These days, white lions are rarely found in the wild where they originated from Timbavati, South Africa. White lions are also obligate carnivores so they require the flesh of animals to satisfy their dietary needs. Usually found in the grasslands, African lions often eat: These foods are crafted to sustain all of a lion’s dietary needs. In addition to the animal flesh, captive lions will indulge in commercially and specially formulated cat food. In a zoo, lions are usually kept to a diet of beef (sometimes the bones as well), chicken, rabbit, sheep, and horse. In the wild, scavenging accounts for half of a lions diet. They usually feed off of the corpses of kills made by the hunters of the lions’ pride. On average, an adult lion kills 15 animals annually. Lions will also prey on small and young offspring of large animals anywhere from 50 to 300 kg in size. Zebras, Pigs, buffaloes, antelopes, hippos, giraffes, rhinos, and wildebeests are the animals lions are most likely to consume. In the wild, this results in a wide variety of animals in their daily diet. Lions will eat any and every animal they are able to capture. If they were to come across these smaller prey, they are very likely to eat them as well: Lions are not picky when it comes to what they prey on, including: Lions do not have the enzymes responsible to break down plant matter they can only digest meat successfully. While lions cannot effectively digest vegetation, they still may nibble on some grass or fruits. In order to fulfil their daily intake, lions have to consume animal flesh.
Lions do not naturally produce the level of amino acids their bodies need to survive.
Why Do Lions Eat MeatĪs “Obligate Carnivores”, over 70% of a lion’s diet relies on meat. “Facultative Carnivores” are animals that eat non-animal foods in addition to meat. Also referred to as “Obligate Carnivores”, lions only consume animal flesh for nourishment. A carnivore is an animal that scavenges or hunts animals to gain energy and nutrients from their respective flesh and tissue.Īs the “Apex Predator”, lions are at the top of the food chain which means no other animal sees them as prey. Lions are carnivorous animals that only eat meat. In this article, we’re going to explore what lions eat in detail to help you fully understand these amazing (and massive) felines. To put it simply, lions are at the top of the food chain in the wild and can almost hunt any animal they choose given their brute strength, sharp teeth and claws, and intelligence. The long list of animals lions prey upon is one of the main reasons they are referred to as the ‘kings of the jungle’. This can include anything from antelopes, giraffes, zebras, wild hogs and even crocodiles.
As apex predators, lions are adept at hunting for their food, which is typically other animals that live within its habitat. If you’ve ever pondered the question “what do lions eat?”, the short answer is “meat and flesh”. With this in mind, it’s no wonder why so many are intrigued when it comes to how lions behave and what their diets consist of. Lions are incredible, yet ferocious, animals.
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