Endangered Baby Lions

While most lions are not considered to be on the endangered species list, they are considered vulnerable. Lions can be put on the endangered species or vulnerable list for such reasons as infanticide, habitat destruction and issues with inbreeding, pollution and disease. Lions are also under threat of poachers who hunt them for their fur and meat.

  1. The Killing of Cubs

    • It is thought that 66 percent of cubs will die before the age of 12 months old because of starvation among the pride or being killed or eaten by a lion of a different pride. Some lions within the pride will kill cubs to encourage faster mating, while others have an instinctual fear to protect their station as head of the pride. Male cubs who escape infanticide are often cast out of the pride and forced to live alone.

    Inbreeding Issues

    • Because of the small gene pool and inbreeding, more than 70 percent of the Asiatic lion's sperm is deformed, putting the species at further risk of extinction. In Africa the two largest populations of lions number only 200 each. Biologists conclude lions must have 100 pairs of breeding lions to have sufficient genetic diversity as to not mutate the sperm.

    Hunting

    • The hunting of lion and cubs is also contributing to the vulnerability of lions. With little being done to stop the hunting of lions in Africa, the animals are at great risk. Many hunt lions for their fur and even their meat. There are some who host lion hunts for cultural reasons or sport.

    The African Lion

    • The African lion and its cubs sit just under the endangered section of the endangered animals list at "threatened," or vulnerable. There are many issues that contribute to the declining population of lions in Africa such as the spread of distemper and other diseases to the lions in the 1990s as well as hunting and human and animal competition over land.

    The Asiatic Lion

    • The Asiatic lion is found in Senegal, East Africa, Natal and Kalahari. The Asiatic lion is smaller than an African lion and can reach up to eight feet long. The hunting of Asiatic lions has reduced their population and caused them to be put on the endangered species list. Parks and sanctuaries have made attempts to stabilize the lion's population, such as the Gir Forest located in India. As of the year 2008 there were known to be 175 Asiatic lions in the sanctuary. In 2000, the Asiatic Lion became listed as "critically endangered."