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Cape Barbary Lion
Cape Barbary Lion

Cape Barbary Lion

Panthera leo

The lion is known as the king of the jungle. This is not due to any special skill or characteristic, but merely due to its ability to let others do his work for him. Lions are notoriously lazy, spending 16 – 20 hours of the day lying down. They will only be active for about six to eight hours, mainly at night and in the early mornings, and the lionesses are the ones who do the hunting. Two or three males (usually brothers) will find a territory and attract four to six females. Lions are the only social cat in the African bush and always live in groups, known as a pride.

They are not the most successful hunters in the bush, often targeting prey that is not particularly logical, such as an animal that is too far away and thus not a guaranteed kill. Their success rate is typically only between 20 – 30%. The lion will try to kill anything, no matter its size or proximity.

Inverdoorn is home to three lions, one male and two females. Robby, the male Cape Barbary lion, has a special story as he was rescued from a terrible fate as a canned lion. Canning refers to trophy hunting, which entails trapping an animal in an enclosed space and unleashing hunters upon them in order to ensure a successful hunt.

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, 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. The lion is a vulnerable species, having seen a major population decline of 30–50% over the past two decades in its African range.

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. 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 in nature.

source : wikipedia

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Central Reservations

INVERDOORN GAME RESERVE

PO BOX 304 SEA POINT 8060
CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA

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"Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius." - Edward O. Wilson

Inverdoorn Inverdoorn

INVERDOORN Game Reserve
 Big 5 Safari
1200 Free-Roaming Animals
 Iziba Safari Lodge
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21/2 Hours from Cape Town

Why choose Inverdoorn?

Amongst the wonders of Nature exists a splendid place situated in the magnificence of the vast open Karoo landscape, Inverdoorn Game Reserve & Iziba Safari Lodge. The 10 000 hectare property is a resourceful and stylish 'oasis' destination, only a 2.5-hour drive from Cape Town city centre.

Exclusive Cheetah interactions

Inverdoorn offers guests the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really get to grips with a cheetah through its Exclusive Encounters package that allow guests to spend time interacting with the cheetahs through stroking, petting and giving the cheetahs water. Guests who opt for the five-star luxury accommodation packages automatically enjoy the one-on-one encounters while an optional extra package is available to other overnight guests and even day visitors. Learn More...