1. Endangered Species: The Asiatic Lion
Erica Younkin
Period 4b
APES
homeosapianssaveyourearth.blogspot.com
thedailypingu.blogspot.com

2. Panthera leo persica

3. Description of the Asiatic Lion
Weight: kg
Height: 90 cm
Length: cm
larger tail tuft and smaller mane than African Lions
Prey on deer, antelope, wild boar, and livestock
Asiatic lions are at the top of the food chain
Only humans typically kill them

4. Where is it found? Was once found throughout Arabia, Persia, and India
Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Western Gujarat of India is the only habitat
Was once found throughout Arabia, Persia, and India
en.wikipedia.org

5. Why is it endangered? Poaching
especially as a result of conflict with humans outside of Gir Protected Area
Habitat degradation
Lions fall into wells in arable land surrounding the Gir Protected Area

6. How many individuals? There are around 300 individuals left.
If work is not done to develop a new population, the current population has a possibility of going extinct fairly quickly if a catastrophic event were to happen. However, the fact that they live in a protected area is saving them.
projectbiwan.com

7. Why are the lions important?
They are predators that keep the ecosystem in balance by killing other organisms.
indianmirror.com

8. What is being done? Gir Lion Sanctuary Project of 1972
Relocation of 50 maldhari nesses outside Gir
these are settlements of people who lived in the Gir forests and reared cattle
Some are kept in zoos and being bred to increase the population

9. What can be done? Increase range of habitat in which lions can live
Establish a second population of lions somewhere else
necessary because the single population can be affected very easily and very negatively by various events

10. How successful are the current efforts?
The population of Asiatic Lions went from a low of 180 individuals in 1974 to about 411 individuals in 2010.
Efforts are fairly successful, yet a lot of work needs to be done to make this species sustainable.

11. Sources
Asian Lion. (n.d.). National Geographic. Retrieved January 31, 2014, from
Conservation issues and WWF-India's interventions. (n.d.). WWF India. Retrieved January 31, 2014, from
Welcome to asiaticlion.org. (n.d.).Welcome to asiaticlion.org. Retrieved January 31, 2014, from