# Numa — Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar character guide

> Numa in Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0000-i-belgian-and-arab

## Snapshot

A tawny lion whose envious glare at Tarzan's kill ignites a jungle feud of fruit-bombs, roars, and wounded feline pride.

## Who they are

Numa is the night's hungriest predator, drawn to the scent of fresh meat and the strange man-thing who squats over it with bestial growls. He has tasted human flesh before and knows it is easy prey, yet something in Tarzan's warning rumble reminds him of formidable antagonists and gives him pause. When hunger finally overwhelms caution, he charges, and Tarzan answers with a hail of hard fruit that drives him roaring from the kill — a humiliation that turns the great cat's attention toward a new scent on the wind.

## Relationships

### [Tarzan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/characters/tarzan)

_rivalry_

Numa the lion is a recurring natural adversary for Tarzan, representing the wild dangers of the jungle.

### [Jane Clayton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/characters/jane_clayton)

_rivalry_

Jane often finds herself threatened by Numa, and Tarzan must protect her from the lion's attacks.

### [Tarzan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/characters/tarzan)

_rivalry_

Numa the lion is a recurring natural adversary for Tarzan, representing the wild dangers of the jungle.

## In the story

### [III: The Call of the Jungle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/chapters/iii-the-call-of-the-jungle)

Numa the lion confronts Tarzan over the deer kill, is driven off by fruit, then attacks a witch-doctor, and is ultimately killed by Tarzan in a fierce struggle.

### [The Altar of the Flaming God](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/chapters/v-the-altar-of-the-flaming-god)

The lion that interrupts the sacrifice, causing panic among the priests and priestesses.

### [VII: The Jewel-Room of Opar](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/chapters/vii-the-jewel-room-of-opar)

The lion that attacks the temple and is killed by Tarzan.

### [Tarzan Becomes a Beast Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/chapters/xi-tarzan-becomes-a-beast-again)

A lion approaches Tarzan while he sleeps, but retreats when Tarzan rises; later Tarzan encounters a pride of seven lions.

### [La Seeks Vengeance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/chapters/xii-la-seeks-vengeance)

Mentioned in Tarzan's dream as he sleeps.

### [XIX: Jane Clayton and the Beasts of the Jungle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/chapters/xix-jane-clayton-and-the-beasts-of-the-jungle)

Kills and feeds on an ape; later charges Jane Clayton but she escapes into a tree.

### [Tarzan Recovers His Reason](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/chapters/xxii-tarzan-recovers-his-reason)

Encountered by Tarzan at the river; they drink side by side in a tense but peaceful moment.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/characters/numa
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tarzan_and_the_jewels_of_opar_se/characters