Lions are one of the best known big cat species, with most living in prides in the African savannah. If you’ve ever seen lions in a zoo or on TV, you’ll probably have seen them lazing about in the sunshine. That’s because these clever cats don’t hunt during the day. Instead they sleep when the sun is at its hottest, saving their energy for nighttime, when they transform into super-stealthy hunters. To hunt effectively at night, lions need a host of special superpowers. Let’s explore them. 

Night vision

Lions’ eyes have lots of special structures inside them that allow these big cats to see really well in the dark. They have large pupils (the black circle in the centre), which expand to let as much light in as possible, as well as a high number of cells called rods. These are sensitive to light and mean that nighttime simply doesn’t look as dark to them as it does to us. Rod cells react quickly to light and shadow, helping lions to sense small movements even at nighttime. Finally, lions have a layer of cells at the back of their eyes which act like a mirror, reflecting light back through the eye. This gives the rods a second chance to absorb any light that they missed when it entered the eye. It’s this layer of cells that makes lions’ eyes appear to glow at night. 

Excellent hearing

Lions have highly sensitive hearing, which allows them to detect prey from up to a mile (1.6km) away. This is helped by ears that can rotate and pinpoint the exact direction and distance of a sound. That means they can combine this super sense with their night vision to find prey even on the darkest nights. Lions also have a huge range of hearing, being able to detect sounds of 45 Hz - 60,000 Hz. In comparison,  the human hearing range is about 20 - 20,000 Hz. Being able to hear ultrasonic frequencies (those above 20,000 Hz) means lions can hear the smallest movements in the darkness, helping them to creep up on prey unnoticed. 

Super whiskers

The final piece of the puzzle is lions’ whiskers. These are a kind of personal navigation system, helping them to track prey and sense their environment. The whiskers grow to around 12cm long and are connected to dense collections of nerves which can detect tiny changes in air currents and vibrations. This enables lions to move around with precision and even judge the width of narrow spaces when necessary. Whiskers also help lions to understand how their limbs are positioned in space. This is especially useful mid-pounce, helping them to leap accurately at their prey. 

Discover The Lion Inside

If you’re a fan of Rachel Bright and Jim Field’s book about a lion and a mouse, don’t miss The Lion Inside read aloud and accompanied by puppetry in a wonderful stage show. Touring the UK this summer, the production brings the popular book on Lion and Mouse’s adventures to life, delighting kids and grown ups alike. View the tour dates and book online today to join the adventure.