Female Lion
by John Telfer
Title
Female Lion
Artist
John Telfer
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
FAA WATERCOLOR MARK DOES NOT APPEAR ON FINAL SALES
While photographing some animals at the Bronx Zoo, located in the Bronx, New York I came across this large but gorgeous female lion who was resting in the shade due to an unusual hot day at the end of October, 2011. When the female lion heard the sounds of the Baboons fighting she immediately looked up and went into a defensive stance, getting ready to jump up at any moment. She continued to look in the direction for several minutes from where the noise had come from until she was satisfied she was not being threatened. She then again began to relax in the shade to stay cool. The lion (Panthera leo) is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg (550 lb) in weight,[4] it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia, with an endangered remnant population in Gir Forest National Park in India, having disappeared from North Africa and Southwest Asia in historic times. Until the late Pleistocene, about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans. They were found in most of Africa, across Eurasia from western Europe to India, and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru.[5] The lion is a vulnerable species, having seen a major population decline of 30�50% over the past two decades[date missing] in its African range.[2] Lion populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national parks. Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the greatest causes of concern. Within Africa, the West African lion population is particularly endangered.
Lions live for 10�14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can live longer than 20 years. In the wild, males seldom live longer than 10 years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity.[6] They typically inhabit savanna and grassland, although they may take to bush and forest. Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. Groups of female lions typically hunt together, preying mostly on large ungulates. Lions are apex and keystone predators, although they scavenge as opportunity allows. While lions do not typically hunt humans, some have been known to do so. Sleeping mainly during the day, lions are primarily nocturnal, although bordering on crepuscular[7][8] in nature.
Highly distinctive, the male lion is easily recognised by its mane, and its face is one of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture. Depictions have existed from the Upper Paleolithic period, with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves, through virtually all ancient and medieval cultures where they once occurred. It has been extensively depicted in sculptures, in paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire, and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoos over the world since the late 18th century. Zoos are cooperating worldwide in breeding programs for the endangered Asiatic subspecies.
Featured 7/31/12 Group of Photographers From Around The World
Featured 11/21/12 Your Favorite Art Work
Featured 12/23/12 Big Wild Cat Beauties
Featured 5/24/13 Our 4-Legged Friends
Featured 1/5/14 Wildlife
Featured 2/28/15 Animal Photographs
Featured 7/6/17 FAA Portrait Gallery
Featured 10/16/17 Kingdom Animalia
Featured 2/12/20 USA Photographers Only
Featured 4/23/20 Images That Excite You
Uploaded
February 21st, 2012
Statistics
Viewed 8,523 Times - Last Visitor from White Plains, NY on 03/27/2024 at 11:55 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet