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Article: A Roar Heard in the Night.(lions have been steadily reduced in number throughout the world, and some subspecies, such as the Barbary lion, are on the verge of extinction)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Animals
- Article date:
- November 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The lion--Panthera leo--is among the most recognized wild mammals in the world. Worshiped as a god in many ancient civilizations, the lion is one of the most revered animals in human history. It seems odd, then, that this much admired beast has been systematically exterminated throughout much of its historic range.
As early as 100 A.D., no lions remained in Greece. By 1900, they were scarce in Syria. Today the few remaining Asian wild lions are limited to a small park in India. While Zaire, Angola, South Africa, and West Africa each has a subspecies of lion, most people's knowledge is limited to the African lions in Tanzania's the Serengeti National Park and in ...