Asiatic Lions

12-04-2025

08:30 AM

1 min read

Asiatic Lions Latest News

Asiatic lions are gradually expanding their range beyond Gir forests, often crossing state borders and venturing into coastal areas like Diu Island.

About Asiatic Lions

The Asiatic lion, also known as the Persian Lion or Indian Lion, belongs to the subspecies Panthera leo persica.
It is found exclusively in India, specifically in the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat.
Once widespread across West Asia and the Middle East, the Asiatic lion has now become extinct in these regions, with India being the last refuge of this species.
Current distribution: The latest lion census (2020) by the Gujarat Forest Department records 674 lions spread across 30,000 sq km in nine districts and 53 talukas of Saurashtra.
- Due to sustained conservation, the IUCN moved the Asiatic lion from “Endangered” (2008) to Vulnerable (2025) on its Red List.

Asiatic vs African Lions

Feature	Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica)	African Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita)
Size	Slightly smaller	Generally larger
Mane	Shorter, less developed	Fuller, denser mane
Social Behaviour	Males stay with pride	Males leave pride unless mating or kill
Habitat	Dry deciduous forest (India only)	Savannas, shrublands, deserts
Distribution	Exclusive to Gir, Gujarat	Widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa
IUCN Status	Vulnerable	Vulnerable
CITES Listing	Appendix I	Appendix II
Protection in India	Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 – Schedule I	–
Major Threats	Inbreeding, diseases, habitat loss, human conflict	Hunting, habitat loss, conflict

About Gir and Girnar

Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1965 over 1,412 sq km, with an additional buffer zone of 470 sq km, totalling 1,882 sq km of protected habitat.
Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 2008, is located in the Junagadh district and covers the Girnar hills of the Saurashtra region.
It comprises dry deciduous forests, with species like teak, dhak, and acacia, and supports a diverse fauna, including Asiatic lions, leopards, Chinkara, Chousingha, and over 300 species of birds.
The Girnar Sanctuary functions as an extension habitat for lions beyond Gir National Park.

Asiatic Lions FAQs

Q1. Where are Asiatic lions found in India?
Ans. Exclusively in Gujarat’s Gir National Park, with their population rising from 523 (2015) to 674 (2020).

Q2. How do they differ from African lions?
Ans. Asiatic lions have smaller manes, a longitudinal belly fold, and live in prides of 2-3 females vs. Africa’s 4-6.

Q3. What are the major conservation challenges?
Ans. Habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, and genetic bottlenecks due to a single population.

Q4. What is Project Lion?
Ans. A 2020 initiative to create a second habitat in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno-Palpur and bolster disease management.

Source: DTE