What if Lions Were Introduced into the Amazon Rainforest?

What if Lions Were Introduced into the Amazon Rainforest? The Amazon is not only the world’s largest rainforest… it’s also home to a plethora of animals. 3,000 species of fish, 1,300 species of birds, and over 420 species of mammals. So, what if we threw another mammal into the mix? What if lions were introduced into the Amazon Rainforest? Lions are not native to this area, so if they were planted into it, how would they handle it? Would they thrive or would they wither away? Lion’s Habitats Lio

ns don’t live in the Amazon. They don’t even live on the continent of South America where the Amazon is located. Let’s explore what a lion’s habitat currently looks like. Because it has some similarities to the Amazon, but also some vast differences. The biggest similarity between the majority of lions’ habitats and the Amazon is the lines of latitude. The Amazon is mainly situated in Brazil and the rest of it spans across other South American countries like Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, B

olivia, and more. The Amazon is right on the equator. It reaches about 5 degrees north of the equator and 15 degrees south of the equator. Now, let’s look at where lions live. There is a small Indian lion subspecies that lives in the Gir Forest of northwestern India. Though once upon a time, lions used to live in many parts of Asia, Europe, and Africa… they now mainly reside only in Africa. Lions mostly range from the southern parts of the Sahara desert, like Sudan and Chad, and all the way down

to the northernmost parts of South Africa. A range that is about 15 degrees north of the equator and 30 degrees south of the equator. As you can see, those lines of latitude are quite similar. Lions are no stranger to heat. But when you look at the specific climate they are used to, they don’t live right in the desert, nor do they live in rainforests. They do have a wide range of habitats in Africa, but they span from open plains to thick brush to dry thorn forest. The climate in the Amazon is

far different from that of what lions are used to, but at least there’s plenty of places for cover. So, what else do we need to know about the lion before we ship them over to the Amazon Rainforest? Details of a Lion It’s great that we know about where lions typically live, but we need to know more about them before we go moving them all over the world. Female lions will be seven to eight feet long and can weigh up to 350 pounds. Male lions will be nine to ten feet long and weigh up to 500 pound

s. Huge cats, with broad heads, strong legs, and they are just powerfully built all over. The lion is actually one of the more muscular animals in the world. Impressive sizes, right? After all, lions are the second largest cat in the world… only paling in comparison to the tiger. And for these reasons, this is why the lion is an apex predator. It is unmatched in its habitat. Yes, there are other predators, such as hyenas. But the lion is the biggest and strongest predator in all of the continent

of Africa. So, what does the apex predator of Africa eat? Lions eat primarily large animals that weigh between 100 to 1,000 pounds. Yes, even animals that are larger than them! Their favorites are zebras, gazelles, and wildebeests. If they’re having trouble finding animals of larger sizes they’ll prey on smaller animals, like rodents and reptiles If they can’t get the kill themselves, but say a hyena or a leopard does, lions have been known to steal the kill from them. That’s the advantage of b

eing an apex predator. Lions will hunt alone but also in prides. If they hunt in their pride, usually the lionesses will do the work. A lion’s strategy is to use its golden tan coloring to camouflage with the surrounding plants and landscape. They stay low… hidden. Stalking their prey and nearing closer and closer. Lions have amazing short burst speed and power, however, the prey they seek out tend to have more endurance and better long distance speed. So, lions like to get close to their prey a

nd then pounce when the time is right. Okay, we know a good deal about this apex predator in its own place. But will it be able to adapt when we relocate it? The Plunge Into The Amazon We mentioned the Amazon before occupies much of South America, between 5 degrees north of the equator and 15 degrees south of the equator roughly. But because it is a rainforest it is humid and quite warm. Lions are used to the heat but typically they deal with dry heat. The Amazon is usually around 78 degrees Fah

renheit, or 26 degrees Celsius, in the rainy season along with relative humidity being about 88%. And in the dry season it’s on average 82 degrees Fahrenheit, or 28 degrees Celsius, along with a relative humidity of about 77%. If we compare that to, say, the grasslands of Africa that have many lions, that’s far more humid. The relative humidity of the grasslands in Africa will often stay right around 70%. But the temperature of those grasslands that are often occupied by lions will usually range

between 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit, or 20 to 30 degrees Celsius. The heat shouldn’t be much of a problem for the lions, they’re used to that. But the humidity is another factor. Lions would have to adjust to a much more humid climate. Just because they don’t currently live in tropical rainforests doesn’t mean they couldn’t. It appears lions don’t quite prefer that climate, as there are tropical rainforests in Africa, but you won’t find lions there. But if forced into it, could they adapt? Lion

s do already adapt to different environments throughout Africa, so if they were placed in the Amazon, they may be able to adjust over time. But they’d have to change so much. They’d probably have to conserve more energy, what with the slightly added heat and the added humidity. However, lions have always been good at finding shade in Africa when needed, and the rainforest provides much shade from direct sunlight. That could be a benefit. Lions will sometimes go a day or two without water, only g

etting water from their food, but in the rainforest they likely wouldn’t have to go as long. Water would be more plentiful for them… this could be an advantage. More hydrated, more energy. However, lions love to use the color of their hair to blend in with their surroundings when sneaking up on prey. Much of the Amazon rainforest has lush greens and other vibrant colors. The lion may stick out in many situations. They’d have to become even stealthier, a trait they already possess. But hunting fo

r prey would become much more difficult. Speaking of prey, what kind of prey would they have in the Amazon? And who else would they be competing with over that prey? Wildlife of the Amazon For starters, lions are not going to want to go to the Amazon if there isn’t food for them to eat. Well, they don’t have the options of zebras or wildebeests or anything like that. But there are capybaras, the world’s largest rodent. Clocking in at about 150 pounds, that could make a decent snack for the lion.

How about wild boars which generally weigh around 200 pounds? That could be a good meal for the lion. And then, probably the animal that the lion would most want to make a meal out of would be the lowland tapir. They’re usually between 330 to 660 pounds! That’s a great meal for the lion and all of these animals would likely be decent targets for the lion. Let’s not forget, in tough times, lions may resort to eating smaller rodents and reptiles. And we know the Amazon has plenty of reptiles, esp

ecially snakes. But are we sure the snakes are going to be prey or might they be predators? Well, there is the green anaconda which can get up to 30 feet long and 550 pounds. Likely the lion won’t be trying to make a meal of that predator. It would be best to avoid it. And there are some other apex predators in the Amazon that the lion would need to keep its head on a swivel for. In the water there are 8-foot long electric eels and bull sharks that can weigh between 200 to 300 pounds. So, there’

s more water available for the lion in the Amazon, but the water isn’t perfectly safe. It’s ruled by plenty of vicious creatures. And transitioning between the land and water is the black caiman. 16 to 20 feet long and about 1,000 pounds! We know lions sometimes take down prey that is 1,000 pounds, but nothing like a black caiman! A lion would likely not want to tangle with a black caiman, that fight could go either way. And on the land, the other big predator of the Amazon is the jaguar. Ah, a

fellow cat. A smaller cat. Yes, the jaguar is the world’s third largest cat… the lion is the second largest. So, if another big cat exists in the Amazon, so could the lion. And just like the lion does with other predators back home in Africa, he could steal their kills like he does with the hyenas, but he could also just exert his dominance over them. Lions rule the lands of Africa. If dropped into the Amazon, theoretically, they could rule the lands there too. They’d be smart to steer clear of

the water if it wasn’t for a quick drink. But lions would also need a heavy transition period to acclimate. The humidity would be a big factor. It’s not even a certainty they’d fully adjust. But if they did, they’d still have to adapt their hunting technique, what with their coloring not blending in with their surroundings as well anymore. It would be a large adjustment period for a lion in the Amazon, but we’ve seen lions thrive where they currently are. Let’s not put anything past them.