Lions breed year-round.

Lions breed year-round. They do not mate at any specific time of the year. Lionesses are polyestrous and most of them mature and become reproductive by the time they are four years of age. As with other cats, male’s penis has spines that point backwards. As the penis is withdrawn spines rake the walls of the vagina, which causes ovulation. Mating does not restricts to one partner, a lioness can mate with more than one males when she is in heat; during mating period, which could last quite a few days, the couple copulates twenty to forty times in a single day and is even likely to forgo eating. There are instances when these animals have been observed copulating up to as many as 100 times in 24 hour period! Lions reproduce very well in captivity. One estrus out of every 5 results in a litter and lions mate roughly 2.2 times per hour for the estrus period, which may last 4 to 6 days.