Where do lions live? What you need to know about the big cats' habitat.

Fun fact: Did you know lions are the only known cat species to roar together? In their "prides," or groups, lions will roar to mark their territory, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

These big cats are social within their prides and will hunt prey and raise cubs together, according to National Geographic Kids.

Lions live in a wide range of habitats, but where exactly are these lands? Here is what you need to know about where lions live, how long they live, plus other facts about this big cat.

Where do lions live?

There are two lion subspecies: the African lion, which lives in Africa, and the Asiatic lion, in India.

The African lion lives south of the Sahara Desert all the way to northern part of South Africa. The Asiatic lion lives in the Gir Forest of western India.

And while you might assume that the African lions from west and central Africa are more closely related to each other than to Asian lions, but that's not true. In fact, a 2011 study found the lions of west and central Africa are more closely related to Asiatic lions than to the southern and East African lions.

Lions live in a diverse range of habitats, including savannas and grasslands, as well as "open plains to thick brush and dry thorn forest," according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

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How long do lions live?

In captivity, lions can live until their late teens and even into their early 20s.

In the wild, lions can live up to 16 years, but male lions rarely live past 12.

What does a lion eat?

A lion's diet primarily consists of large animals, such as zebra and wildebeest, but they will also eat smaller animals, including rodents and reptiles. They are also good at stealing prey from other animals' kills, like leopards or hyenas.

Lions also like to eat a lot and can consume up to 40 kilograms – around a quarter of their body weight of meat in a single meal.

How much does a lion weigh?

A male lion can weigh anywhere from 330 to 550 pounds, while a female lion will weigh between from 265 and 395 pounds.

Additionally, male lions can grow to be 10 feet long, while female lions can grow up to nine feet long.

Are lions endangered?

According to the WWF, there are around 23,000 African lions, "African lion numbers have plummeted by over 40% in the last three generations, due to loss of living space and conflict with people."

As for the Asiatic lion population, the 14th Asiatic Lion Census estimated there are around 523 lions, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that, according to a June 2020 estimate, there were now 674. Asiatic lions are considered "endangered," while African lions are "vulnerable."

There are many threats to lion populations, including poaching and losing their natural habitats.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where do lions live? Facts about lions' habitats and other cool facts