Asiatic Lion
From Freepedia
| Asiatic Lion
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| Panthera leo persica Meyer, 1826 |
The Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) is a subspecies of lion.
The last remnant of the Asiatic Lion, which in historical times ranged from Greece to India through Persia, lives in the Gir Forest of northwestern India. About 300 lions live in a 1,412 km² (558 square miles) sanctuary in the state of Gujarat. In 1907 there were only 13 lions left in the Gir, when the Maharaj of Junagadh gave complete protection to them.
Unlike the tiger, which prefers dense forests with adequate cover, the lion inhabits the scrub-type deciduous forests. Compared to its African counterpart, the Indian lion has a scantier mane. The lion seldoms comes into contact with the tiger which also inhabits this forest. In fact, this is the sole location in the world in which the two species coexist.
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Asiatic Lions in Europe
The Asiatic lion used to live also in Europe. Aristotle and Herodotus wrote that lions were found in the Balkans in the middle of the first millenium B.C. When Xerxes advanced through Macedonia in 480 B.C., several of his baggage camels were killed by lions. Lions are believed to have died out within the borders of present-day Greece in A.D. 80-100. It remained widespread elsewhere until the mid- 1800s when the advent of firearms led to its extinction over large areas. (Guggisberg 1961) By the late 1800s the lion had disappeared from Turkey (Ustay 1990).
North African Relative
In 1968, a study on the skulls of the extinct Barbary (North African), extinct Cape, Asiatic, and African lions showed that the same skull characteristics - the very narrow postorbital bar - extisted in only the Barbary and the Asiatic lion skulls. This shows that there may have been a close relationship between the lions from Northernmost Africa and Asia. It is also believed that the South European lion that became extinct at the beginning in A.D. 80-100, could have represented the connecting link between the North African and Asiatic lions. It is believed that Barbary lions possess the same belly fold (hidden under all that mane) that appears in the Asian lions today.
External Links
- The Extinction Website
- The Extinction Website - Extinction Forum
- Preservation Station - Barbary Lions
Reference
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Guggisberg, C.A.W. 1961. Simba: the life of the lion. Howard Timmins, Cape Town.
Nowell, K. and Jackson, P. (compilers and editors) 1996. Wild Cats. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Ustay, A.H. 1990. Hunting in Turkey. BBA, Istanbul.
