In Madagascar, what species is Alex?

In Madagascar, Alex is a lion.

Alex is the central big-cat character in DreamWorks Animation’s 2005 film. He lives at the Central Park Zoo in New York City with Marty the zebra, Melman the giraffe, and Gloria the hippopotamus. Alex is accustomed to being admired by visitors and treated as the zoo’s star attraction.

His sheltered life changes when Marty leaves the zoo, prompting Alex and their friends to follow him. The group is eventually transported to Madagascar, where Alex struggles with his instincts after encountering unfamiliar wildlife and limited food.

Alex is voiced by Ben Stiller in the main Madagascar films. A common mix-up is confusing Alex with Makunga, another lion who appears in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. Makunga is a rival in the second film, while Alex is the franchise’s principal lion character.