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This lion family rests close together: a male, a lioness and their two cubs. Get the free PDF download and enjoy a sweet scene to color with your kids.
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Download PDFPrintA maned lion and a lioness lying down with two cubs between them, one asleep and the other sitting against its mother.
Keep the lioness and cubs a shade lighter than the male's mane.
Name each lion, then draw your own family as a pride.
Lionesses in the same pride often give birth around the same time.
A lion family stands out among cats, since nearly every other species lives and hunts alone. Lions are the great exception. They form lasting social groups called prides, and that shared life goes a long way toward explaining how they do so well on the savanna.
Females are the heart of a pride. Mothers, daughters, sisters and cousins stay together for life, holding on to the same stretch of land for generation after generation. Pride size varies widely with the local food supply. Some have just a few adults, while others include more than ten lionesses and their young.
Adult males are usually newcomers. They team up in small coalitions, take charge of a pride and guard it against outsiders for a few years, until a stronger group pushes them out. Their main job is defending the territory and the cubs. Females take care of much of the hunting and raising of young, though the whole arrangement depends on everyone doing their part.
Small daily habits hold it all together. Lions rub heads when they meet, groom one another and spend long hours lying in a heap. All of that touching builds bonds and eases tension, which comes in handy when a group of powerful predators has to share every meal.
