Which lions are endangered

Carnivorous — medium and large mammals such as buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, impala, warthog and occasionally giraffe and young elephants. Broad habitat tolerance across Africa, absent only from tropical rainforest and the Sahara desert. Lion populations face a risk of extinction from numerous threats, including habitat loss due to encroachment by humans.

Livestock farmers may use poisons, rifles and snares to remove lions from their land. In addition, prey species have been depleted by the bushmeat trade, and lion populations have become increasingly fragmented as a consequence. In some countries it is still legal to shoot lions for sport. This powerful and majestic big cat has been officially classified as vulnerable.

Affected by: Habitat loss and fragmentation , Illegal wildlife trade , Human wildlife conflict , Extractives. Powerful and majestic, the king of the beasts has no natural predators. Lions are the most sociable of all big cats. They live in groups called prides, which usually consist of related females and their cubs. Dominant males, with their flowing manes a sign of virility , fight to maintain breeding rights.

Three-quarters of African lion populations are in decline. Unlike the Caspian tiger, which went extinct, the Asiatic lion eked out a home in one small area of southeastern India, in the province of Gujarat.

Only 18 lions existed in How people estimated lion populations in is beyond me. An Indian ruler used this area as his private hunting grounds, which saved the lions from persecution.

The Indian government established the Gir Forest to protect these lions in Since then, areas around the Gir Forest have been protected as well. In , the lion population was up to lions. In it was lions. The last census, in , counted lions. These lions have reached their carrying capacity within their protected habitat. This means that new lions need to move outside of protected areas, into areas more densely populated and used by humans.

About a third of the lions now live in areas among villages and people. The lions live in and around villages in India. This crowding increases the potential for human-lion conflict. While this population is currently healthy, it is still vulnerable to many risks. Canine distemper virus, which lions can contract from encounters with dogs, has begun to affect this lion population. Last year, it killed 34 lions.

This virus is very contagious and could wreak havoc on the lion population in a matter of weeks under the wrong circumstances. Also, if the Gir Forest burns or gets affected by some natural disaster, the population would be at risk because they have nowhere else to go. The next step for Indian lion conservation is to establish a second population somewhere else in the country. This way, if one population faces a large setback, it can be helped by the second population.

Eastern Africa is home to the majestic Serengeti plains. This landscape is the quintessential lion habitat. Unfortunately, lions are faring poorly in this region. Human-caused habitat loss drives much of the lion population decrease in this area. Lions also occasionally kill cattle. Cattle ranchers become irritated by wildlife threatening their livelihood and resort to dealing with the problem themselves. Over a century ago there were more than , wild lions living in Africa. Recent surveys estimate that in the last two decades, lion numbers have declined from approximately 30, to about 20, As humans develop wild habitats, lions and humans come in increasingly closer contact.

Rampant bushmeat poaching depletes prey populations and poses a threat to lions themselves; they are often caught and killed in wire snares and traps set for their prey.