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If You Raise a Lion Will It Attack You? The Real Truth About Pet Lions

By Jake Willhoite · · Updated

If You Raise A Lion Will It Attack You
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Have you seen videos of people cuddling lions? They are all over YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, and they make it look like lions can be pets.

But if a person raises a lion from birth, could the lion still attack the person who raised it?

If you raise a Lion will it attack you? Yes, it can. Raising a lion from birth does not make you safe. Lions are wild animals with powerful instincts, and hand-raised lions have seriously injured and killed their owners and handlers, sometimes during play.

Here is what you should know about pet lions, including why owning one is now illegal for most people in the United States.

Let’s jump into it!

If You Raise A Lion Will It Attack You

Can Lions Be Pets?

Online photos and videos often show lions and people playing, eating and even sleeping together. After watching some of these clips, people may think lions make good pets.

They don’t. Lions are wild animals, and most of those videos show trained professionals, sanctuary staff or young cubs, not adult lions living in a home.

Can Lions be pets? No. Lions are not domesticated, and in the United States the Big Cat Public Safety Act, signed into law on December 20, 2022, bans private individuals from breeding or possessing lions and other big cats.

The law has limited exceptions, such as licensed exhibitors, accredited zoos, wildlife sanctuaries and universities. People who already owned big cats could keep them only if they registered each animal with the US Fish and Wildlife Service within 180 days and did not breed, buy or sell any more.

Even setting the law aside, lions need huge secure enclosures, large amounts of meat, specialist veterinary care, and expert handling for their entire lives.

Can Lions Be Tamed?

Lions are apex predators. The San Diego Zoo lists adult males at 330 to 570 pounds, and lions usually hunt large animals like zebra and wildebeest.

Lions can become used to people and can be trained by professionals, especially if raised from cubs. But taming is not the same as domestication.

Can Lions be tamed? A lion can get used to its handlers, but it never stops being a wild animal. Even well-known handlers and trained lions have been involved in serious attacks, so experts work with adult lions through barriers.

Lions can react suddenly to fear, pain, competition for food, or rough play that would be harmless between lions but deadly for a person.

Why Lions Should Not Be Pets?

Here are the main reasons lions should not be pets.

Too Dangerous

Lions are large and strong, with sharp claws and teeth. Even a playful swipe from a lion can seriously injure a person.

Lions can turn on familiar people without obvious warning. They can also injure or kill other animals, including dogs and cats.

Children are at special risk, because a lion may see a small, fast-moving child as prey.

Only trained professionals in properly built facilities should work with lions.

Will Burn Lots Of Money

Keeping a lion takes a lot of money. They need secure enclosures, large amounts of meat, specialist veterinary care, insurance and permits.

That is part of why ownership is limited to zoos, sanctuaries and other licensed facilities. Lions live about 17 years on average, according to the San Diego Zoo, so the costs last a long time.

Requires Lots Of Time

Lions need daily care, enrichment and enclosure cleaning, which is a full-time job. Lions also live in social groups called prides, so a lion kept alone misses out on normal social life.

How Much Does A Lion Cost?

In the United States, lions can no longer legally be sold as pets, so any offer to sell you a lion cub is a red flag.

Zoos and sanctuaries spend large sums each year on food, enclosures, staff and veterinary care for their lions.

There is also the liability. An owner can face lawsuits, fines and criminal charges if an animal escapes or injures someone.

Instead of buying a lion, you can support accredited zoos or sanctuaries that care for big cats, or groups working to protect wild lions.

How Dangerous Are Lions?

Lions can be dangerous to people and other animals. They are strong, fast predators with sharp teeth and claws.

In areas where wild lions live, people are attacked and killed every year, often where lions and people compete for space and livestock. Never approach a wild lion or lion cubs, because adults are likely nearby and will defend them.

How To Survive A Lion Attack?

What should you do if you meet a wild lion? Running is the worst choice, because it can trigger a chase, and lions are much faster than people.

Safari guides and wildlife authorities usually give similar advice:

  1. Stand your ground
  2. Retreat very slowly
  3. Clap your hands or wave your hands and face the lion while retreating to make yourself look bigger
  4. NEVER run!

Always follow the instructions of park staff and guides when you are in lion country.

How To Avoid Being Attacked By A Lion?

Like the old saying, prevention is better than cure. So, how can you avoid being attacked by a lion? Below are the simple steps:

  1. Never approach lions closely
  2. Don’t approach the lion cubs
  3. Be cautious at night if you are going to camp
  4. Never provoke a lion by scaring or shouting at them

Are Lion Cubs Dangerous?

Lion cubs are cute, and it’s easy to forget they will grow into large predators.

Are lion cubs dangerous? Cubs can still scratch and bite hard, and they grow quickly. The bigger danger in the wild is the adults nearby. Petting and photo sessions with cubs are now banned in the US, because the Big Cat Public Safety Act prohibits direct contact between the public and big cats.

Lionesses work together to hunt and help raise the cubs. The San Diego Zoo notes that males also play a role: they patrol and guard the pride’s territory, guard cubs while the lionesses hunt, and make sure cubs get enough food.

Do Lions Attack Humans For No Reason?

Lions are dangerous because of their size, strength, claws and teeth. They are dangerous to other animals and to people.

Do lions attack humans for no reason? From a person’s view it may look that way, but lions attack for reasons. They may see a person as prey, feel threatened, or be defending cubs or food. Sick, injured or hungry lions are more likely to attack people.

If you see a lion in the distance, never approach it. Also never approach a cub, even if you don’t see its mother, because she is likely close by.

Final Words

Lions are magnificent wild animals, but they are not pets. Raising a lion from birth does not make it safe, and in the United States private ownership of lions is now banned under federal law.

If you love lions, visit them at an accredited zoo, support a reputable sanctuary, or support lion conservation. The San Diego Zoo notes that lions are classified as Vulnerable, with roughly 22,000 to 25,000 left in Africa.

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