A lion is a consumer. In the ecosystem, organisms are categorized based on their role in the food chain. Producers, such as plants, create their own food through photosynthesis. Consumers, like lions, rely on other organisms for their food. Decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organisms and organic waste.
Lions are carnivorous animals, meaning they eat other animals. They are classified as secondary or tertiary consumers because they prey on herbivores (primary consumers) and sometimes other carnivores. Lions do not produce their own food nor do they decompose organic matter. Instead, they play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem by controlling the population of herbivores and other prey species.