Panthera leo spp. persica
You may have never realised that lions resided outside of Africa but in fact, lions historically have roamed Europe, Asia and Africa. Unfortunately, there are only an estimated 400 Asian lions left in the wild in one small pocket of the Gir Forest, a national park in India.
Asian lions differ from African lions in that they are smaller, the males have short and darker manes and they have a thicker coat than their African counterparts. The tassel on the end of their tail is longer than that on the African lion. One of the most notable physical characteristics of the Asian lion is the longitudinal fold of skin that runs along their belly- this is absent in the African lion.
Their coat colour ranges from ruddy tawny, heavily speckled with black, to sandy or buff-grey. Like all cats they have powerful retractable claws and long sharp canine teeth.
Panthera leo spp. persica
You may have never realised that lions resided outside of Africa but in fact, lions historically have roamed Europe, Asia and Africa. Unfortunately, there are only an estimated 400 Asian lions left in the wild in one small pocket of the Gir Forest, a national park in India.
Asian lions differ from African lions in that they are smaller, the males have short and darker manes and they have a thicker coat than their African counterparts. The tassel on the end of their tail is longer than that on the African lion. One of the most notable physical characteristics of the Asian lion is the longitudinal fold of skin that runs along their belly- this is absent in the African lion.
Their coat colour ranges from ruddy tawny, heavily speckled with black, to sandy or buff-grey. Like all cats they have powerful retractable claws and long sharp canine teeth.
Today Asian lions live in the wild in the Gir forest National Park and Sanctuary in the state of Gujarat in India. The park was set up in 1965 to protect the lions.
They live between 16-18 years in the wild and up to 24 years in captivity.
The Asian lion is a carnivore, eating antelope, wild boar, buffalo and small deer. They are ambush predators using stealth to approach their prey. Then they charge, reaching a top speed of 56 kph, and either grab or knock down their prey before it outruns them. Hunting takes place at night. However, where the vegetation is thick offering good cover, it can occur during the day.
They are highly social animals and live in a group called a pride. The pride is a family unit where all of the lionesses are related.
The Asian lions can be seen in the Asian Forest Habitat in Dublin Zoo. The Asian Forest Habitat was opened in the spring of 2012.
The Asian lion and the African lion are subspecies of the same species.
Mammal
Carnivora
Asian lions spend up to 20 hours a day resting or sleeping.
The male lion is the only cat to sport a mane. It is an indication of their maturity and dominance.
The lion's roar can be heard from as far away as 8 kilometres.
Asian lions are highly social and live in a family group called a pride. The pride consists of closely related females. The adult male is more solitary and mixes with the pride for mating and feeding after a hunt. Mating is not seasonal and can take place all year round. They are polygamous - a male can mate with more than one female.
The young lion is known as a cub.
The gestation period last from 100-119 days
Between 1-6 cubs are born.
Newborn cubs typically weigh 1-2kg
Asian lions reach maturity between ages 3-4 years. Males reach sexual maturity at age 5 years and females at age 4 years.
The adult male is called a lion.
The adult female is called a lioness.
The adult male weighs between 150-250 kg
The adut female weighs between 120-182 kg
The Asian lion is listed as endangered.
Estimates put the number of Asian lions living in the wild at between 400-500.
Asian lions living in the wild are vulnerable to disease, natural disasters, forest fires, potential poaching, tourism and conflicts that may arise from living close to a growing human population that also needs the land for cattle and crops.
Dublin Zoo is part of the European Endangered Species Programme. This is a breeding programme for endangered species including the Asian lion.
The wild population is estimated to be between 500-600 individuals.
Yes. The Asian lion has been classified by IUCN as endangered.
The Gir Forest National Park and Sanctuary in Gujarat, India.
The Asian lion is listed as endangered by the IUCN.
The species is also included on CITES Appendix 1.
The Asian lion is fully protected by law in India.
There are management interventions are in place in the Gir National Park and Forest e.g. reduction in livestock grazing, control of fire and education programmes.
The Asiatic lion can be seen in the wild in the Gir National Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat, India. But they can also be seen in Zoos around the world including Dublin Zoo.
The Asian lion population has increased to the point that some (maybe as much as 1/3rd) now live outside the protected areas in surrounding farmland and hills. This has brought them into conflict with humans living in these areas. Some of the local residents kill the lions in ‘retaliation’ for attacks on livestock and out of fear of attack on humans.
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