Where Do Lions Live? Common Habitat and Regions

Although the lion (Panthera leo) is often referred to as the proverbial “king of the jungle,” jungles are not the usual habitat of these famous big cats. Furthermore, while well-known as ambassadors of African wildlife, lions have never been exclusively native to Africa. Read on to find out where lions live in the world!

Do Lions Live in the Jungle?

Lions do not live in “the jungle” but are instead most at home in savannahs and grasslands. However, lions do have a broad habitat tolerance. They can also thrive in a variety of shrublands, dry forests, semi-arid deserts, and mountainous regions with a mix of open area and cover and sufficient prey base. They rarely live in areas of closed forest or similar dense vegetation, however. Furthermore, they are also absent from high deserts, tropical rainforests, and developed areas where humans have driven them out.

Where Do Lions Live in the World?

Lions were once widely distributed across not only Africa but also parts of Southern Europe, West Asia, and South Asia. However, a combination of habitat loss, human development, and hunting have extirpated the species from most of this historic range. Today’s lion populations are scattered across the nations of Sub-Sahara Africa, with a single tiny Asiatic population persisting in India in and around Gir National Park in Gujarat, India.

Population and Habitat

Outside of protected areas, lion populations continue to decline due to habitat loss and human conflict. Scientists estimate current populations to be about 24,000 in Africa and only about 600 in Asia. The IUCN Red List currently lists the lion as Vulnerable and the Asiatic lion subspecies (P. l. leo) as Endangered.

Conclusion: Where Do Lions Live?

Lions once lived distributed across areas of Africa, Europe, and Asia. Today, the lion is only found in scattered populations across the nations of Sub-Sahara Africa, along with a single small Asiatic population in Gujarat, India. They are most at home in the savannah but are also found in a variety of habitats with a mix of open area and cover and sufficient prey base, including shrublands, dry forests, semi-arid deserts, and mountainous regions. Despite being known as the “king of the jungle,” however, you are unlikely to find any lions in tropical rainforests or areas of closed forest and dense vegetation.