Why do we identify lions? By identifying each lion, we can track individuals and thus identify pride home ranges and population trends. This allows us to apply effective conservation techniques. How can lions be uniquely identified? Each lion is identifiable from the whisker spots, which are found on each side of the face in rows. We use other unique characteristics too, such as manes in males, but only the whisker spots remain unchanged throughout a lion's life. We use two rows, the reference row and the identification spots: The reference row is the top complete row of whisker spots The identification spots form an incomplete row above the reference row. There may be up to 5 spots