LION
The lion is a mammal from the cat family. The lion is the second largest cat, after the tiger. The male lion, easily recognized by his mane, weighs between 330-500 pounds. Females range between 260-330 pounds. In the wild, lions live for around 10-14 years, while in captivity they can live over 20 years. Though they were once found throughout much of Africa, Asia and Europe, lions presently exist in the wild only in Africa and India. Lions usually hunt at night or dawn. Their prey consists mainly of large mammals, such as antelopes, gazelles, warthogs, wildebeest, buffalos and zebras, but smaller animals like hares and birds are also taken occasionally.
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Killer Whales
KILLER WHALES
KILLER WHALESThe Orca or Killer Whale is the largest species of the oceanic dolphin family. It is found in all the world's oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to warm, tropical seas. Orcas are highly social and generally travel in family groups.
Wild Orcas are usually not considered a threat to humans. There have, however, been isolated reports of captive Orcas attacking their handlers at marine theme parks.
Orcas are distinctively marked, with a black back, white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye. The Orca's large size and strength make them one of the fastest marine mammals, often reaching speeds in excess of 35 mph.
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Sea Otters
SEA OTTERS
SEA OTTERSThe Sea Otter is a large otter native to the North Pacific, from northern Japan to California. It is the heaviest of the otters. Sea Otters are built for life at sea. They have exceptionally thick, brown fur. Underneath each powerful front paw is a pouch of skin used to temporarily store food collected during extended dives to the bottom. The front paws also have retractile claws, while the hind flippers are long, broadly flattened and webbed. The fifth digit on the hind flipper is the longest, unlike that of any other mammal. This makes walking on land difficult. Sea otters have a fairly short, thick, muscular tail. They have no scent glands.
Sea otters have a highly unique eye development for mammals leading to eyesight that is three times greater than any other mammal. This enables them to see clearly and focus on objects above and below water.
Sea Otters may be either solitary or in groups called rafts when resting and cling to kelp so they do not float away while they are taking a nap.