Why Did The Barbary Lion Go Extinct?

A lion is a large and muscular animal. Through the ages, the lion has been known as the symbol of bravery and courage. Sometimes the lion is also called the “king of the beasts”. Through the years there has been only one species of lion discovered the Panthera Leo. Some of the subspecies have been discovered of this animal. Let’s now see the characteristics of the Barbary Lion. Its history and cause of its extinction.

Barbary Lion

Through the years Barbary lion got many names in different regions including Barbary Lion, North African Lion, Egyptian Lion, and Atlas Lion. They existed on the Barbary Coast of North Africa from Morocco to Egypt. They used to live in deserts and mountains.

According to some studies, this lion was found to be closely related to the northern and western lions of Central Africa. These studies also proved that this lion didn’t have any significant difference from an Asiatic Lion. Also, the studies on the DNA of this lion declared it as no longer a distinct species.

Some of the history research says that these lions were kept by the royal families of Ethiopia and Morocco and they called them the royal lions.

Connection between Moroccan lions and Barbary lions

The connection between Moroccan lions and Barbary lions runs deep, with their historical distribution overlapping in the same region. Once found in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, was revered for its majestic appearance and played a significant role in North African folklore and culture. Due to hunting and habitat loss, They have become extinct in the wild, leaving only a few individuals surviving in captivity.

Moroccan lions are believed to be descendants of the Barbary lion population that once roamed freely throughout North Africa. The unique genetic traits of these lions point to their shared ancestry with the legendary lions. Today, efforts are being made to preserve and protect these Moroccan lions as they represent an important link to our natural heritage and serve as a reminder of the grandeur of their now-extinct counterparts. By studying and understanding this connection between Moroccan lions and Barbary, we gain insight into the complex dynamics of ecological change and human impact on wildlife populations.

Barbary Lion Size

A fully grown male lion is about 6-7 feet long, excluding the 1-metre tail. It weighs about 170-230 kg. A male lion stands 1.2 metres high at the shoulders. A female lioness is smaller compared to a male lion. Their body length is 1.5 metres and their shoulder height is 0.9-1.1 metres. A female lioness weighs about 120-180 kg.

Diet

As with other lion subspecies, these lions also eat meat. They were good hunters of the prey. They mainly hunt down deer, sheep, and wild boars. The lions that live in the Atlas Mountains tend to eat Barbary stag and gazelle. Their hunting method was never documented but according to some old resources it was stated that they kill their prey by strangulation and then share the meat with other lions in their pride as well.

Bite Force

They were more strong compared to their other subspecies. A lion usually bites with a force of 650 PSI. But the Barbary lion used to bite with a massive force of 1000 PSI. Which is way more than a normal lion. With that much bite force, they are now considered the strongest lion in the world.

Where Do Barbary Lions Live?

The studies claim that Barbarian lions lived in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa. They lived in a 1600-mile area in the Rif Mountains in Morocco, the Aures Mountains in Tunisia and the Amour ranges in Algeria. They were also found at the Barbary Coast through Libya.

Very few numbers of these lions were found in Morocco and western Algeria in the 1940s and they disappeared during a military assault on Algeria in 1958. As most of their habitat was destroyed in the assault, some of the lions survived but they were dead shortly due to lack of prey and food.

What Do Barbary Lions Look Like?

The male lions have a thick and dark mane that reaches down to their elbows. Some studies state that these names were grown due to the cold temperature in the Atlas Mountains. Like other lions, they have strong muscular bodies and are the biggest lions ever lived on the Earth.

Pride of Place in London

In the 1930s, a workman found the two lions’ skulls at the Tower of London. Later studies claim that they were pure Barbary lions from the Tower’s Royal Menagerie. Scientists dated one of them to be between 1420 and 1480, while the other was between 1280 and 1385. They were the oldest lions to be found in the UK since their extinction.

Damnatio ad Bestias

Damnatio ad Bestias is a Latin phrase meaning “the condemnation to the beasts”. Barbary Lions faced off against the gladiators in the Roman Coliseum during the Roman Empire. Thousands of lions were slaughtered every year as well a few gladiators were also killed in the process in the name of a spectator sport.

Why did the Barbary Lion Go Extinct?

Unfortunately, these lions have gone extinct in the wild. They were extinct by the year 1890 in Tunisia as human settlements evolved around the area. Hunting of the lions in the wild by humans also played a very big role in the extinction of the Barbary . In the year 1893, they also became extinct in Algeria as none were seen between 1902 and 1910. In a mountain pass in Tizi n’Tichka in the Moroccan High Atlas, the last recorded shooting of a Barbary lion took place in the year 1942.

As many Barbary lions lived in the cold weather of Atlas, the cooler temperature has also played a vital role in their extinction. Because lions are not naturally cold-weather animals, they face difficulties in cooler environments. Loss of habitat, starvation, injuries, diseases, and human hunting can be considerable causes of the extinction of any species in the wild. These lions used to share their hunted meat with other lions in their pride, so the lack of prey became a big problem for them as the lions now have to face starvation.

Fewer than 100 Barbary are remaining in captivity. Half of them are in Morocco’s Rabat Zoo.

Barbary Lion Last Photo

The last photo of the Barbary was taken in the Atlas Mountains. The photographer was Marcelin Flandrin who was a professional photographer in the French Army. The photo was taken in 1942 as it was the last shooting recorded of the Barbary lion before they went extinct. The lion in the photo could be the last of his kind as during this period they were not sighted as much.

FAQs

What was the Main Cause of the Extinction of Barbary Lions?

The lions in the wild face many problems like starvation and being hunted down by humans. All the threats collectively played a role in their extinction.

Why were the Lions Slaughtered During the Roman Empire?

Thousands of lions faced off against the gladiators and got slaughtered in the name of spectator sport during the Roman Empire.

Is the Barbary Lion Strongest of All of His Kind?

They have a bite force of 1000 PSI which is way more than a normal lion. So, they are the strongest of all lions on Earth.

Where was the Last Barbary Lion Sighted?

The last Barbary was sighted in the Atlas Mountains in the year 1942. Marcelin Flandrin took a photo of the lion as it is the last visual proof of the Barbary lion.