If you’ve seen documentaries about lions on the TV, you may have noticed that their behaviour is rather different in the wild than it is at your local zoo or big cat sanctuary. Most animals behave differently in captivity, as some of their needs are more reliably met. Here, we take a look at the differences between lions in the wild and at the zoo.

Group dynamics

Lions live in prides in the wild, with a typical pride consisting of around 15 animals, including several adult females and their cubs, and up to four males. The pride changes fairly frequently, often when new males come in and take over or when male cubs mature and leave to find another pride. Lionesses are typically all related to one another and usually stay in the same pride for their whole lives.

In captivity, however, the number of lions is generally smaller with perhaps only five or six living in a group. Because there are no lions from outside the pride to take over, the dynamics are different. While the females tend to show bonding behaviours, there can be tension between males until the dynamic becomes more established.

Nursing and maternal behaviours

In the wild, a lioness would typically live to around 16 years and have as many as six litters of cubs. They will display a range of maternal behaviours, nursing their cubs and playing with them to teach them the vital survival skills that they need. In many zoos and sanctuaries, however, breeding is prevented, meaning the lionesses do not express these maternal behaviours.

Diet and hunting

In the wild, lions’ survival depends on the available food sources and the group’s ability to hunt effectively. They typically eat every three to four days, and may eat as much as 50kg of meat in one go if they haven’t eaten for a week. However, in captivity lions are fed according to a schedule set by the zoo. Some are fed twice a week, while others are fed up to five times a week. The lions will not need to expend energy hunting, meaning they may eat less than in the wild - perhaps 5-7kg of meat per day.

Of course, the food available to lions in a zoo is also very different from what they would hunt in the wild. Lions typically hunt animals such as buffalo, zebra, gazelle and wildebeest, while in captivity they might be fed ground beef, knucklebones and rabbit.

See a lion on stage

While you won’t see a real lion on stage in the UK, you can book The Lion Inside tickets to see a stunning retelling of the popular lion story book by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. Playing at London Southbank Centre from 17-20 April 2025, this is one of the best children’s shows of the season, being aimed at kids aged three and up. Don’t miss out!