Lion Cubs: The King Of The Jungle Starts Out As A Little Prince

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: no matter how big and tough you get, we all start out as babies; the “King of the Jungle” is no exception, and every lion is a cute little cub when it’s born. A full grown male lion can weigh over 550 pounds (250 kilograms), but a lion cub weighs as little as 2 to 4 pounds (1 to 2 kilograms) when it’s born. Cubs are born after roughly 3.5 monthes of gestation, and they’re usually born in litters of 2 or 3 cats, although litters of 4 do occur. For the first six weeks of their lives, cubs are kept away from the pride by their mother; living hidden in underbrush until they are ready to join their pride. Lion cubs nurse for up to 7 months, and will remain under the care of their mother for up to 2 years in some cases. When the cub grows up, it will have the ability to run 30 mph over 50 yards (48kph over 46 meters), and jump up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) vertically and 36 feet (10.8 meters) horizontally. However, for its first couple of years, it’s totally relient on its mother.