8 Rare Types of Lion in The world
Lions are one of the most dominant predators and sit at the top of the food chain. Sadly, their survival is under threat in today’s world.
Lions are among the top predators and are categorized as vulnerable in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Illegal poaching, loss of habitat, a decrease in prey, and human-lion conflict are the primary reasons for the decline of these magnificent animals.
While the lion species is globally considered vulnerable,
specific subpopulations are at even greater risk. Below are 8 of the rarest
subspecies of lions that still exist today.
01|The Barbary lion
The Barbary lion used to live in the Atlas Mountains of
North Africa, from Morocco to Egypt. Sadly, they are now extinct in the wild
due to uncontrolled hunting, habitat loss, and respiratory diseases.
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| Photo source: downtoearth.org.in |
Some Barbary lions may have survived in Algeria and Morocco until the mid-1960s, but today they can only be found in captivity, mostly in zoos.
These lions have thick, dark, and long manes that can vary in color and length. Their body color ranges from light to dark tawny.
Scientists believe that with a thorough and long-term plan,
Barbary lions can be reintroduced to the wild.
02|The Cape lion
The Cape lion is an extinct species of lion and is considered to be the rarest type ever. The last Cape lion to be spotted in the wild was in 1858 in South Africa, and it was shot. Another cub was captured a few decades later, but it did not survive for long.
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| Photo source: www.extinctanimals.org |
These lions had distinguishing characteristics like long black manes extending beyond the shoulders and under the belly, and large ears with black edges. They lived in the Karoo plains and around the Northern Cape region.
In 2000, specimens believed to be descendants of the Cape lion were discovered in Russia's Novosibirsk Zoo. Two of these specimens were brought to Tygerberg Zoo by John Spence, a South African zoo director.
Spence
had planned to conduct genome testing to confirm whether these specimens were
descendants of the Cape lion, but he died before he could complete his studies.
The zoo was closed in 2012, and the lions were sent to Drakenstein Lion Park.
03| The Katanga Lion
The Katanga Lion is a type of lion found in Southern and
East Africa. They can have fur that ranges in color from light buff to dark
brown. Adult males are typically between 8 feet 1 inch and 9 feet 4 inches in
length.
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| Photo Source: pixabay |
Unfortunately, this subspecies has almost become extinct in some areas where it once lived. Hunting for sport, killing out of fear, illegal trade, and loss of habitat and prey are some of the main reasons why they are in danger.
In East African countries where they live, the number of Katanga Lions has gone down a lot. However, in recent years, people have been working hard to save them.
Conservation efforts have been successful in
Namibia,Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa, and the total number of these
lions in these countries has gone up.
04|The Asiatic Lion
The Asiatic Lion is a rare type of lion that can only be found in India's Gir National Park and the surrounding area. They used to live in Saudi Arabia until the 19th century.
These lions are a bit smaller than
their African cousins, and the males have shorter, sparser, darker manes. One
of their unique features is a skin fold that runs across their belly.
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| Photo source: pixabay |
Sadly, the Asiatic Lion is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List due to its small population and restricted habitat. However, conservation efforts have helped increase the population of this rare lion.
In
2015, there were estimated to be only 523 individuals left. But five years
later, a census showed that the number had increased to 674, a 29% increase.
05| White Lion
These lions are very rare, and they were thought to be
extinct in the wild from 1992 to 2004. In the 1930s, Europeans removed them
from their natural habitat to breed them in captivity and hunt them. The gene
pool was further reduced due to trophy hunting of male lions.
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| Photo source: whitelions.org |
In 2004, the Global White Lion Protection Trust reintroduced white lions into the wild successfully.
Currently, they can be found in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and the Greater Kruger region. There are only around 13 white lions in the wild and about 300 in captivity.
06| Senegal Lion
Nikolo-Koba National Park in Senegal is home to a smaller and genetically unique population of lions. This type of lion is called the Senegalese lion or West African lion.
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| Photo source: panthera.org |
Unfortunately, this lion is on the brink of extinction, with the last remaining population living in the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, which includes three national parks in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Benin. Experts estimate that there are only between 246 and 466 lions left, which is a decrease of 99%.
However, it has been observed that these lions do not avoid hunting areas and human encounters, which makes it even more difficult to protect them.
Experts believe that the lions are attracted to these areas
because they provide high-quality habitat and plentiful water. This poses a
significant challenge to the conservation of this rare subspecies of lion.
07| Ethupian Lion
This particular subspecies of lion is distinct because it is smaller, more compact, and has large, dark manes that extend under their torso and along their belly. In 2012, scientists identified this lion species in Addis Ababa Zoo and confirmed their unique genetic makeup through DNA samples collected from captive lions.
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| Photo source: www.labmate-online.com |
The ancestors of these lions were originally captured by Haile Selassie, the former emperor of Ethiopia, and kept in a private zoo.
Later in 2016, a group of scientists discovered an entire population of these rare lions in a national park located in the north-western region of Ethiopia, near the border with Sudan.
Unfortunately, only around 100
to 200 Ethiopian lions are estimated to survive in the wild, making their
conservation a critical concer.
08| Uganda Lion
The Uganda lion, also called the Northeast Congo lion, is a
rare type of lion that can climb trees. Both adult male and female lions can
climb trees and rest on the branches.
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| Photo source : www.ugandasafariexperts.com |
These tree-climbing lions can be found in two national parks: the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda and the Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. The current population of tree-climbing lions in the Queen Elizabeth National Park is estimated to be around 20 to 30.
Unfortunately, these lions are facing many threats including
habitat loss, human interference, and snares. Even though there have been
conservation efforts to protect them, six of these unique lions were killed in
Uganda in 2021.
