Lair

"Lair" refers to a place of refuge or hiding for animals or humans.

1. Animal Lair: This term particularly applies to wild animals that use dens or hideaways for safety, rearing their young, or protection from the weather. Examples include burrows or shelters created by foxes, bears, lions, and other wildlife.
2. Human Hideout: It can also denote hideaways or refuges used by criminals or anti-social groups as their hideouts or bases of operations. In this context, a lair often implies a secret or isolated place.
3. Metaphorical Use: The term is metaphorically used, as in "a den of thieves," to describe a gathering place for individuals engaged in wrongful acts.