- each lion has its place and position to be in for the attack. E.g., lions can choose to stand at either the right, left, or center position to surround their prey.

The lions often chase their prey into a bush or toward the other waiting lions to make hunting easy and quick. Lions are known even to climb trees and attack elephants walking underneath it. Therefore, what do lions eat will depend on whether the lion is hunting solo or in a group.

Lionesses are usually the ones to do the hunting while the male lions sit and watch. However, the male lions are the first to get a share of the hunt, followed by the adult lionesses. And often, the weaker lions and cubs get the last portion of the kill or nothing at all if the catch is small.

Are there other means to get their food? If so, what do the lions eat? Lions are wild scavengers- meaning that they bully other animals into giving up their share of food. They also steal other animals, kill and eat the leftovers. To rightly answer the question of ‘what do lions eat?’- Lions eat anything and everything!

There are no other animals that hunt Lions as their food. However, animals like hyenas and cheetahs are known to be enemies with lions due to their competitiveness. Hyenas, often with their clan, try to steal the lions’ kills and compete with them to get it. But even a family of hyenas is no match against a lone male lion.

No one can easily defeat the ‘king of the jungle’- especially when it comes to their kills.