What Do Lions Eat in the Wild?

If you've ever watched a nature documentary, you might have found yourself asking, what do lions eat? These majestic big cats, known scientifically as Panthera leo, are obligate carnivores that rely entirely on meat to survive.

Whether you're tracking African lions in the Sub-Saharan savannah or spotting Asiatic lions in India's Gir National Park, one thing's for sure: Lions eat meat, and lots of it.

A lion's natural prey species typically includes large ungulates like zebras, wildebeests and buffalo. But when food is scarce, lions hunt a broader range of wild animals — from smaller prey like hares and birds to even scavenging dead animals left by other predators.

Females Take on the Lion's Share of Hunting

In a lion pride, it's the female lions — often related females — who do the bulk of the hunting. Working as a team, they increase their odds of a successful hunt, especially when targeting larger prey. These coordinated chases often take place at night or during the cooler hours of early morning.

Despite the spotlight on females, male lions and young lions do participate, especially when food is limited. However, adult males usually show up post-hunt to claim the best cuts. Not exactly polite dinner guests.

Lions Prefer Larger Prey

Though they are opportunistic hunters, lions generally prefer larger prey. This includes:

Wildebeests
Cape buffalo
Zebras
Antelopes
Chital deer (in the case of Asiatic lions)

These large mammals can weigh as much as the lion's own body weight, making them high-reward targets. That said, in areas like the Kalahari Desert or during times of prey scarcity, lions may hunt smaller prey or scavenge carcasses left behind by other predators.

What Do Lion Cubs Eat?

Lion cubs depend entirely on adult females for their meals. For the first few months, lion cubs rely exclusively on their mother's milk, and they only start eating meat at roughly 3 months of age.

Cubs learn hunting techniques by observing and playing, but they won't join in serious hunts until they're over a year old.

Sometimes, dominant males kill lion cubs sired by other adult males to bring the female lions back into heat. It's brutal but effective at ensuring the new male lion’s own genes are the ones passed on to the pride’s next generation of cubs

Do Lions Eat Humans?

In rare cases, yes, lions eat humans.

While it's not typical behavior, starvation, injury or habituation to local communities can make wild lions view people as potential prey. Stories of "man-eaters" in East Africa or the Tsavo region are chilling reminders that lions, while awe-inspiring, are still large carnivores.

However, these instances are anomalies. Conservationists note that increased human-lion conflict is often tied to shrinking lion habitats and a decline in lions’ natural prey (often due to poaching or illegal wildlife trade), not any competition with other predators.

How Much Do Lions Eat?

When they do eat, lions really go for it. An adult lion can consume up to 15 percent of its body weight in one meal. That’s around 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of meat!

But they don’t eat every day. Because hunting burns so much energy, they may rest and digest for several days between meals.

As apex predators at the top of the food chain, lions play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. So, whether they're roaming across the African continent or prowling the forests of India, understanding their diet helps drive effective conservation efforts.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.