Lion

Species

The IUCN recognises the Asiatic lion as a subspecies of lion. However, within Africa, different populations of lions exist (based on appearance) but DNA analysis suggests they are one species. Some researchers recognise these subpopulations as subspecies.

Panthera leo
Panthera leo persica

African lion
Asiatic lion

Population

As a species, lions are classified by the IUCN (since 1996 and last assessed in 2016) as vulnerable with an estimated 23,000 - 39,000 individuals. The Asiatic lion was last assessed in 2008 as endangered.

Size

African lions weigh from 125 - 272 kg. They stand 1.2m tall at the shoulder and are 2 - 3.3 meters in length.
Asiatic lions are smaller than African lions (110 - 190 kg and 3 metres long).

Habitat & distribution

Grassy plains and open woodlands. In the last 20 years, their population has decreased by 41%. There are 6 subpopulations: West African (critically endangered, <1,000); North east Congo (Ugandan lion); East African (Masai lion); Southwest African (Katanga lion); Southeast African (Transvaal lion) and Kalahari Lion.

Diminishing range of the lion

Lions once roamed through Europe, Asia and Africa. Now, they are only found in India (only in the Gir forest) and sub-Saharan African. One of the largest lions were found in North Africa and were called the Barbary or Atlas mountains lion. However, they were hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. Lions became extinct in Turkey at the end of the 1800s and became extinct in Iran in the 1940s.
African lions once roamed the entire African continent (except the Sahara desert) but their numbers have decreased by 94% over their historic range. Even since the 'The Lion King' movie was released in 1994, lion numbers have halved.
Reasons for the decline in numbers are numerous. The first being a decrease in availability of wild prey from hunting for the bushmeat trade. This causes lions to attack livestock instead which leads to retaliation killing from farmers (usually by poisoning). Increased human settlements result in habitat loss. Fragmentation of habitat can occur i.e. when roading or other obstructions to lions are constructed. These prevent lions from accessing prey or to find a new pride or mate. Poaching is also a major problem. Their skin, teeth, paws and claws are used in African rituals and medicine and in Asian.
Solutions include providing education and incentives for coexistence of humans with lions. Farmers can be compensated for livestock losses.
The Asiatic (or Gir lion) are found only in the Gir forest, a dry, teak wood forest. It was once a hunting ground for India's royalty but is now a protected reserve. However, there are three major roads and a railway track that pass through plus there are three temples inside the reserve. This means a large number of pilgrims flock to the temples at various times of the year. In the past, the reserve was neglected, with farmers using the forest for their livestock. The resettlement of nomadic tribal herdsmen and habitat recovery has seen the wild ungulate population increase in the last 40 years, including the lion's preferred prey of chital deer.
Unfortunately, farmers on the periphery of the reserve still pose a threat to the lion (and other wildlife) by using illegal electric fences to protect their crops and by digging uncovered wells for irrigation (lions can fall in and drown).
The Gir lion population could be as high as 674 according to the latest Lion Census in 2020. However, the scientific validity has been questioned as Covid-19 impacted the way the census was conducted. This is up from the 523 lion counted in 2015.

Diet

Lions are carnivores. They hunt their own food (zebra, gazelle, other antelope and wildebeest) 50 % of the time. The rest is made up of scavenged food from other carnivores. Lions often hunt cooperatively to enable them to take down larger prey such as buffalo, rhino, hippo and giraffes. The female does the majority of the hunting (85-90%), usually ambushing the prey. The kill is often not shared equally among the pride. Even cubs may miss out when food is scarce leading to a high mortality rate.

Interesting facts

White lions are a Southeast African or Transvaal lion with the rare recessive white fur gene. The region where these lions originate from is typically white sandy riverbeds to pale grass so their coat does help them camouflage well.

Group

Lions are the most social of the cat species. A pride of lions can comprise of 15 animals - 2 or 3 territorial males (often brothers or pride mates that will protect the females), 5-10 females and their young. Males will leave the pride when they are 3-4 years old and make try to take over another pride if they think they can overcome the dominant male. Females may stay with the pride or join another pride.

Breeding & lifespan

Gestation is about 109 days. A litter is usually two to four cubs (sometimes up to six) and cubs weigh 0.9 - 1.8 kg. The cubs are dependent on their mothers for about 2 years. However, there is a high mortality rate for younger cubs as they can be left alone all day.
In the wild, lions can live 10-18 years.

Predators & threats

Humans are the main threat to lions. Habitat loss from growing human populations & agriculture. If lions cannot access they natural prey, they will kill livestock instead. Hunting lions for trophies or for their body parts for traditional medicine remains a problem too.