The Asiatic lion is a lion population in Gujarat, India. This population is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because of its small size and area of occupancy.
The Asiatic lion was first described in 1826 by the Austrian zoologist Johann N. Meyer who named it Felis leo persicus.[4] Until the 19th century, it occurred in eastern Turkey, Iran, Mesopotamia, and from east of the Indus River to Bengal and Narmada River in Central India.
Since the turn of the 20th century, it is restricted to the Gir Forest National Park and surrounding areas. Since 2010, the population has steadily increased In May 2015, the 14th Asiatic Lion Census was conducted over an area of about 20,000 km2 (7,700 sq mi); the lion population was estimated at 523 individuals, comprising 109 adult males, 201 adult females and 213 cubs. In August 2017, a similar census revealed 650 wild individuals.
