{"id":4545,"date":"2021-04-09T06:53:18","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T06:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/?p=4545"},"modified":"2021-05-07T17:11:37","modified_gmt":"2021-05-07T17:11:37","slug":"what-do-lions-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/","title":{"rendered":"What do Lions eat?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Question: <\/strong>What do Lions eat? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Lions are carnivores, which means they only eat meat<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike Alex from <em>Madagascar<\/em>, lions do not enjoy sushi. Instead, a lions&#x2019; <a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/animalfactguide.com\/animal-facts\/lion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">diet<\/a> generally consists of birds, buffalos, zebras, antelopes, rhinos, hippos or wildebeests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marty, Gloria and Melmon should consider themselves <strong><em>very lucky.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_47 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-66122a2c908e4\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-66122a2c908e4\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Let%E2%80%99s_learn_more_about_Lions_and_what_they_eat\" title=\"Let&#8217;s learn more about Lions and what they eat\">Let&#8217;s learn more about Lions and what they eat<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#How_much_do_Lions_eat\" title=\"How much do Lions eat?\">How much do Lions eat?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Why_do_Lions_eat_meat\" title=\"Why do Lions eat meat?\">Why do Lions eat meat?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#What_do_lion_cubs_eat\" title=\"What do lion cubs eat? \">What do lion cubs eat? <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Fun_fact\" title=\"Fun fact\">Fun fact<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Will_a_lion_eat_another_lion\" title=\"Will a lion eat another lion?\">Will a lion eat another lion?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Can_a_tiger_eat_a_lion\" title=\"Can a tiger eat a lion?\">Can a tiger eat a lion?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Can_a_lion_eat_fruit\" title=\"Can a lion eat fruit?\">Can a lion eat fruit?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Do_lions_eat_grass\" title=\"Do lions eat grass?\">Do lions eat grass?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#Do_lions_eat_cheetahs\" title=\"Do lions eat cheetahs?\">Do lions eat cheetahs?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Let%E2%80%99s_learn_more_about_Lions_and_what_they_eat\"><\/span>Let&#8217;s learn more about Lions and what they eat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the wild, lions tend to hunt for medium-sized prey such as wildebeests and zebras, although they are certainly not picky eaters and will hunt for, and attack, larger prey when necessary.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a matter of fact, lions are known to take down the occasional elephant and giraffe, however, this is usually only the case if the prey is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/animal\/lion\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sick or young. <\/a>They&#8217;re very greedy animals and will hunt even if they&#8217;re not hungry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In captivity, the lion will have a very <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/lifestyle\/kidspost\/feeding-animals-at-the-national-zoo\/2011\/07\/27\/gIQAEOEABJ_story.html\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">different diet<\/a> because it&#8217;s not always possible to feed lions what they would naturally consume in the wild, zebra meat, for example. Having said that, zoo&#8217;s will attempt to provide a similar amount of food, however, it will instead consist of raw beef, sheep, chicken, rabbit and horse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_do_Lions_eat\"><\/span>How much do Lions eat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Answer: <strong><em>a lot.<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And certainly much more than you and I. Both a lion <em>and<\/em> a lioness can eat up to <a href=\"https:\/\/rangerplanet.com\/what-do-lions-eat-complete-list-of-what-lions-prey-on-a-guide\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">15 per cent<\/a> of their own body weight in just one sitting. For the average man, that&#8217;s the equivalent of roughly 20 pounds of food for <em><strong>one <\/strong><\/em>meal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>20-pound cheeseburger anyone? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daily, the adult male lion requires approximately 16 pounds of meat, while the adult lioness will consume around 11 pounds. Ironically, while the male lion needs more food per day, it&#x2019;s actually the lioness who does most of the hunting to provide for her <a href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-is-a-group-of-lions-called\/\">pride<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upon return, a pecking order ensues whereby the males will eat first, then the cubs, and finally the lioness who is left to eat the scraps. Doesn&#x2019;t sound fair, does it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One animal a lion <strong><em>will not<\/em><\/strong> eat is a fellow lion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although life in the wild can sometimes be cruel, lions prefer not to hunt other lions only under desperate circumstances. If a fight between two lions turns fatal, the remains will be left to rot or to be consumed by another animal, but not eaten by the lion. This is because the lion prefers to hunt for herbivores as the nutrition value is far more superior, and apparently, a lion is not a very appetizing meal. Who would&#x2019;ve guessed? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-67819c58 gb-headline-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_do_Lions_eat_meat\"><\/span>Why do Lions eat meat?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As we recently learned, lions are carnivores and require a diet of up to 70 per cent of meat in order to meet their nutritional requirements. Therefore, it is vital to the lions&#8217; survival that they consume the flesh of animals. Of course, this isn&#x2019;t always the case when drought ravages their habitats decimating their prey and leaving them on the brink of starvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why not <a href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/list-of-vegetables\/\">vegetables<\/a>? Or fruit? An apple a day never hurt anyone. As a matter of fact, lions do occasionally eat fruits and vegetables but only as a <strong><em>last <\/em><\/strong>resort. On the brink of starvation, lions will chew on grass or nearby fruits. However, this will only stave off starvation and the lion will still need to hunt for prey. Given how much lions consume daily, vegetation is never going to provide them with the same nutritional needs as say, a zebra or wildebeest would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luckily for the lion, finding food can be relatively easy when you&#x2019;re an <a href=\"https:\/\/safarisafricana.com\/apex-predators\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">apex predator<\/a>. This means they are at the top of the food chain and cannot be hunted by other animals within their habitat. They are the hunters, not the hunted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-f3732901 gb-headline-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_do_lion_cubs_eat\"><\/span>What do lion cubs eat? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After a cub is born, they will spend their first two to three months drinking their mother&#x2019;s milk. After that, they will begin to eat meat, just like their parents. But a cub will continue to drink milk from its mother&#x2019;s teat for roughly six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A cub&#x2019;s father will usually have nothing to do with the feeding or providing of food to their young. Instead, the lionesses will share the role of mother and show no preference to a cub and will happily feed one that is not from their litter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-b42bc7ec gb-headline-text\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fun_fact\"><\/span>Fun fact<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though males are the first to eat, there&#x2019;s actually a hierarchy within the male lions. If you&#x2019;re the strongest, most powerful male you get to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.krugerpark.co.za\/Kruger_National_Park_Wildlife-travel\/kruger-park-wildlife-lions.html#:~:text=The%20strongest%20male%20lion%20will,kudu%2C%20snakes%20and%20even%20porcupines.\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eat first<\/a>. Lucky you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-cc6512b4\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span><span class=\"gb-icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"img\" height=\"1em\" width=\"1em\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M448 360V24c0-13.3-10.7-24-24-24H96C43 0 0 43 0 96v320c0 53 43 96 96 96h328c13.3 0 24-10.7 24-24v-16c0-7.5-3.5-14.3-8.9-18.7-4.2-15.4-4.2-59.3 0-74.7 5.4-4.3 8.9-11.1 8.9-18.6zM128 134c0-3.3 2.7-6 6-6h212c3.3 0 6 2.7 6 6v20c0 3.3-2.7 6-6 6H134c-3.3 0-6-2.7-6-6v-20zm0 64c0-3.3 2.7-6 6-6h212c3.3 0 6 2.7 6 6v20c0 3.3-2.7 6-6 6H134c-3.3 0-6-2.7-6-6v-20zm253.4 250H96c-17.7 0-32-14.3-32-32 0-17.6 14.4-32 32-32h285.4c-1.9 17.1-1.9 46.9 0 64z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"gb-headline-text\"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People who ask <strong>&#8216;<em>What do Lions eat?&#8217;<\/em><\/strong> also ask;<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620407447994\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_a_lion_eat_another_lion\"><\/span>Will a lion eat another lion?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong>Generally, speaking <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/wildexplained.com\/do-lions-eat-other-lions\/\" target=\"_blank\">no.<\/a><\/strong> Although life in the wild can sometimes be cruel, they prefer not to hunt other lions only under desperate circumstances. This is because the lion prefers to hunt for herbivores as the nutrition value is far more superior, and apparently, a lion is not a very appetising meal.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620407453488\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_a_tiger_eat_a_lion\"><\/span>Can a tiger eat a lion?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong>No. <\/strong>Like lions, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/facts-about-tigers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tigers<\/a> are carnivorous mammals and prefer to eat larger-sized prey such as deer, wild boar, and young or injured elephants.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620407464580\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_a_lion_eat_fruit\"><\/span>Can a lion eat fruit?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong>Yes. <\/strong>But only if they are desperate. Life on the African savanna has its challenges and droughts can often completely wipe out prey meaning they must scavenge for fruit. However, this is rare and can cause an upset stomach as they do not have the appropriate enzymes to digest fruit properly.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620407473187\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_lions_eat_grass\"><\/span>Do lions eat grass?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong>Yes. <\/strong>Similarly to fruit, a lion <em><strong>can<\/strong> <\/em>eat grass as a means to ward off starvation. Grass is easily accessible, however, it can cause an <a href=\"https:\/\/africafreak.com\/what-do-lions-eat#:~:text=They%20don&#039;t%20have%20the,and%20anything%20that%20looks%20palatable.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">upset stomach<\/a> and may result in the lion vomiting. Ideally, a lion will only eat meat.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1620407480416\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_lions_eat_cheetahs\"><\/span>Do lions eat cheetahs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p><strong>Unfortunately for the cheetah, yes. <\/strong>Although they have to catch them first. At <a href=\"https:\/\/lionalert.org\/what-do-lions-eat\/#:~:text=Lions%20are%20carnivores%2C%20which%20means,hippopotamuses%2C%20and%20even%20tall%20giraffes!\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">97kph<\/a>, the cheetah can easily outrun a lion but with enough ingenuity, a lion can ambush a cheetah and take it by surprise.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Question: What do Lions eat? Lions are carnivores, which means they only eat meat! Unlike Alex from Madagascar, lions do not enjoy sushi. Instead, a lions&#x2019; diet generally consists of birds, buffalos, zebras, antelopes, rhinos, hippos or wildebeests. Marty, Gloria and Melmon should consider themselves very lucky. Let&#8217;s learn more about Lions and what they &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"What do Lions eat?\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/what-do-lions-eat\/#more-4545\" aria-label=\"More on What do Lions eat?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[12,11],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/what-do-lions-eat-1-scaled.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4545"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturefaq.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}