Lioness

One of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture, the lion has been extensively depicted in various artforms, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. It appeared as a symbol for strength and nobility in cultures across Europe, Asia and Africa. The lion has been depicted as “king of the jungle” and “king of beasts”, and thus became a popular symbol for royalty and stateliness.

The lion prefers grassy plains and savannahs, scrub bordering rivers and open woodlands with bushes. It is absent from rainforest and rarely enters closed forest. In Eurasia, the lion once ranged from Greece to India; Herodotus reported that lions had been common in Greece in 480 BC but today it has been reduced to fragmented populations in Sub-Saharan Africa and one critically endangered population in western India.