Barbary Lion
Encyclopedia
The Barbary lion also known as the Atlas lion or Nubian lion, is a subspecies
of lion
that became extinct in the wild
or extinct in the 20th century.
The Barbary lion formerly ranged in North Africa
from Morocco
to Egypt
. The last known Barbary lion in the wild was shot in the Atlas Mountains
in 1922. The Barbary lion was believed to be extinct in captivity as well. However, possible Barbary lion individuals or descendants have been located in zoos and circus populations within the last three decades.
The Barbary lion is often regarded as the largest and the heaviest of the lion subspecies with estimated weights for the males of 180 to 270 kg (396.8 to 595.2 ) and for females of 120 to 180 kg (264.6 to 396.8 ). These weight ranges have been criticized for being greatly exaggerated, however, with the Barbary lion being considered to be similar in size to the lions in East Africa.
The two other primary predators of northern Africa, the Atlas bear
and Barbary leopard
, are now also extinct, and close to extinction, respectively.
, the lions kept in the menagerie
at the Tower of London
were Barbary lions, as shown by DNA testing on the two well-preserved skulls excavated at the Tower in 1937. The skulls have been radiocarbon dated to 1280-1385 AD and 1420-1480 AD. Dr Nobuyuki Yamaguchi of the Wildlife Conservation Unit at the University of Oxford said the growth of civilizations along the Nile
and in Sinai Peninsula by the beginning of the second millennium BC stopped genetic flow, thereby isolating lion populations. The lion survived in the wild in northwestern Africa in what is now current day Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco until about 100 years ago.
In the 19th century and the early 20th century Barbary lions were often kept in hotels and circus menageries. The lions in the Tower of London were transferred to more humane conditions at the London Zoo
in 1835, on the orders of the Duke of Wellington
. One famous purebred Barbary lion named "Sultan" lived in the London Zoo
in 1896.
There is also a male Barbary lion named Beemer at the Wisconsin Big Cat rescue in Rock Springs.
Another one is known from Leipzig. Currently several dozen individuals in captivity are believed to be Barbary lions: Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
has twelve specimens descended from animals owned by the King of Morocco. In addition, eleven animals believed to be Barbary lions were found in Addis Ababa
zoo, descendants of animals owned by Emperor Haile Selassie
. In addition, Zion Wildlife Gardens in New Zealand has several Barbary lions. It is thought that approximately 250 individuals are left in the world. There are supposed Barbary lions in South Africa in captivity and is part of this species conservation and are supposed to be found in some circuses around the world. Also, in 2006, a female lion named Sarabi lived at Big Cat Rescue, a wild cat santuary in Tampa, Florida. Sadly, Sarabi passed away before helping with the Barbary Lion population. Another lioness at Big Cat Rescue, Nickita, is believed to have traits of the Barbary Lion, in that she is the size of Sarabi and is almost double the size of the male lions at the sanctuary, Joseph and Cameron.
In the past scientists believed that the distinct subspecies status of the Barbary lion was established by its seemingly fixed external morphology
, particularly its heavier mane. However, it is now known that various extrinsic factors influence the color and size of all lions' manes, such as ambient temperature. As the cooler ambient temperature in European and North American zoos has been found to produce Barbary-like manes on ordinary lions, this characteristic is now considered an inappropriate marker for identifying Barbary ancestry.
Despite this, mitochondrial DNA
research published in 2006 does support the distinctness of the Barbary lions as a subspecies. The results found a unique mtDNA
haplotype
to be present in some of those museum specimens believed to be of Barbary descent. This may be a good molecular marker for identifying—and excluding—other potential Barbary lions. The mtDNA results revealed that five tested samples of lions from the famous collection of the King of Morocco are not, according to this criterion, maternally Barbary. However, in the same year, mtDNA research revealed that a lion specimen from Neuwied Zoo (which originated from the collection of the King of Morocco) is not of sub-Saharan
origin according to its mitochondrial lineage and, thus, very likely a descendant of a Barbary lion.
In 2008, in a major study published in PLOS Genetics, it was found that four "Atlas" lions from Morocco did not exhibit any unique genetic characteristics. However, the Moroccan cats shared mitochondrial haplotypes (H5 and H6) with central African lions, and together with them were part of a major mtDNA grouping (lineage III) that also included Asiatic samples. According to the authors, this scenario was in line with their theories on lion evolution. They conclude that lineage III developed in east Africa, and then travelled north and west in the first wave of lion expansions out of the region some 118,000 years ago. It apparently broke up into haplotypes H5 and H6 within Africa, and then into H7 and H8 in west Asia.
While the historical Barbary lion was morphologically distinct, its genetic uniqueness remains questionable, and the taxonomic status of surviving lions frequently considered as Barbary lions, including those that originated from the collection of the King of Morocco, is still unclear.
. Many zoos provide mating programmes, which will help to increase the population of the species.
After years of research into the science of the Barbary Lion and stories of surviving examples, WildLink International, in collaboration with Oxford University, launched their ambitious International Barbary Lion Project. They are using the very latest DNA
techniques to identify the DNA 'fingerprint' of the Barbary Lion subspecies
. WildLink International has taken bone samples from remains of Barbary Lions in museum
s across Europe
, like those in Brussels, Paris, Turin and others. These samples are returned to Oxford University where the science team is extracting the DNA sequence that identifies the Barbary as a separate subspecies.
Although the Barbary may be extinct, and is certainly extinct in the wild, WildLink International identified a handful of lions in captivity around the world that may be descended from the original Barbary Lion, like the royal lions in Temara Zoo in Rabat, Morocco
. These descendants will be tested against the DNA fingerprint and the degree of any hybridization (from crossbreeding) can then be determined. The best candidates will then enter a selective breeding program that will 'breed back
' the Barbary Lion. The final phase of the project will see the lions released into a National Park in the Atlas Mountains
of Morocco.
As of March 2010, two cubs have been moved to 'The Texas Zoo' in Victoria, Texas where efforts are being made to preserve the endangered species under the WildLink International conservation program. The two cubs are offspring of the Barbary lion couple Cleopatra and Caesar, residents at the Austin zoo in Texas. The cubs used to be named Anastasia and Memphis but were renamed Gaia and Aesa upon being moved to their current location in Victoria.
, Asiatic
, and other African lions showed that the same skull characteristics—the very narrow postorbital bar—existed in only the Barbary and the Asiatic lion skulls. This shows that there may have been a close relationship between the lions from Northernmost Africa
and Asia
. It is also believed that the South European Lion
that became extinct in 80-100 AD, could have represented the connecting link between the North African and Asiatic lions. It is believed that Barbary lions possess the same belly fold (hidden under the mane) that appears in the Asian lions today.
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
that became extinct in the wild
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct in the Wild is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa, the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.-Examples:...
or extinct in the 20th century.
The Barbary lion formerly ranged in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
from Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. The last known Barbary lion in the wild was shot in the Atlas Mountains
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains is a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The highest peak is Toubkal, with an elevation of in southwestern Morocco. The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert...
in 1922. The Barbary lion was believed to be extinct in captivity as well. However, possible Barbary lion individuals or descendants have been located in zoos and circus populations within the last three decades.
The Barbary lion is often regarded as the largest and the heaviest of the lion subspecies with estimated weights for the males of 180 to 270 kg (396.8 to 595.2 ) and for females of 120 to 180 kg (264.6 to 396.8 ). These weight ranges have been criticized for being greatly exaggerated, however, with the Barbary lion being considered to be similar in size to the lions in East Africa.
The two other primary predators of northern Africa, the Atlas bear
Atlas Bear
The Atlas Bear is an extinct subspecies of the Brown Bear, which is sometimes classified as a distinct species.-Range and description:...
and Barbary leopard
Barbary leopard
The Barbary Leopard or North African Leopard has been described originally as a separate subspecies of the leopard. It is native to the Atlas Mountains of North Africa...
, are now also extinct, and close to extinction, respectively.
Barbary lions in captivity and possible surviving individuals
The Romans used Barbary lions in the Coliseum to battle with Gladiators. In the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the lions kept in the menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
at the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
were Barbary lions, as shown by DNA testing on the two well-preserved skulls excavated at the Tower in 1937. The skulls have been radiocarbon dated to 1280-1385 AD and 1420-1480 AD. Dr Nobuyuki Yamaguchi of the Wildlife Conservation Unit at the University of Oxford said the growth of civilizations along the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
and in Sinai Peninsula by the beginning of the second millennium BC stopped genetic flow, thereby isolating lion populations. The lion survived in the wild in northwestern Africa in what is now current day Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco until about 100 years ago.
In the 19th century and the early 20th century Barbary lions were often kept in hotels and circus menageries. The lions in the Tower of London were transferred to more humane conditions at the London Zoo
London Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
in 1835, on the orders of the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
. One famous purebred Barbary lion named "Sultan" lived in the London Zoo
London Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
in 1896.
Another one is known from Leipzig. Currently several dozen individuals in captivity are believed to be Barbary lions: Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
Port Lympne Zoo
Port Lympne Wild Animal Park near the town of Hythe in Kent, England is set in and incorporates the historic mansion and landscaped gardens designed by architect Sir Herbert Baker for Sir Philip Sassoon during World War I....
has twelve specimens descended from animals owned by the King of Morocco. In addition, eleven animals believed to be Barbary lions were found in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
zoo, descendants of animals owned by Emperor Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia
Haile Selassie I , born Tafari Makonnen, was Ethiopia's regent from 1916 to 1930 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974...
. In addition, Zion Wildlife Gardens in New Zealand has several Barbary lions. It is thought that approximately 250 individuals are left in the world. There are supposed Barbary lions in South Africa in captivity and is part of this species conservation and are supposed to be found in some circuses around the world. Also, in 2006, a female lion named Sarabi lived at Big Cat Rescue, a wild cat santuary in Tampa, Florida. Sadly, Sarabi passed away before helping with the Barbary Lion population. Another lioness at Big Cat Rescue, Nickita, is believed to have traits of the Barbary Lion, in that she is the size of Sarabi and is almost double the size of the male lions at the sanctuary, Joseph and Cameron.
In the past scientists believed that the distinct subspecies status of the Barbary lion was established by its seemingly fixed external morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
, particularly its heavier mane. However, it is now known that various extrinsic factors influence the color and size of all lions' manes, such as ambient temperature. As the cooler ambient temperature in European and North American zoos has been found to produce Barbary-like manes on ordinary lions, this characteristic is now considered an inappropriate marker for identifying Barbary ancestry.
Despite this, mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
research published in 2006 does support the distinctness of the Barbary lions as a subspecies. The results found a unique mtDNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
haplotype
Haplotype
A haplotype in genetics is a combination of alleles at adjacent locations on the chromosome that are transmitted together...
to be present in some of those museum specimens believed to be of Barbary descent. This may be a good molecular marker for identifying—and excluding—other potential Barbary lions. The mtDNA results revealed that five tested samples of lions from the famous collection of the King of Morocco are not, according to this criterion, maternally Barbary. However, in the same year, mtDNA research revealed that a lion specimen from Neuwied Zoo (which originated from the collection of the King of Morocco) is not of sub-Saharan
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
origin according to its mitochondrial lineage and, thus, very likely a descendant of a Barbary lion.
In 2008, in a major study published in PLOS Genetics, it was found that four "Atlas" lions from Morocco did not exhibit any unique genetic characteristics. However, the Moroccan cats shared mitochondrial haplotypes (H5 and H6) with central African lions, and together with them were part of a major mtDNA grouping (lineage III) that also included Asiatic samples. According to the authors, this scenario was in line with their theories on lion evolution. They conclude that lineage III developed in east Africa, and then travelled north and west in the first wave of lion expansions out of the region some 118,000 years ago. It apparently broke up into haplotypes H5 and H6 within Africa, and then into H7 and H8 in west Asia.
While the historical Barbary lion was morphologically distinct, its genetic uniqueness remains questionable, and the taxonomic status of surviving lions frequently considered as Barbary lions, including those that originated from the collection of the King of Morocco, is still unclear.
The Barbary Lion Project
The former popularity of the Barbary Lion as a zoo animal provides the only hope to ever see it again in the wild in North AfricaNorth Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. Many zoos provide mating programmes, which will help to increase the population of the species.
After years of research into the science of the Barbary Lion and stories of surviving examples, WildLink International, in collaboration with Oxford University, launched their ambitious International Barbary Lion Project. They are using the very latest DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
techniques to identify the DNA 'fingerprint' of the Barbary Lion subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
. WildLink International has taken bone samples from remains of Barbary Lions in museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
s across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, like those in Brussels, Paris, Turin and others. These samples are returned to Oxford University where the science team is extracting the DNA sequence that identifies the Barbary as a separate subspecies.
Although the Barbary may be extinct, and is certainly extinct in the wild, WildLink International identified a handful of lions in captivity around the world that may be descended from the original Barbary Lion, like the royal lions in Temara Zoo in Rabat, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. These descendants will be tested against the DNA fingerprint and the degree of any hybridization (from crossbreeding) can then be determined. The best candidates will then enter a selective breeding program that will 'breed back
Breeding back
Breeding back can be described as either a natural or a human attempt to assemble or re-assemble the genes of an extinct species, subspecies or domesticated breed, which may still be present in the larger gene pool of the overall species or those of multiple interbreedable species.Breeding back is...
' the Barbary Lion. The final phase of the project will see the lions released into a National Park in the Atlas Mountains
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains is a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The highest peak is Toubkal, with an elevation of in southwestern Morocco. The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert...
of Morocco.
As of March 2010, two cubs have been moved to 'The Texas Zoo' in Victoria, Texas where efforts are being made to preserve the endangered species under the WildLink International conservation program. The two cubs are offspring of the Barbary lion couple Cleopatra and Caesar, residents at the Austin zoo in Texas. The cubs used to be named Anastasia and Memphis but were renamed Gaia and Aesa upon being moved to their current location in Victoria.
Asiatic Lion—an Asian relative
In 1968, a study on the skulls of the Barbary, extinct CapeCape Lion
The Cape Lion, Panthera leo melanochaitus, is a subspecies of lion that is now extinct.Cape "black-maned" Lions ranged along the Cape of Africa on the southern tip of the continent. The Cape Lion was not the only subspecies living in South Africa, and its exact range is unclear. Its stronghold was...
, Asiatic
Asiatic Lion
The Asiatic lion also known as the Indian lion, Persian lion and Eurasian Lion is a subspecies of lion. The only place in the wild where the lion is found is in the Gir Forest of Gujarat, India...
, and other African lions showed that the same skull characteristics—the very narrow postorbital bar—existed in only the Barbary and the Asiatic lion skulls. This shows that there may have been a close relationship between the lions from Northernmost Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It is also believed that the South European Lion
European lion
European lion could be an extinct subspecies of lion that inhabited southern Europe until historic times. This population is generally considered part of the Asiatic lion , but others consider it a separate subspecies, the European lion...
that became extinct in 80-100 AD, could have represented the connecting link between the North African and Asiatic lions. It is believed that Barbary lions possess the same belly fold (hidden under the mane) that appears in the Asian lions today.