Asiatic Lion - Data, Pictures & Videos

[Rishi]

(05-07-2020, 04:53 PM)OncaAtrox Wrote: According to the study, due to previous inbreeding Gir lions have 10 times lower testosterone than African lions. Their level of inbreeding clearly plays a role there and makes their appearance and genetics become more deteriorated than the ones in Africa, which is why imo they simply don't grow as big as they once did, and also why their morphology appears "rougher" than lions in Africa, especially if you look at their faces.

(Disclaimer: We're both speculating here, so you might be right too.)

Actually the testosterone thing may also be attributed to the same reason they appear rougher... probably the highest level of intraspecies competition among lions in the world (old post, check it out) inducing EXTREME STRESS. It is quite well known that stress is the greatest external factor that affect testosterone levels.
You may notice that Gir's lions are much more "worn out" than lions from farther outward of Greater Gir, areas recently being colonised by small number of explorer lions. This is something that needs a study on.

Regarding size there is no indication that their size has reduced or if inbreeding has any effect, which is fair, given that will be hard to determine in a study. Inbreeding simply brings out recessive faulty genes, which would make the progeny of the animal most susceptible to diseases and inherited health issues. But if you take about a dozen animals and start inbreeding them their progeny will not suddenly become smaller, rather they will retain a very static average size.
There's some British hunting records suggesting lions of Gir and west towards Afghanistan and Iran were of this size, again not particularly smaller, maybe 5-10% average (another old post on it). Lions living eastwards may have been bigger. 

@BorneanTiger @Lycaon are you guys aware of the asiatic lion body type classifications between Velar & Gadhio?.. This is nothing official, but something that goes on among the local trackers & Maldhari community of Kathiawar.

Velar is the tall, long & athletic ones, like this male who lives outside Devaliya safari.

Gadhio traits are short & stocky physique, dimensions close to a large lioness, like the Ambardi male.

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