Belarus Lion
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Belarus Lion is a subspecies of the African Lion, thought to have evolved from escaped or released specimens in the human era after the rise of the dragons. They have not changed much from their ancestors, simply adopting thicker coats and darker coloration, adapted for the thick woodlands across the European Archipelago.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Belarus Lions are much like their African ancestors, feeding on rather similar prey. Belarus Lions hunt wild boar, deer, wild horses, elk, and occasionally moose in their native ranges. They are prone to attacking livestock, particularly around free range farms, and have on occasion attacked Centauri, Harpies, and Angels. Anything they can catch is likely to become their prey.
Like African Lions, Belarus Lions hunt in social groups called prides that are led by the most experienced females. They make use of ambush tactics, surrounding prey and separating it from others of its kind, suffocating it by biting the throat, mouth, or face. Most often they will prey on the sick, elderly, and young of large animals.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Much like African Lions, Belarus Lions are social and live in prides made up of many females and their offspring with one to two males. Most often in prides with multiple males, the males are generally siblings and do not compete, sharing mating rights with the lionesses. These males will still be hostile to other male lions, chasing them away from their territory and often sustain severe injury.
Young males are kicked out of their pride by their fathers around two years of age and will often band together with their brothers until they find a pride to take over or lionesses who have left their home pride. Generally, they will seek to find lionesses on their own rather than challenge an established pride, as the risk of dying due to their injuries is extremely high. If however, a band of brothers finds a pride led by an elderly male, they will take the risk of challenging him and ousting him from his pride. Once a pride has been taken over, males will kill any cubs under a year old to force females into heat to breed again.
Prides are typically smaller than that of the African Lion, averaging at one to two males and three to 15 females.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Although lions attacking livestock and people is not common, the Belarus Lion is often heavily punished for this and prone to being hunted in retribution. Due to their limited range, they are much more prone to having their population quickly fall due to over hunting of not only their own species but their prey as well.
Their population has seen a steady increase over the years thanks to protections put in by many European countries as well as the species, although distinct from African lions, being claimed under the protection of Sekhmet, Goddess of Lions.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The Belarus Lion is found across the European Archipelago and known to occasionally swim to other islands. They can also be found in parts of the Western Europe peninsulas and western Asia. Their species is named for the first pride discovered that was notably distinct from the African Lion, found in Belarus.
Conservation Status
Threatened
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Dark tan, brown, occasionally black with lighter cream or tan underbelly. Males sport dark brown or black manes.
Geographic Distribution
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