History of Asian Lions in North American Collections

MonkeyBat

MonkeyBat

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
I was scrolling through Les Zoos dans le Monde (Has anyone else used this website?) And I was scrolling through some older zoo maps from San Diego Safari Park. In one I was quite intrigued to see that they mentioned Asian lions on the map, although I've never heard any mention of them being at the zoo. Even on the zoo's page on lions they never mention Asian lions at the Safari Park

As we all know, Asian lions are no existent in North American zoos, I know Winnipeg's zoo had them, but they moved to the UK I believe. Does anyone know any past Asian lions in North America. I'm curious :)
 
years ago at the Knoxville zoo in Tennessee I saw a single male lion and the sign stated it was an Indian lion.
 
US zoos had indeed a few purebred Asiatic lions decades ago. Unfortunately at some point the small population was accidentally admixed with African lions. It went so bad that eventually they had to stop breeding them and shut down the Asiatic lion program in AZA zoos completely. This continues up to the present day and is not about to change (either). Currently, the AZA SSP concentrates on breeding African lions only.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
US zoos had indeed a few purebred Asiatic lions decades ago. Unfortunately at some point the small population was accidentally admixed with African lions. It went so bad that eventually they had to stop breeding them and shut down the Asiatic lion program in AZA zoos completely. This continues up to the present day and is not about to change (either). Currently, the AZA SSP concentrates on breeding African lions only.
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It seems some what surprising that the Asiatic were allowed to breed with African lions at what level was this allowed to happen,? were there no safe guards to never allowing this to happen such as having the Asiatics at one zoo with just them only?. I recall the Western Plains zoo displaying the Asiatic only to find out later they were not pure bred I believe they were obtained from the USA, I recall they were then phased out of the collection!
 
@Zorro, it was accidental in nature in that purported Asiatic lions originating from India where actually already hybrids crossbred with African lions. Whereas some purebred Asiatic lions did enter US collections (f.i. one or another at Knoxville, TN) a substantial number were not and the consequent breeding within this population resulted in a completely hybrid group necessitating species zoo managers in AZA to discontinue the program altogether once the extent of this admixture became fully known. AZA has never considered since to restart an Asiatic lion conservation breeding program where EAZA\EEP did so (even here admixture had happened in the past which was subsequently stopped by managers decisively).
 
What is the current taxonomic status of the lion? I have heard over the years that African and Asiatic lions are separate subspecies, separate populations of one subspecies, and even separate species entirely. Is their genetic tree as controversial as the tiger? It seems there hasn't been a concrete, lasting consensus.
 
imaginarius said:
What is the current taxonomic status of the lion? I have heard over the years that African and Asiatic lions are separate subspecies, separate populations of one subspecies, and even separate species entirely. Is their genetic tree as controversial as the tiger? It seems there hasn't been a concrete, lasting consensus.
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Yes it's very complicated especially because of the poor data on Asiatic Lions but it appears they are a separate subspecies that includes Barbary Lions, but it does appear to require revision when there is better data.
 
Westcoastperson said:
Yes it's very complicated especially because of the poor data on Asiatic Lions but it appears they are a separate subspecies that includes Barbary Lions, but it does appear to require revision when there is better data.
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Interesting. So Panthera leo leo, panthera leo melanochaita, and panthera leo ____ for Asiatic lions? That seems most logical to me.
 
Assiniboine Park and Zoo in Winnipeg had a pair of Asiatic brothers for a number of years. Bhanu and Kamal arrived in 2012 from Germany's Zoologischer Garten Magdeburg and they lived in Canada for 4 years before heading to England. Bhanu to London Zoo and Kamal to Chessington Zoo where I believe both have successfully bred.
 
I know that AZA is focused solely on African Lions but any chance that the ZAA could get some Asiatics for zoos in their system of zoos? It'd be nice and then you could have Gir Nat'l Park-type exhibits with Lions, Sloth Bears, Striped Hyenas, Nilgai, Sambar Sarus Cranes, etc.... I think perhaps the EAZA wouldn't mind sending a few over to start a NA SSP.
 
Not reported above but Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago also held these false Asiatic lions and recieved publicity for a "successful" Asiatic lion birth in the 80s. That story always puzzled me as a kid until zoochat.

Sarus Crane said:
I know that AZA is focused solely on African Lions but any chance that the ZAA could get some Asiatics for zoos in their system of zoos?
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Not a chance. The AZA is not interested in new ssps right now, importing new animals is difficult and a new ssp would need a lot of institutional support; around fifteen holders to kickstart, so probably 30+ founders, when probably every major zoo already has lions that look the same to the public and breed well.

Nilgai and blackbuck have also been being phased out so the Gir will likely remain an underrepresented habitat.
 
JVM said:
Not reported above but Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago also held these false Asiatic lions and recieved publicity for a "successful" Asiatic lion birth in the 80s. That story always puzzled me as a kid until zoochat.


Not a chance. The AZA is not interested in new ssps right now, importing new animals is difficult and a new ssp would need a lot of institutional support; around fifteen holders to kickstart, so probably 30+ founders, when probably every major zoo already has lions that look the same to the public and breed well.

Nilgai and blackbuck have also been being phased out so the Gir will likely remain an underrepresented habitat.
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Guess I'll have to visit some EAZA facilities then.....
However, both were at FL Wild Safari in plentiful numbers!
 
Sarus Crane said:
Guess I'll have to visit some EAZA facilities then.....
However, both were at FL Wild Safari in plentiful numbers!
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If you mean the hoofstock, yeah, there is a lot of talk about how they survive on game farms, safari parks and private sector; but the AZA is basically discouraging facilities from including them in any new exhibit plans and such.

To clarify I would personally love to see all of these species and think a Gir exhibit would be cool, I don't mean to come off careless!
 
Sarus Crane said:
I know that AZA is focused solely on African Lions but any chance that the ZAA could get some Asiatics for zoos in their system of zoos? It'd be nice and then you could have Gir Nat'l Park-type exhibits with Lions, Sloth Bears, Striped Hyenas, Nilgai, Sambar Sarus Cranes, etc.... I think perhaps the EAZA wouldn't mind sending a few over to start a NA SSP.
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I suppose it would be possible for ZAA members to have them, they would fall under their AMP program, if they started one for Asiatic Lions, which seems dubious since they don't really have many AMP programs at all currently. Would any European or Asian zoos be willing to export a founding population to the ZAA?
 
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