How Long Does a Lion Live? (Discovering Their Lifespan)

Lions are fascinating creatures with great strength and power. One of the things that people want to know about lions is how long they live.

If you are wondering how long a lion lives, you are in the right place. In this article, we will answer that question and provide helpful information about lions.

How Long Does a Lion Live? 

Lions are known to live for up to 20 years in the wild and even longer in captivity. In the wild, however, their lifespan is often cut short by factors such as disease, malnutrition, and hunting.

Lions in captivity often live much longer than those in the wild. In zoos, they are protected from diseases and predators, and they are also able to receive regular meals and veterinary care. As a result, captive lions often live for more than 20 years.

The oldest lion on record was a lion named Arjun. The animal rescue center in India was his home. He had never been to the wild and was bred in captivity.

There is some speculation about how old he actually was when he died, with ages suggested ranging from 26-29 years old. His death occurred on May 17th, 2018.

Zenda, living to be 25 years old in captivity before her death, is the second oldest lion. Zenda was an African lion featured at the Philadelphia Zoo in the United States. She passed away due to natural causes on December 29th, 2016.

What Are The Factors That Can Affect The Lions’ Life Span?

Lions are great predators that live in Africa and parts of Asia. In the wild, male lions typically live for 10-14 years, while females live for up to 17 years. However, when kept in captivity, such as in zoos, they often live much longer – up to 20 years or more.

So why is there such a difference in lifespan between wild and captive lions? Well, there are a number of factors that come into play.

In the wild, lions face many challenges that can lead to early death. For example, they may be killed by other animals (including lions from other pride), get sick, or starve during periods of drought. They also have to contend with humans who may hunt them for their fur or meat.

In captivity, however, lions are protected from all of these dangers. They are provided with regular meals and veterinary care, and they live in an environment where they are not under threat from other animals or humans. As a result, they often have a much longer lifespan.

How Long Do Lions Live in the Wild?

As we mentioned above, wild lions typically live for 10-14 years (for males) and up to 17 years (for females). However, their lifespan can be shortened by factors such as disease, malnutrition, and hunting.

For example, a study conducted in Tanzania found that the average lifespan of male lions was just 11.4 years. The study also found that the majority of male lions died before they reached the age of six.

Similarly, a study conducted in Kenya found that the average lifespan of female lions was just 14 years. However, nearly half of all females died before they reached the age of 10.

As you can see, in the wild, Lions don’t usually live very long. This is due to the many dangers they face, such as disease, malnutrition, and hunting.

How Long Do Lions Live in Captivity?

In captivity, such as in zoos, lions often live much longer than those in the wild. In fact, captive lions often live for more than 20 years.

They live longer than those in the wild since they are protected from all the dangers that wild lions face. For example, they are not at risk of being killed by other animals or humans, and they receive regular meals and veterinary care.