The lion (*Panthera leo*) is a large, muscular cat native to Africa and a single relict population in India, and it is one of the most widely recognized animal symbols in human culture. As a member of the family Felidae and the genus *Panthera*, the lion is the second-largest living cat species after the tiger. Distinguished by its social behavior—unique among felids—and by the prominent mane of adult males, the lion is an apex predator and keystone species in the ecosystems it inhabits. Taxonomy and Classification The lion belongs to the order Carnivora, family Felidae, subfamily Pantherina...