Asiatic lion

Asian animals

Felines

Predators

Asiatic lions are a subspecies that differs from African lions in several ways. They are smaller in size, males have a shorter and sparser mane, they have larger tufts of hair on their tail and elbow, and a long flap of skin that hangs below their belly. Today, Asiatic lions also live in forested areas, unlike African lions which live on the savannah. Lions as a species are different from other felines as they live in family prides with closely related females who raise the cubs together. Young males can often be seen with their brothers but the older males are usually more solitary. The Asiatic lion is one of the most endangered mammals in the world today. The entire wild world population is found in India and consists of about 350 individuals living in an area of 1 400 square kilometres. Today, the area is a national park and great efforts have been made to improve the lions' situation. Thanks to efforts in the wild, the number of Asiatic lions has remained stable in recent years, but an epidemic or natural disaster, such as a forest fire, in their habitat could quickly wipe out the entire species. Due to the critical situation of Asiatic lions in the wild, zoos started a breeding programme for the subspecies many years ago. The zoo participates in the European breeding programme, EEP, for the conservation of the species.

CITES A