The Sub-Saharan Lion

The Sub-Saharan Lion is one of the worlds most well-known animal, however most people are not aware of the various subspecies of lion. A subspecies is a population of animals which, through evolution, has acquired specific characteristics which are unique to that particular population. There are various subspecies of lion, which include the Barbary or Atlas Lion, the Middle-Eastern Lion, and the Cape Lion, as well as the Asiatic Lion, which is clinging on the brink of extinction. The Barbary Lion, Middle-Eastern Lion, and the Cape Lion are all extinct. However, many scientists believe that there could be living relatives of these subspecies which are still living today, in captivity. Scientists use a special type of DNA technology to determine if a lion, which is alive today, which has similar characteristics to that of extinct subspecies, is a descendent of the original subspecies. People who wish to understand how extinct subspecies of a lion can be brought back into existence must first learn about its background, because it is an animal’s history, which give purpose to its recreation.

While there is no distinct reference to different subspecies of lion in history, it can be inferred through the location of lions throughout history, which subspecies of lion history is talking about. In the Far East the lion represents strength, power, domination, and majesty since at least 2650 B.C. Evidence for this is found in the masses of statues which have been built throughout the Far East. These statues portray the lion as a powerful animal which is often shown guarding important structures, such as temples. In Egypt lions were adored as sacred beasts. The image of a lion with the face of a human, the sphinx, is one of the most famous symbols of pharaonic Egypt.

The Greek and Roman people also showed much appreciation toward the lion, even though they did not praise it quite as highly as the Egyptians. In numerous parts of the Mediterranean lions were not only admired in sculptures, paintings, and mosaics, but they were admired in the flesh in the cages of circuses which they were then let out of in order to fight gladiators for the amusement of the crowd. The Greeks glorified them in mythological stories, such as the tale of Hercules. As Hercules’ first Labor he was challenged to kill the Nemean lion. This was no easy feat because the beast’s parentage was supernatural and it was more of a monster than an ordinary lion. He fought this lion face to face in the lions own den. He throttled the lion to death with his bare hands and as a symbol of might wore the lion’s skin as a cloak and used its jaws and head as a helmet. The spread of the Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire which followed, led to a loss of habitat for various subspecies of lion. The capture and hunting of lions for the amusement of both empires people, also led to their extinction in many parts of the world.

In prevalent parts of Europe rampant lions are presented in copious heraldic blazons as a symbol for greatness. However, this did not stop Europeans from driving lions out of their natural habitat, much like the Romans and Greeks did before them, as humans began to settle in wider areas. The lions would cost human inhabitants vast amounts of money when they would kill livestock. Humans would eventually hunt lions down and take revenge. As weapons became more advanced and people needed to expand their civilizations the lions were being killed off more rapidly than they could procreate. As time went on the sport of hunting eventually killed off a majority of the lions in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa.

In order to understand the lion as a subspecies it is important to understand each subspecies individually. The Middle-Eastern Lion, along with the European Lion which roamed southern Europe, is probably one of the subspecies of lion which was often used in the Roman and Greek circuses simply because this is the type of lion which Middle-Eastern traders would be most likely to capture. This lion is also probably