The African lion is powerfully built, with a broad head, thick, strong legs, and a tail tipped with a tuft of black hair. Male lions are known for their characteristic manes that frame their faces and cover their necks. The African lion is a vulnerable species, found throughout Africa, south of the Sahara. Wild populations are impacted by habitat loss, due to human activity and settlement, as well as retaliatory or pre-emptive killing to protect human life and livestock.