Asiatic Lion - Data, Pictures & Videos

[Wolverine]

"THE FAUNA OF BRITISH INDIA", 1888 edited by W.T.Blanford

about the lions of India in the second half of 19th century, after the copy-paste from pdf some parts of the text were demaged.

http://faunaofindia.nic.in/PDFVolumes/fbi/084/index.pdf

Monumental and very interesting work having the historical aroma of the British Raj

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

28. Felis leo. The Lion. 

Distribution. In India the lion is verging on extinction. There are probably a very few still living in the wild tract known as the Gir in Kattywar, and a few more in the wildest parts of Rajputana, especially Southern Jodhpur, iu Oodeypur, and around Mount Abu. About 20 years ago lions were common near Mount Abu, several were shot near Gwalior, Goona, and Kota, and a few still existed near Lalitpur, between Saugor and Jhansi. One is said to have been killed near Goona in 1873. In 1864 one was killed near Sheorajpur, 25-miles west of Allahabad; and when the railway was being made from Allahabad to Jubbulpoor, in 1866, a fine lion, with a good mane, was shot by two of the engineers near the 80th milestone from Allahabad. About 1830 lions were common near Ahmedabad. Several years previously, in the early part of the century, lions were found in Hurriana to the northward, and in Khandesh to the south, in many places in Rajputuna (one was shot in 1810 within 40 miles of Kot Deji, in Sind), and eastward us far as Rewah and Palamow. It is probable that this animal was formerly generally distributed in North-western and Central India*. I have never heard of lions in Cuteh, and suspect J erdon was mistaken in supposing thenI to be found there. Eastward and north of India the lion is not found, and almost the only part of Western Asia in which it is common is in Mesopotamia and part of South-western Persia. As is well known, this animal abounds throughout Africa. 
Varieties. For a long time it was supposed that the Indian lion was maneless, and in numerous books off natural history there are accounts of the" Maneless lion of Gllzerat" (F. leo guzrattensis, Smee, Trans. Z. S. i, p. 165, p~. xxiv; P. Z. S. 1833, p.140). It is probable that maneless male individuals may occasionally occur, and it is well known that lions in some parts of Africa, e.g. the Cape and Algeria, have longer manes than in other tracts. It is also asserted that lions inhabiting forests have shorter manes, owing to the hairs being pulled out by thorny bushes, but this is doubtful. It is certain, however, that some adult Indian lions have well-developed manes', and the typical maneless Guzerat lion in the British Museum is immature. The lion figured by Captain Smee ,,73S shot near Ahmedabad, and was a short-maned lion, similar to most Persian or Abyssinya
Habits. The habits of tigers and lions are for the most part similar, except that the tiger inhabits more wooded countries. Both animals are mainly nocturnal in their movements, sleeping in the daytime nnd wandering greatly in search of food at night. Both are excessively powerful, and able to kill large animals, such as full-grown cattle, horses, or even camels for food, and both occasionally kill men, and are greatly feared by the inhabitants of the country. Around animals of so ferocious a nature a series of myths have naturally collected, and it is difficult to unravel the true from the false in such traditions. It is not surprising that even intelligent sportsmen, finding that particular classes of natives have a singularly accurate knoledge of the haunts and habits of wild animals, should not always be able clearly to distinguish which of these habits have actually been observed, and which are merely traditional, both being equally believed in by the narrators. 
Lions are perhaps bolder than tigers, and certainly much more noisy, their habit of roaring, especially in the evening and at night, having necessarily attracted the attention of all who have been in countries infested by them. Of the two the tiger, though standing lower, is heavier in the body, and I think the more powerful animal.. In India lions feed chiefly on deer, antelopes, wild pigs, cattle, horses, donkeys, and camels, and used formerly to kill many of the latter. Whether lions usually kill their prey, as tigers do, by breaking the neck, I cannot say; in the only cow I ever saw that had been killed by a lion (in Northern Abyssinia) the vertebrm ,vera not dislocated. I also saw a lioness hold a camel by the throat for some minutes, without attempting to break its neck . Lions are more easily trained than most of the felines. They often breed in confinelnent*. The period of gestation is about 108 days, and from three to six young (in India it is said two to three) are commonly born ill one litter. The eyes are open at birth. Young lions \vant "the mane, which becomes gradually developed after the full growth is attained." Reply