Cape Lion
Encyclopedia
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 Cape Province
, in the area around Cape Town
. One of the last Cape Lions seen in the province was killed in 1858; in 1876 Czech explorer Emil Holub
bought a young lion who died two years later.
As with the Barbary lion
, several people and institutions claim to have Cape lions. In 2000, possible specimens were found in captivity in Russia
and brought to South Africa
for breeding. There is much confusion between Cape lions and other dark-coloured long-maned captive lions. Lions in captivity today have been bred and cross-bred from lions captured in Africa long ago, with examples from all of these 'subspecies'. Mixed together, hybridized, most of today's captive lions have a 'soup' of alleles from many different lions.
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Early authors justified "distinct" subspecific
status of the Cape lion because of the seemingly fixed external morphology of the lions. Males had a huge mane extending behind their shoulders and covering the belly, and the lions' ears also had distinctive black tips. However, nowadays it is known that various extrinsic factors, including the ambient temperature, influence the colour and size of a lion's mane. Results of mitochondrial DNA
research published in 2006 do not support the "distinctness" of the Cape lion. It may be that the Cape lion was only the southernmost population of the extant Southeast African lion or Transvaal lion.
belonging to the European settlers. Man-eating Cape lions were generally old lions with bad teeth, according to Ahuin Haagner in his "South African Mammals".
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 is now extinct.
Cape "black-maned" Lions ranged along the Cape
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
of 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...
on the southern tip of the continent. The Cape Lion was not the only subspecies living in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and its exact range is unclear. Its stronghold was Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
, in the area around Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. One of the last Cape Lions seen in the province was killed in 1858; in 1876 Czech explorer Emil Holub
Emil Holub
Emil Holub was a Czech physician, explorer, cartographer, and ethnographer in Africa. In a 2005 poll, he was voted #90 of the 100 greatest Czechs.-Early life:...
bought a young lion who died two years later.
As with the Barbary lion
Barbary Lion
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....
, several people and institutions claim to have Cape lions. In 2000, possible specimens were found in captivity in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and brought to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
for breeding. There is much confusion between Cape lions and other dark-coloured long-maned captive lions. Lions in captivity today have been bred and cross-bred from lions captured in Africa long ago, with examples from all of these 'subspecies'. Mixed together, hybridized, most of today's captive lions have a 'soup' of alleles from many different lions.
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...
status of the Cape lion because of the seemingly fixed external morphology of the lions. Males had a huge mane extending behind their shoulders and covering the belly, and the lions' ears also had distinctive black tips. However, nowadays it is known that various extrinsic factors, including the ambient temperature, influence the colour and size of a lion's mane. Results of 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 do not support the "distinctness" of the Cape lion. It may be that the Cape lion was only the southernmost population of the extant Southeast African lion or Transvaal lion.
Size and distinguishing characteristics
Cape Lion was the second largest and heaviest of the lion subspecies:a fully grown male could weigh 500 lbs and reach ten feet in length,this lion is distinguished by his large size and his thick black with a tawny fringe around the face. The tips of the ears were also black.Hunting and diet
Cape Lion prefer to hunting large Ungulates including antelopes, but also zebras, giraffes and buffaloes. They would also kill the donkeys and cattleCattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
belonging to the European settlers. Man-eating Cape lions were generally old lions with bad teeth, according to Ahuin Haagner in his "South African Mammals".