iAsiatic Lion
Female "Moti" at the Bristol Zoo.
Conservation status
Critically endangered
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Genus: Panthera Species: P. leo Subspecies: P. l. persica
Trinomial name
Panthera leo persica Meyer, 1826
Synonyms
Leo leo goojratensis (India) Leo leo persicus (Persia) Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1996x1456, 341 KB) Asiatic Lioness (Panthera leo persica), name MOTI, born Helsinki Zoo (Finland) in October 1994, arrived Bristol Zoo (England) in January 1996 Taken by Adrian Pingstone at Bristol Zoo, England, in January 2005 and released to the public domain. ... Bristol Zoo is a major UK tourist attraction in the city of Bristol in Southwest England. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn3. ... Organisms that have a conservation status of critically endangered have an extremely high risk of becoming extinct. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera Subregnum Eumetazoa Placozoa Orthonectida Rhombozoa Radiata (unranked) Ctenophora Cnidaria Bilateria (unranked) Acoelomorpha Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia Chordata Hemichordata Echinodermata Chaetognatha Xenoturbellida Superphylum Ecdysozoa Kinorhyncha Loricifera Priapulida Nematoda Nematomorpha Onychophora Tardigrada Arthropoda Superphylum Platyzoa Platyhelminthes Gastrotricha Rotifera Acanthocephala Gnathostomulida Micrognathozoa Cycliophora Superphylum Lophotrochozoa Sipuncula Nemertea Phoronida Ectoprocta Bryozoa... {{{subdivision_ranks}}} See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Orders Multituberculata (extinct) Volaticotheria (extinct) Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Australosphenida Ausktribosphenida Monotremata Subclass Eutheria (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Anagaloidea (extinct) Arctostylopida (extinct) Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Cingulata Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Dinocerata (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Leptictida (extinct) Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia... Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora IPA: (from Latin carō (stem carn-) flesh, + vorāre to devour) includes over 260 placental mammals. ... Subfamilies Felinae Pantherinae Acinonychinae Machairodontinae (extinct) The Felidae family includes lions, tigers, domestic cats, and other felines as its members. ... Species Panthera is a genus of the family Felidae (the cats), which contains four well-known species: the tiger, lion, leopard, and jaguar. ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae. ... Trinomial nomenclature is a taxonomic naming system that extends the standard system of binomial nomenclature by adding a third taxon. ... // People Meyer, Adolf (1866–1950), Swiss-born U.S. psychiatrist Meyer, Adolf (1881-1921), architect Meyer, Adolf Bernard (1840-1911), German anthropologist and ornithologist Meyer, Albert Cardinal (1903–1965), Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago Meyer, Albert (1870–1953), Swiss politician Meyer, Alfred (1891–1945), German Nazi official Meyer, Alfred Richard... The oldest surviving photograph, Nicéphore Niépce, circa 1826 1826 (MDCCCXXVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... In scientific nomenclature, synonyms are different scientific names used for a single taxon. ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ...

The Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) is a subspecies of lion. It is also known as the Indian Lion in India and even though it became recently extinct in Iran and elsewhere in middle east it is still called the Persian Lion. Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) Synonyms Felis leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae and one of four big cats in the genus Panthera. ...

The Gir Forest in the State of Gujarat, India is the last natural habitat of the 300 odd wild Asiatic Lions, plans are afoot to re-introduce some to Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in the neighboring State of Madhya Pradesh in India to ensure their longterm survival against epidemics and natural calamities.

The last remnants of the Asiatic Lion, which in historical times ranged from Caucasus to Yemen and from Macedon to present-day India through Ancient India and Iran (Persia), lives in the Gir Forest National Park of western India. About 359 lions (April 2006) 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 Nawab of Junagadh gave complete protection to them. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1058x749, 67 KB) Summary National parks and Sanctuary - Gujarat State (India) with district boundries and city marks - Self Made - w:User:Miljoshi - Jan 2006 - w:Gir Forest National Park - w:Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary Note: co-ordinates are estimated, and may... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1058x749, 67 KB) Summary National parks and Sanctuary - Gujarat State (India) with district boundries and city marks - Self Made - w:User:Miljoshi - Jan 2006 - w:Gir Forest National Park - w:Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary Note: co-ordinates are estimated, and may... The Gir National Forest is located near the southernmost point of the peninsula The Gir Forest National Park is located in the Junagadh district of Gujarat, India on 1412 kilometers2 of land. ... Gujarāt (GujarātÄ«: , IPA: ,  ) is the most industrialized state in the Republic of India with 19. ... Madhya PradeÅ›   (HindÄ«: मध्य प्रदेश, English: , IPA: ), often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. ... The Ethnolinguistic patchwork of the modern Caucasus - CIA map Russia Georgia Azerbaijan (Azer. ... Macedons regions and towns Macedon or Macedonia (from Greek ; see also List of traditional Greek place names) was the name of an ancient kingdom in the northern-most part of ancient Greece, bordering the kingdom of Epirus on the west and the region of Thrace to the east. ... Ancient India may refer to: the ancient History of India, which generally includes the ancient history of the whole Indian subcontinent the legendary Kingdoms of Ancient India in Sanskrit literature the Iron Age Mahajanapadas the Middle kingdoms of India of Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages Category: ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau (Irān - Land of the Aryans[1]) and beyond. ... The Gir National Forest is located near the southernmost point of the peninsula The Gir Forest National Park is best known as being the sole home of the Asiatic Lion. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Gujarāt (GujarātÄ«: , IPA: ,  ) is the most industrialized state in the Republic of India with 19. ... Nawab (Urdu: نواب ) was originally the subadar (provincial governor) or viceroy of a subah (province) or region of the Mughal empire. ... Junagadh is a city, in Junagadh District, in the Indian state of Gujarat. ...

Unlike the tiger, which prefers dense forests with adequate cover, the lion inhabits the scrub-type deciduous forests and open habitats. Today wild lions do not come into contact with the tiger which also lives in India, because the striped cat does not occur in the Gir region. Binomial name Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758) Distribution of tigers in 1900 (red) and 1990 (green) Synonyms Felis tigris Linnaeus, 1758 Tigris striatus Severtzov, 1858 Tigris regalis Gray, 1867 Tigers (Panthera tigris) are mammals of the Felidae family and one of four big cats in the Panthera genus. ...

Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project

Main article: Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project

Work has been going on over the past decade to establish the world's second completely removed population of the wild free ranging Asiatic Lions at the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. Conservationists, Scientists all over the world and the Central Government of India agree that this is necessary to save the last Asiatic lions from extinction due to epidemics and natural calamities in the near future. It is also very important to start a separate second population because not only it serves as a life insurance for the last surviving Asiatic Lions but it will also help to develop and maintain genetic diversity. Madhya PradeÅ›   (HindÄ«: मध्य प्रदेश, English: , IPA: ), often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. ...

Fact-sheet

Compared to its African counterpart, the males of the Indian lion have a scantier mane and a characteristic skin fold at the belly.

• Weight: Male 150-225 Kg; Female 120-160 Kg
• Length (head and body): Male 170-250 cm; Female 140-175 cm
• Length (tail): 70-105 cm
• Shoulder height: Male 100-123 cm; Female 80-107 cm
• Sexual Maturity: Male 5 years; Female 4 years
• Mating season: All year round
• Gestation period: 100-119 days
• Number of young: 1 to 6
• Birth interval: 18-26 months
• Typical diet: Deer, antelope, wild boar, buffalo
• Lifespan: 16-18 years

Other Names/ Vernacular names

• Indian Lion (English);
• Iranian / Persian Lion (English);
• Singh, Shinh / Sinh, Simha, babbar sher, untia bagh [camel tiger] (Hindi);
• sinh, sawaj (Gujarati);
• hawaj (Maldhari);
• babbar sher (Urdu);
• shir (Persian);
• lion d’Asie (French);
• Asiatischer Löwe (German);
• león de Asia (Spanish);
• leão asiático (Portuguese)

Asiatic Lions in Europe

Chandra and Moti, the asiatic lions at Bristol Zoo

Lions used to live in historic times also in Europe. Aristotle and Herodotus wrote that lions were found in the Balkans in the middle of the first millennium B.C. When King Xerxes of Persia advanced through Macedon 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. Bristol Zoo is a major UK tourist attraction in the city of Bristol in Southwest England. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... Aristotle (Greek: Aristotélēs) (384 BC – March 7, 322 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. ... Bust of Herodotus Herodotus of Halicarnassus (Greek: , Herodotos Halikarnasseus) was a Dorian Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC (484 BC - ca. ... Balkan peninsula with northwest border Isonzo-Krka-Sava The Balkans is the historic and geographic name used to describe a region of southeastern Europe. ... Xerxes (the Greek form of the Persian Khshayārsha) is the name of two Persian kings of the Achaemenid dynasty: Xerxes I, reigned 485–465 BC. Xerxes II, reigned 424 BC. Xerxes may also refer to: Xerxes, an Armenian king, killed about 212 BC by Antiochus III the Great. ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ... Macedons regions and towns Macedon or Macedonia (from Greek ; see also List of traditional Greek place names) was the name of an ancient kingdom in the northern-most part of ancient Greece, bordering the kingdom of Epirus on the west and the region of Thrace to the east. ... For other uses, see Camel (disambiguation). ...

The european population is generally considered part of the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) group, but others consider it a separate subspecies, the European lion (Panthera leo europaea). Trinomial name Panthera leo europaea The European lion (Panthera leo europaea) could be an extinct subspecies of lion that inhabited southern Europe until historic times. ...

There was also a population of the Asiatic Lion in the Caucasus mountains, which was the northernmost point of the lion range until they become extinct in the area. These lions become extinct from Armenia around the year 300 and from Azerbaijan and southwest Russia during the 10th century. In this area the lion coexisted with other Big Cats like the Caspian tiger (which survived in Caucasus until the 1920s), the Caucasian leopard and the Asiatic Cheetah, and they prey in Caucasus included the Caucasian Wisent, Caucasian Elk, aurochs, tarpan and others ungulates. 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).^[1] The last sighting of a live Asiatic Lion in Iran was in 1941 (between Shiraz and Jahrom, Fars province). In 1944, the corpse of a lioness was sighted on the banks of Karun river, Khuzestan province, Iran. There are no reliable reports from Iran after these dates. The Caucasus Mountains are a mountain system between the Black and Caspian seas in the Caucasus region, usually considered the southeastern limit of Europe. ... Events Romano-Celtic temple-mausoleum complex is constructed in Lullingstone, and also in Anderida (approximate date). ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The 1920s was a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... Trinomial name Acinonyx jubatus venaticus The Asiatic cheetah (cheetah from Hindi चीता cÄ«tā, derived from Sanskrit word chitraka meaning speckled) (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) is a rare critically endangered subspecies of the cheetah found primarily in Iran. ... Trinomial name Bison bonasus caucasicus (Turkin et Satunin, 1904) The Caucasian Wisent (Bison bonasus caucasicus) was a subspecies of Wisent that inhabited the Caucasus Mountains of Eastern Europe. ... Trinomial name Bos primigenius primigenius (Bojanus, 1827) Bos primigenius namadicus (Falconer, 1859) Bos primigenius mauretanicus (Thomas, 1881) See Ur (rune) for the rune. ... Binomial name Equus ferus Boddaert, 1785 The Tarpan, Equus ferus, was the Eurasian wild horse. ... Shiraz can refer to: Shiraz, Iran Shiraz grape/wine This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... // Introduction Fars is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Karun River passing the Iranian city of Ahvaz The Karun river is Irans longest, and only navigable, river. ... Map showing Khuzestan in Iran Domes like this are quite common in Khuzestan province. ...

History in Caucasia

Historically, the Caucasus was inhabited by three big cats: Asiatic lion,Caspian tiger, and Persian leopard. Moreover, until 15 A.D. the Armenian princes imported the Asiatic cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), tamed them, and used in high-rank hunts. The lion disappeared here in about 10 A.D. and the last tiger was shot in 1932 near Prishib village in Talis, Azerbaijan Republic. The principal reasons of their disappearance were extermination of predators and their prey and habitat destruction. Later, this tiger subspecies had vanished forever and the Asiatic lion is confined now to a single population in west India. The leopard has outlived them all, but can be wiped out if the authorities at all levels do not express more political will and support.

"Barbary Lion", a 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 - existed 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 possessed the same belly fold (hidden under their manes) that appears in the Asian lions today. 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... Trinomial name Panthera leo leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Barbary Lion Panthera leo leo is a subspecies of lion. ... Trinomial name Panthera leo melanochaitus Ch. ...

See also

• Extinction
• in-situ conservation
• Reintroduction
• Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project
• Wildlife conservation
• Ex-situ conservation

The Dodo, shown here in illustration, is an often-cited[1] example of extinction. ... In-situ conservation means on-site conservation. It is the process of protecting an endangered plant or animal species in its natural habitat, either by protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself, or by defending the species from predators. ... Reintroduction is the deliberate release of animals from captivity into the wild. ... Environmentalism is the support or involvement with the environmental movement by environmentalists. ... Ex-situ conservation means literally, off-site conservation. It is the process of protecting an endangered species of plant or animal by removing it from an unsafe or threatened habitat and placing it or part of it under the care of humans. ...

External links

Wikispecies has information related to:

Panthera leo persica

• Everything about Asiatic Lion & Gir. Website by Asiatic Lion & Gir Protection Society GALPS
• RESEARCH PAGE: Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India - Info on "Asiatic Lion" and its Genetics
• The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
• Lion (Panthera leo) from “ARKive images of life on Earth” website
• Panthera leo (lion) from “Animal Diversity Web”

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References

• Cat Specialist Group (2000). Panthera leo ssp. persica. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this subspecies is critically endangered
• ↑ Asiatic Lion Information Centre. 2001 Past and present distribution of the lion in North Africa and Southwest Asia. Downloaded on 1 June 2006 from http://www.asiatic-lion.org/distrib.html.
• S.M.Nair (English edition); Translated by O.Henry Francis (1999). Endangered Animals of India and their conservation (In Tamil). National Book Trust.
• Guggisberg, C.A.W. (1961). Simba: The Life of the Lion. Howard Timmins, Cape Town.
• Kaushik, H. 2005. Wire fences death traps for big cats. Times of India, Thursday, October 27, 2005. [2]
• 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.
• IUCN - The World Conservation Union: http://lynx.uio.no/lynx/catsgportal/cat-website/catfolk/asaleo01.htm
• Indiasite: http://www.indiasite.com/wildlife/mammals/asiaticlion.html
• RESEARCH PAGE: Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India - Info on "Asiatic Lion" and its Genetics