Lion Sounds

What sound does a lion make?

The lion's roar is the loudest call of any big cat — a chesty, thunderous blast that can reach 114 decibels and be heard up to 8 kilometres away. Lions roar most at dawn and dusk to claim territory, warn rival prides, and locate family members across the savanna.

A roaring session often starts with a few deep moans, builds into full roars, and finishes with a series of grunts. Lions also grunt, snarl, hiss, and — like your house cat — even meow softly to each other. But they can't purr continuously: the same throat structure that gives lions their roar takes away the purr.

About the Lion

Lions are large cats native to Africa and one small population in India. Known as the 'king of the jungle', lions are the only truly social cats, living in groups called prides. Male lions are easily recognized by their impressive manes, which serve to make them look larger and more intimidating to rivals. Lions are apex predators, primarily hunting large ungulates like wildebeest and zebra. They are mostly nocturnal, spending much of the day resting and conserving energy for nighttime hunts. Female lions do most of the hunting for the pride, while males patrol and defend the pride's territory. Lions communicate through a variety of vocalizations, including their iconic roar, as well as scent marking and body language.

Lion questions

What sound does a lion make?

Lions roar — the loudest call of any big cat, audible up to 8 km away — plus grunts, snarls, and soft moans between pride members.

Why can't lions purr?

The flexible bone in a lion's throat that lets it roar makes continuous purring impossible. Big cats that roar can't purr, and cats that purr can't roar.