Zoo database

Lion

Panthera leo

Natural diet Lion

Vertebrates

Lions are opportunistic carnivores and their diet is very diverse with more than 40 prey species. Although having a preference for medium to large-sized prey, often smaller vertebrates are hunted for as well. Some lion groups acquire most food by hunting, while others frequently scavenge.

Feeding advice Lion

Feed quantity per day

3-5% of body weight

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 160 kg and eats 4% of its body weight, it will get

160 x 0.04 = 6.4 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

99% Meat products and whole prey
1% Supplements

Proportions (fresh product)

0.99 x 6.4 kg = 6336 g meat products and whole prey
0.01 x 6.4 kg = 64 g supplements

Diet suggestions

Additional advice

Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least one feeding moment per day.
Include at least one fasting day per week and slightly increase the diet portion on the day before.
The supplements should be given according to the appropriate dosage that is mentioned on the labelling.
To promote the oral health, it is important to offer the soft food first and then the hard food such as bones and skin.
Stimulate foraging behaviour by hanging, stacking or hiding the feed. For instance by feeding large bones, frozen food or placement in food puzzles (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

Thiamine Deficiency
Hypovitaminosis A
Secondary alimentary hyperparathyroidism

Species within this group

Panthera leo leo
Panthera leo persica

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

DK Whole Prey Supplement

DK Meat Supplement

Rabbit XL (>5 kg) - ca. 300kg

Jasper Hesselink

Production