Conservation of the Asiatic Lion
Conservation of the Asiatic Lion.
The Asiatic lion, also know as Panthera leo persica, is from the Gir Forest National Park, which works closely with the Wildlife Conservation Trust who specialise in the conservation of the Asiatic lion, in dry deciduous forest and open grassy scrublands in the state of Gujarat which is located in India. The population of the Asiatic lion is over 300 and so this specie’s status is defined endangered. The Asiatic lion could once be found in Eastern Europe, Turkey, the Middle East and most of India, but, it became extinct in Europe around 100 A.D. The lion used to be found in Palestine but the population decreased around the time of The Crusades. However, the Asiatic lion remained widespread until the popular use of firearms in the mid 1800s for the sport of hunting.
In 1900, the Nawab of Junagadh, the local ruler, declared the remaining population of lions in the Gir Forest of India as protected animals. At this time the population was estimated to be around 100 but The Nawab told everyone that there were only 20 remaining to prevent people from going to the Gir to hunt them. Now the population id double this and the forest is now approaching the limit of the number of lions that it can support habitats for Asiatic lions in India are needed. One suggested location is the Barda Hills near Porbandar. The Gir miles with only the central 100 square miles completely protected as a National Park. About 7,500 Maldhari people and their 14,000 cattle live in the Forest Sanctuary, with a further 160,000 people and 100,000 cattle living within six miles of the Sanctuary. As there are so few Asiatic lions, it is necessary to manage the captive and wild populations if the species is to recover. It is essential to ensure that all the lions are pure bred and that pairs are not closely related to one another. One institution that is actively involved with this process is Bristol Zoo Gardens. To help protect the Asiatic lion from extinction,
The Asiatic lion, also know as Panthera leo persica, is from the Gir Forest National Park, which works closely with the Wildlife Conservation Trust who specialise in the conservation of the Asiatic lion, in dry deciduous forest and open grassy scrublands in the state of Gujarat which is located in India. The population of the Asiatic lion is over 300 and so this specie’s status is defined endangered. The Asiatic lion could once be found in Eastern Europe, Turkey, the Middle East and most of India, but, it became extinct in Europe around 100 A.D. The lion used to be found in Palestine but the population decreased around the time of The Crusades. However, the Asiatic lion remained widespread until the popular use of firearms in the mid 1800s for the sport of hunting.
In 1900, the Nawab of Junagadh, the local ruler, declared the remaining population of lions in the Gir Forest of India as protected animals. At this time the population was estimated to be around 100 but The Nawab told everyone that there were only 20 remaining to prevent people from going to the Gir to hunt them. Now the population id double this and the forest is now approaching the limit of the number of lions that it can support habitats for Asiatic lions in India are needed. One suggested location is the Barda Hills near Porbandar. The Gir miles with only the central 100 square miles completely protected as a National Park. About 7,500 Maldhari people and their 14,000 cattle live in the Forest Sanctuary, with a further 160,000 people and 100,000 cattle living within six miles of the Sanctuary. As there are so few Asiatic lions, it is necessary to manage the captive and wild populations if the species is to recover. It is essential to ensure that all the lions are pure bred and that pairs are not closely related to one another. One institution that is actively involved with this process is Bristol Zoo Gardens. To help protect the Asiatic lion from extinction,