The adjective king of animals has been given to the lion, the largest felid that currently exists together with the tigers. These imposing mammals live up to their title, not only because of the masterful appearance that their size and mane give them, but also because of their strength and power when it comes to hunting, which undoubtedly also makes themexcellent predators Lions have been animals terribly affected by human impact, they practically have no natural predators, however, people have become an unfortunate evil for them, as their populations have diminished almost to the limit of total extinction.
The classification of lions has been under review for years by various groups of scientists, so in this article on our site we base ourselves on a recent one, which is still under review, but which is proposed and used by experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, who recognize two subspecies for the Panthera leo species, which are: Panthera leo leo and Panthera leo melanochaita. Do you want to know about the distribution and habitat of these animals? Continue reading and find out where lions live
Lions Distribution
Although in a very small way, lions still have a presence and are native to the following countries:
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- India
- Kenya Malawi
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
On the other hand, lions are possibly extinct in:
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Mali
- Rwanda
And its extinction has been confirmed at:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Burundi
- Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Islamic Republic of Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Libya
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Pakistan
- Saudi Arabia
- Sierra Leone
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Tunisia
- Occidental Sahara
The above information undoubtedly shows a rather unfortunate picture regarding the extinction of lions in so many areas of distribution, since the massive killing of these due to conflicts with humans and the considerable decrease in their natural prey affected this situation. Studies indicate that the former distribution areas of lions, of which many of them have disappeared, add up to around 1,811,087 km, which means a little more than 50% compared to the range in which they still exist.
Formerly, lions were distributed from North Africa and Southwest Asia to western Europe (from where according to reports extinct about 2000 years ago) and eastern India However, today, of all this population in the north, only one group remains concentrated in the Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the state of Gujarat in India.
Habitat of lions in Africa
In Africa it is possible to find the two subspecies of lions, Panthera leo leo and Panthera leo melanochaita. These animals have the characteristic of having a wide tolerance in terms of habitat, and it has been indicated that they were only absent within the Sahara desert itself and in tropical forests. Lions were identified in the mountainous areas of Bale (southeastern Ethiopia) where there are areas with elevations of more than 4,000 m, and in which ecosystems such as plains with scrub and some forests are found.
When bodies of water are present, lions tend to consume them frequently, but they are quite tolerant of their absence, since they manage to cover these requirements with the moisture of their prey, which are usually large, although there are also records that they consume certain plants that store water.
Taking into account both the regions in which they have become extinct and the current ones where lions are present, the habitats of the lions in Africa have been:
- Desert Savannas
- Savannas or plains with bushes
- Forests
- Mountainous areas
- Semi deserts
And if you're also wondering what lions eat, we'll explain it to you in this other article on Lions' diet.
Habitat of lions in Asia
In Asia only the subspecies Panthera leo leo has been identified, and its natural ecosystem in the region previously had a larger range, including the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula and Southwest Asia, however, are currently particularly restricted in India
The habitat of Asiatic lions is mainly dry deciduous forests in India; the population is concentrated, as we have mentioned, in the Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located within a nature reserve and is characterized by a tropical climate, with two well-accentuated periods of rain and drought, the first being quite humid, but the second very hot. Several areas surrounding the park are cultivated land, which is also used for raising cattle, one of the main prey that attracts lions. However, it has been reported that in Asia there are also other conservation programs that keep lions in captivity, but with very few individuals.
Conservation status of lions
The ferocity of the lions has not been enough to prevent the decline of their populations both in Africa and Asia to alarming levels, which shows us that the actions of human beings in relation to biodiversity of the planet are far from being ethical and fair with animals. There are no reasons that justify the mass killing of these, nor that of a few for alleged fun or to market their bodies or parts of them, to make trophies or objects.
Lions have been warriors, not only because of their strength, but because of their ability to live in different types of habitats, which could have worked in their favor against the impact on ecosystems, however, hunting has transcended any limits, and not even with these advantages have they been able to move significantly away from their possible total extinction. It is unfortunate that a species with a wide distribution range has been drastically reduced by human unconsciousness.
