Lions live on one of the world’s hottest continents, with their habitats frequently reaching temperatures of 30-40°C in the daytime. Heat puts stress on the body, and a lack of rainfall during dry seasons can mean water sources are scarce, making survival challenging. Lions, however, have a series of behaviours and adaptations that help them to get through hot weather. Let’s explore them.

Physical adaptations

Panting

Unlike humans, lions don’t sweat to get rid of excess heat. They have very few sweat glands and instead use panting to cool down. Taking fast, shallow breaths allows moisture to evaporate from the tongue, mouth and nasal passages, taking body heat with it. As new air then passes through the nasal passages, it cools the blood in the vessels there before it’s circulated back into the body.

Darker manes

A 2016 study on how male lions’ manes affect their internal temperature suggested that a thicker, darker mane may provide better heat insulation than shorter, lighter-coloured manes. Lions with darker manes - often dominant males of a pride - were observed to have cooler 24-hour mean core body temperatures compared to those with medium-coloured manes.

Hybration needs

Lions have adapted to go for long periods - often several days - without drinking water. Instead, they get most of their hydration from the prey they eat. When they make a kill, lions are not simply consuming the meat, but the water stored in the prey’s body too. That means they don’t have to visit waterholes as frequently, and  if water is scarce, they can still get the liquid they need.

Behaviour

Resting

If you’ve seen pictures in a lion book or watched a documentary about these cats, you may have noticed they spend lots of time lying down. This isn’t because they are lazy, but because resting helps them conserve energy and keep their body temperature stable in the hot sun.

Seeking shade

Just as we do, lions seek shade in the hottest parts of the day. They’ll lie under trees, dense bushes or rocky outcrops when the sun is at its highest. Trees and bushes provide the most effective shade, blocking up to 90% of solar radiation and enabling lions to lose more heat by lying on the cool, shaded beneath them. Sometimes lions even climb trees in search of a cooling breeze.

Hunting at night

Lions hunt at dawn, dusk or nighttime, when air temperatures are much cooler. Resting during the day helps them save energy for this, as hunting is a physically demanding activity, requiring concentration, speed and strength.

Interestingly, on days when lions feed, their core body temperature increases, so feeding less frequently in hotter weather may also help them to stay cooler.

See The Lion Inside

The stage adaptation of The Lion Inside book by Rachel Bright and Jim Field is returning in 2027. The show uses songs, dancing and charming puppets to bring the lion story book to life for kids aged three and up. Check out dates and book your tickets online.