Made with Xara Web Designer Renowned for their majesty, Lions possess both power and beauty. Their coats are yellow-gold, and adult males are distinguished by their magnificent manes. Males grow larger than females, reaching over ten feet in length and can weigh up to 550 pounds – 250kg. Lions have captured our imaginations for centuries. Stars of movies and characters in books, lions are the top of the African food chain. The Swahili word for lion, Simba, means "king,"   The word lion has similar meaning in our vocabulary. If you call someone lionhearted, you’re describing a courageous and brave person. If you lionize someone, you treat that person with great interest or importance. Except for a small population that exists in the Gir Forest in Northwest India, Lions now live only in Africa.  Lions are highly adaptable, they can be found from the southern fringes of the Sahara Desert, to Southern Africa, they live in a wide range of habitats, from open savannah plains, where a lion's roar can be heard up to five miles away, to thick brush and dry thorn forest. Lions are also the only cats to have a tuft at the end of their tail. This handsome and magnificent animal is in his prime, and I took great pleasure in painting the sunlight on his mane. Lions may be the Kings of the African plains, but they don't have it all their own way. Hunting can be treacherous and injuries lethal. Only one in five attempts will end successfully, Buffalo are a regular menace as they are always unpredictable and vey dangerous. Simba Link to Us Privacy Photo Gallery Guestbook 20"x24” -  51x61cm If you are interested in acquiring this painting or would like further information please contact me Acrylic on Canvas All content and artwork copyright to Stephen Gayford and may not be reproduced without permission © 2007 - 2011