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lion

mammal
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Also known as: Panthera leo

lion, (Panthera leo), large, powerfully built cat (family Felidae) that is second in size only to the tiger; it is a famous apex predator (meaning without a natural predator or enemy). The proverbial “king of beasts,” the lion has been one of the best-known wild animals since earliest times. Lions are most active at night and live in a variety of habitats but prefer grassland, savanna, dense scrub, and open woodland. Historically, they ranged across...