March's Animal of the Month

Today, the vast majority of lions live in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Lions north of the Sahara Desert became extinct in the 1940s. In the 21st century, almost all lions in Asia were wiped out. Only a few survived in the Gir Forest National Park in India. However, when it was fully protected in 1907, it was estimated that there were only 13 surviving individuals of Asiatic lions. In the past, lions were found in all ecological environments except forests and polar regions. Today, their living environments have been greatly reduced.