Where does the lion live?
Panthera leo has 16,144 records in 54 countries and territories, from 1845 to 2026. Most records come from South Africa.
- 16,144 records
- 54 places
- 98 years recorded
- Mammalia class
AnimaliaChordataMammaliaCarnivoraFelidaePanthera
When it is recorded
JFMAMJJASOND
Peak month: July. Records cluster in the months an animal is present and being looked for, so a summer peak can reflect observer effort as much as the animal.
Where it is recorded
| Place | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 4,703 | |
| Kenya | 3,194 | |
| Tanzania | 3,087 | |
| Botswana | 1,380 | |
| Namibia | 865 | |
| Benin | 682 | |
| Uganda | 399 | |
| Zambia | 313 | |
| Zimbabwe | 235 | |
| India | 214 | |
| Niger | 205 | |
| Angola | 123 | |
| Malawi | 120 | |
| United States | 95 | |
| Chad | 78 | |
| Mozambique | 73 | |
| DR Congo | 72 | |
| Burkina Faso | 49 | |
| Rwanda | 41 | |
| Central African Republic | 40 | |
| Eswatini | 27 | |
| France | 16 | |
| Cameroon | 14 | |
| Ethiopia | 13 | |
| Sweden | 13 | |
| Italy | 10 | |
| Germany | 9 | |
| Senegal | 8 | |
| Argentina | 5 | |
| Poland | 5 | |
| Sudan | 5 | |
| Belgium | 4 | |
| Canada | 4 | |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 4 | |
| United Kingdom | 4 | |
| Nigeria | 4 | |
| Gabon | 3 | |
| Morocco | 3 | |
| South Sudan | 3 | |
| Colombia | 2 |
Showing the top 40 of 54 places.
Related animals
Others in the family Felidae.
cat
216,352 records
jaguar
141,993 records
Eurasian lynx
96,773 records
wildcat
65,559 records
leopard
9,807 records
Status from the records: resident
Recorded across many years and months — an established presence. This is inferred from how many years and months the animal appears in, not from a range map — treat it as evidence, not a formal assessment.
Recorded across many years and months — an established presence. This is inferred from how many years and months the animal appears in, not from a range map — treat it as evidence, not a formal assessment.