--- title: "What Do Lions Eat" canonical: "https://ugandawildlifetours.com/what-do-lions-eat/" source: "https://ugandawildlifetours.com/what-do-lions-eat/" author: "admin" publisher: "Uganda Wildlife Tours" published: "2026-10-20" modified: "2026-10-20" language: "engli" image: "https://ugandawildlifetours.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/What-Do-Lions-Eat.webp" word_count: 1601 --- # What Do Lions Eat > **Summary:** What Do Lions Eat? Lion Diet, Prey & Hunting Explained What Do Lions Eat: Lions are carnivores. They eat meat, mostly from large hoofed animals. Their main prey in Africa: antelopes:wildebeest,... --- # ****What Do Lions Eat? Lion Diet, Prey & Hunting Explained**** ****What Do Lions Eat: Lions are carnivores. They eat meat, mostly from large hoofed animals.********Their main prey in Africa:****- ****antelopes:****wildebeest, Uganda kob, topi, hartebeest and impala - ****zebras**** - ****buffaloes**** - ****warthogs**** ****Lions also:****- ****eat smaller animals****when they can, such as hares, birds and rodents - ****scavenge****carcasses - ****steal kills****from hyenas, leopards and cheetahs ****How much they eat:****- An adult lion eats on average about ****5–7 kg of meat a day****. - A hungry male can eat ****far more in one meal****, often 30 kg or more. - Lions can then go ****several days without eating****. ****In Uganda,**** lions in ****Queen Elizabeth National Park**** and ****Murchison Falls National Park**** feed mainly on ****Uganda kob, buffalo, warthog and topi****. ### ****Lion Diet at a Glance**** | Feature | Details | | --- | --- | | Diet type | Carnivore (almost entirely meat) | | Favourite prey | Medium to large hoofed mammals, roughly 190–550 kg | | Typical prey in Uganda | Uganda kob, buffalo, warthog, topi, waterbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest | | Average daily intake | About 5 kg (females) to 7 kg (males) | | Largest single meal | Often 30 kg or more for a large male | | How often they eat | Every few days, with big meals then long rests | | Main hunters in the pride | Lionesses | | Hunting time | Mostly at night, at dawn and at dusk | | Water | They drink regularly when water is available, but get some moisture from prey | ## ![What Do Lions Eat](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/What-Do-Lions-Eat.webp) ## ****What Do Lions Eat in the Wild?**** ### ****Large prey: their main food**** Lions prefer animals big enough to feed the whole pride. Studies across Africa show they favour prey of roughly ****190–550 kg****. Their most common prey includes: - ****wildebeest:****the classic lion prey in East Africa’s savannahs - ****zebras**** - ****African buffaloes:****dangerous, but one buffalo feeds a whole pride - ****antelopes:****Uganda kob, topi, hartebeest, waterbuck, impala and gemsbok - ****giraffes:****occasionally, usually hunted by large prides or coalitions of males - ****warthogs:****a common, easier meal ### ****Smaller prey**** When large prey is scarce, lions take smaller animals, such as: - hares and rodents - birds, including ostrich eggs where available - reptiles, including tortoises - fish, occasionally, in flooded areas ### ****Very large prey**** In some areas, big prides hunt ****young elephants, hippos**** and even ****young rhinos****. Large males are especially likely to tackle these big, risky animals. ### ****What Do Lions Eat in Uganda?**** | Park | Main lion prey | Where to look | | --- | --- | --- | | ****Queen Elizabeth National Park**** | Uganda kob, buffalo, warthog, waterbuck | ****Kasenyi plains**** (where kob gather to breed), ****Ishasha sector**** (tree-climbing lions) | | ****Ishasha sector (Queen Elizabeth)**** | Uganda kob, topi, buffalo | Lions rest in fig and acacia trees and watch the kob below | | ****Murchison Falls National Park**** | Uganda kob, Jackson’s hartebeest, buffalo, warthog, oribi | The ****northern bank: Buligi game tracks**** | | ****Kidepo Valley National Park**** | Buffalo, zebra, hartebeest, warthog, antelope | The ****Narus Valley**** | ****The Uganda kob is the lion’s most important prey in Uganda.**** Kob gather in large numbers on open plains, especially at their breeding grounds (leks) on the ****Kasenyi plains****. That makes these plains one of the best places to watch lions hunt. Read more about the [tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/sleepy-lions-of-queen-elizabeth-national-park/) and the [Ishasha sector](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/ishasha-sector/). ### ****How Much Do Lions Eat?**** - ****Adult males****eat on average about ****7 kg of meat a day****. - ****Adult females****eat about ****5 kg a day****. - ****One big meal:****after a long gap, a large male can eat ****30 kg or more in one sitting****. That’s a large share of his body weight. - ****Feast and fast:****lions eat heavily after a kill, then rest and digest for ****several days**** before hunting again. - ****Lots of sleep:****lions rest for ****up to 20 hours a day****, which saves energy between meals. ### ****How Do Lions Hunt?**** #### ****Lionesses do most of the hunting**** In most prides, ****lionesses do the majority of hunting.**** They are lighter and faster than males, and they often hunt ****as a team****: 1. ****They stalk****close to the prey, using grass and darkness as cover. 2. ****They surround****the herd, with some lionesses circling to the sides. 3. ****They charge in a short sprint.****Lions are fast, but only over short distances. 4. ****They take the prey down,****usually with a bite to the throat or by suffocation. ****Hunting success:**** many lion hunts fail. Success rates are often around ****one in four or one in three****, depending on the prey, terrain and group size. ****Group hunts**** are more successful, especially against large prey such as buffalo. #### ****What male lions do**** Male lions ****defend the pride’s territory**** from rival males. They hunt less often, but they’re important when the prey is ****large and dangerous****, such as buffalo. Nomadic males without a pride must hunt for themselves. #### ****When lions hunt**** Lions hunt mostly ****at night****, and at ****dawn and dusk****, when it’s cooler and their night vision gives them an advantage. On safari, ****early-morning game drives**** offer the best chance of seeing lions on or near a kill. ### ****Do Lions Scavenge?**** ****Yes.**** Lions are opportunists. They: - ****eat carcasses****of animals that died from disease, drought or injury - ****steal kills from hyenas, leopards, cheetahs and wild dogs**** - ****follow vultures****circling over a carcass In some ecosystems, a significant share of a lion’s food comes from ****scavenging**** rather than hunting. ### ****Who Eats First in a Lion Pride?**** Feeding at a kill can be ****noisy and competitive****: - ****The dominant males usually eat first,****often taking the best parts, even when lionesses made the kill. - ****Lionesses****eat next. - ****Cubs****eat last. In hard times, many cubs die of starvation because adults eat before them. Lions often begin with the ****internal organs****, such as the liver, heart and kidneys, which are rich in nutrients. ### ****What Do Lion Cubs Eat?**** | Age | Diet | | --- | --- | | ****Birth to about 3 months**** | Only their mother’s milk. Lionesses in a pride may nurse each other’s cubs | | ****About 3 months**** | They start tasting meat at kills | | ****About 6–8 months**** | Mostly weaned, eating meat but still nursing sometimes | | ****About 1 year**** | They join hunts to learn | | ****About 2 years**** | Young lions can hunt for themselves | ### ****Do Lions Eat Plants?**** ****Lions don’t eat plants for food.**** They sometimes chew ****grass****, possibly to help digestion or clear hair from the stomach. They also eat the ****stomach contents**** of their prey, which contain partly digested plants. Lions get almost all their nutrition from meat. ### ****Do Lions Drink Water?**** Lions ****drink regularly**** when water is available, often after eating. They can survive for ****several days without drinking**** because they get moisture from their prey’s flesh and blood. That helps them live in dry areas such as Kidepo Valley in northern Uganda. ### ****Do Lions Eat Humans?**** ****Rarely.**** Humans aren’t natural lion prey, and most lions avoid people. Attacks can happen when: - lions are ****old, injured or sick****and can’t hunt normal prey - ****wild prey has disappeared****from an area - people ****surprise lions****at close range or approach them on foot ****On a guided safari, staying in your vehicle and following your guide’s instructions keeps you safe.**** ### ****Lions and Livestock: A Conservation Challenge in Uganda**** When wild prey is scarce, lions sometimes kill ****cattle and goats**** near park boundaries. In revenge, some herders have ****poisoned lions****, a serious threat to Uganda’s lions. In ****2018****, ****eleven lions**** were found poisoned in[Queen Elizabeth National Park](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/queen-elizabeth-national-park/), and in ****2021****, six lions were found dead in the Ishasha sector. ****Lions are listed as Vulnerable**** by the[IUCN](https://iucn.org/). Protecting their ****wild prey**** and helping communities live alongside lions are key to saving them. Tourism helps by giving local communities a share of park revenue. ### ****Where to See Lions Hunting in Uganda**** - ****Kasenyi plains, Queen Elizabeth National Park:****the best place for lions hunting Uganda kob, especially on early-morning drives. - ****Ishasha sector:****famous ****tree-climbing lions**** resting in fig trees above the plains. - ****Murchison Falls National Park:****lions on the ****northern bank game tracks****, hunting kob and hartebeest. - ****Kidepo Valley National Park:****remote lion sightings in the Narus Valley. ****Best time to see lions:**** the ****dry seasons****, ****December to February**** and ****June to September****, when grass is shorter and animals gather near water. ****Early mornings**** are best. ****See lions on safari:****- [3 Days Murchison Falls Safari](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/3-days-murchison-falls-safari/) - [5 Days Bwindi Gorillas & Queen Elizabeth Safari](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/5-days-bwindi-gorillas-and-queen-elizabeth-safari/) - [7 Days Uganda Wildlife Safari](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/7-days-uganda-wildlife-safari/) - [Big Five Safari Experience](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/big-five-safari-experience/) ![lion diet](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/What-Do-Lions-Eat.jpeg) ### ****FAQs: What Do Lions Eat?**** ****What is a lion’s favourite food?**** Medium to large hoofed animals, such as wildebeest, zebra, buffalo and antelope. In Uganda, the Uganda kob is the most important prey. ****How much meat does a lion eat a day?**** On average about 5 kg (females) to 7 kg (males), but they eat in big meals of 30 kg or more, then go days without food. ****How often do lions eat?**** Usually every few days. After a big kill, a pride may not hunt again for 2–4 days. ****Do lions eat other lions?**** Rarely. Males that take over a pride often kill the previous males’ cubs, but this is to bring the females back into breeding condition, not mainly for food. ****What eats lions?**** Adult lions have no natural predators except other lions. Cubs can be killed by hyenas, leopards and rival lions. Humans are the biggest threat to lions. ****Do lions eat elephants?**** Large prides sometimes hunt young or weak elephants, but adult elephants are usually too dangerous. ****What do lions eat in Queen Elizabeth National Park?**** Mainly Uganda kob, plus buffalo, warthog, topi and waterbuck. ### ****Plan Your Lion Safari in Uganda**** ****Uganda Wildlife Tours**** runs safaris to ****Queen Elizabeth****, [****Murchison Falls****](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/murchison-falls-national-park-entrance-fees/) and ****Kidepo Valley**** national parks, with early-morning game drives timed for the best lion sightings, including the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. [Contact us](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/contact-form/) to plan your trip, or browse our [Uganda safari tours](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/uganda-safaris/). #### ****Related Articles**** - [Tree-Climbing Lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/sleepy-lions-of-queen-elizabeth-national-park/) - [Ishasha Sector](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/ishasha-sector/) - [Queen Elizabeth National Park](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/queen-elizabeth-national-park/) - [Murchison Falls National Park](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/murchison-falls-national-park/) - [Big Five Safari Experience](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/big-five-safari-experience/) - [Endangered Animals List](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/endangered-animals-list/) --- *Source: [What Do Lions Eat](https://ugandawildlifetours.com/what-do-lions-eat/) · Published 2026-10-20 · Updated 2026-10-20* *Author: admin · Uganda Wildlife Tours*