“World Lion Day” is celebrated on August 10 every year to raise awareness about lions and conserve their habitats. Despite being popularly known as “the king of the jungle,” lions (Panthera leo) don’t live in those landscapes, preferring grasslands, savannahs, shrublands and desert habitats instead. In India, the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) can be found at the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary.

　　Here’s what you need to know about “World Lion Day.”

　　Origins Of The Day

　　“World Lion Day” was established in 2013 by conservationists Beverly and Dereck Joubert. They recognised the need to draw attention to declining lion populations on the African continent and the threats they were facing in the wild. In 2009, they approached the National Geographic organisation and formed a partnership to create the Big Cat Initiative (BCI).

　　According to research by Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, the total population of wild lions in Africa could be estimated to be between 20,000 and 25,000 individuals in 2023, many of whom lived within small, fragmented populations. They found that of the 25 countries where African lions remain, nearly half of those nations had fewer than 250 individuals, with eight countries having only a single wild lion population. Furthermore, less than half of the 62 known wild African lion populations have over 100 lions.

　　With human-induced threats like habitat loss, prey depletion and human-wildlife conflict, lions are increasingly being pushed to the brink. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists lions as a vulnerable species as of 2023.

　　An Apex Predator

　　Throughout history, lions have been admired as a symbol of power, strength and courage. Their range extended throughout all of Africa and parts of Asia and Europe. However, this mighty species is now found only in fragments of sub-Saharan Africa, West Africa and in Gujarat state in India. Three of the five largest lion populations can be found in Tanzania.

　　Compared to other big cat species, lions are the most sociable. They live in groups called prides, which can consist of anywhere from two to 30 members, including three or four males, a dozen or more females and their offspring. Lionesses remain with the same pride for their entire lives. Male lions leave after maturing to compete for control of another pride. Within their pride, female lions act as the primary hunters and work in teams to prey on zebras, wildebeests, antelope and other large herbivores.

　　Lions are the top predators in their environment. This means they play a crucial role in keeping a healthy balance of numbers among other animals, especially herbivores like zebra and wildebeest, which in turn influences the condition of grasslands and forests. As a keystone species and apex predators, lions are crucial to the habitats they occupy.

　　About Asiatic Lions

　　Once upon a time, the Asiatic lion roamed within the state of West Bengal all the way to Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. Now, around 650 of them can be found in a tract of dry deciduous forest and open grassy scrubland in the southwestern part of the Saurashtra region of Gujarat.

　　The most striking morphological character which distinguishes Asiatic lions from their African counterparts is a longitudinal fold of skin running along the belly. Their fur ranges in colour from tawny and heavily speckled with black to sandy or buff-grey. Males have only moderate mane growth at the top of the head so that their ears are always visible.

　　Indian lions face the usual threats of poaching and habitat fragmentation. Three major roads and a railway track pass through the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. However, there has been an increase in lion populations according to WWF-India, with more than 200 lions staying out of the bounds of the national park.

　　Though human-animal conflict remains low right now, there have been cases of lions dying by falling into unguarded wells around the national park. The Asiatic lion also faces the threat of genetic inbreeding arising from a single population in one place.