For the constellation and sign of the zodiac see Leo Leo In early Christian symbolism the lion represented Jesus and has also represented St. This group had increased to 290 individuals in 1955 but, although still protected, has been somewhat smaller since they are the only remaining Asiatic lions. a few pairs remained in India and were preserved as tourist attractions in the Gir forest (now Gir National Park) of Gujarat state in W India. The lion subspecies of central and especially W Africa are even more severely reduced. They are now numerous only in E and S Africa, although even there they are severely reduced in numbers. and from most of the rest of their range in recent times. They were eliminated from Europe and the Middle East by the beginning of the 2d cent. In early historic times lions ranged over Eurasia from E Europe to India and over all of Africa. They do not normally attack humans unless wounded or provoked under unusual conditions they may prey on humans, but even old and sick animals are more likely to subsist on rodents, insects, and other small prey. They inhabit grasslands, scrubland, and semidesert areas, where they hunt antelope, zebra, and other large herbivorous animals, as well as domestic stock. The lionesses do a considerable part of the hunting. They usually live in groups called prides, which vary in composition but may occasionally include as many as 30 individuals. Lions are the only cats that are social rather than solitary. Click the link for more information. although it is different in habitat and way of life. tigris: Amur or Siberian, Sumatran, Malayan, North Indochinese, Bengal, and South China or Amoy. Large carnivore of the cat family, Panthera tigris, found in the forests of Asia. The lion is anatomically very similar to the tiger tiger, Grown males are about 9 ft (2.7 m) long including the 3-ft (90-cm) tail, stand about 3 ft (90 cm) at the shoulder, and weigh up to 400 lb (180 kg). The mane may be quite long and magnificent, giving the lion the imposing appearance that has led it to be known as king of the beasts in folklore studies indicate that long manes are typical mainly of cooler climate lions. Most males have black or tawny manes of varying length growing from the head, neck, and shoulders. Lions have short-haired coats of tawny brown, with the tail ending in a dark tuft. Click the link for more information. family, Panthera leo, found in open country in Africa, with a few surviving in India. The great roaring cats, the lion, tiger, and leopard are anatomically very similar to one another and constitute the genus Name applied broadly to the carnivorous mammals constituting the family Felidae, and specifically to the domestic cat, Felis catus.