An intimate and stunning photo portrait of the last remaining Asiatic lions fighting for survival in the Indian forests
These pictures show some of the only Asiatic lions left on Earth which roam freely in a forest in India.
Taken by award-winning wildlife photographer Uri Golman they show the rare species in their natural environment in the Gir Forest in the western state of Gujarat.
There are only about 411 of the big cats, including 150 adults, left in the wild but according to scientist Dr Luke Hunter they are quickly outgrowing their habitat and one of their only chances of survival is relocation.
A rare Asiatic lioness sits with her two cubs in
India's Gir Forest - the only place on Earth where the animals roam
freely
Indian lion expert Dr Ravi Chellam has
already developed plans for the relocation to the Kuno-Palpur Wildlife
Sanctuary in a neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh.
However, the state government of Gujarat is refusing to give permission and wildlife critics have said it is because authorities are trying to protect the income brought in from tourists.
The lions are not as big as their African cousins but have longer tufts of hair and are more orange in colour. Historically they roamed Greece through to Iran and all the way to India and were used by the Romans in gladiator fights at the Colosseum.
But sadly loss of habitat and poaching has meant a dramatic decrease in numbers and the species is now endangered.
Their main source of prey is chital deer and livestock and it is one of the five major cats found in India. The others are the Bengal tiger, the Indian leopard, the snow leopard and clouded leopard.
However, the state government of Gujarat is refusing to give permission and wildlife critics have said it is because authorities are trying to protect the income brought in from tourists.
The lions are not as big as their African cousins but have longer tufts of hair and are more orange in colour. Historically they roamed Greece through to Iran and all the way to India and were used by the Romans in gladiator fights at the Colosseum.
But sadly loss of habitat and poaching has meant a dramatic decrease in numbers and the species is now endangered.
Their main source of prey is chital deer and livestock and it is one of the five major cats found in India. The others are the Bengal tiger, the Indian leopard, the snow leopard and clouded leopard.
The rare lions cubs and their mother are only
three of about 411 left in the world but thanks to conservation efforts
the population is increasing
The lions are not as big as the African species
but have longer tufts of hair than their cousins. Not many people are
aware of their existence in the wild
Historically the lions ranged from Greece
through to Iran and all the way to India and they were the big cats used
by the Romans in gladiator fights at the Colosseum
There is a population of about 411 lions in the
Gir Forest including 150 adults, but it is thought they are outgrowing
their habitat and need more space
The only chance of survival for the lions is
relocation and plans have been put in place to move some to the
Kuno-Palpur Wildlife Sanctuary in the neighboring Indian state of Madhya
Pradesh but the authorities won't allow it
The main source of prey for the cats is chital
deer and livestock but there is often conflict between the lions and
locals when this happens
It is believed the authorities will not give
permission for the relocation because the state does not want to lose
the tourist trade associated with them
The Asiatic lion is one of the five major big
cats found in India, the others being the Bengal tiger, the Indian
leopard, the snow leopard and clouded leopard
Every year tourists flock to see the rare
species of lion in India but it is hoped the species can be saved and
grow larger
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