The lion (Panthera leo) is the largest wild cat in Africa, yet populations of the 'king of the jungle' have dramatically declined by nearly half in just two decades. Historically lions occurred in sub-Saharan Africa as well as from northern Africa into southwest Asia and Europe. However only a remnant population remains in India and the present day populations only occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Unique among all wild cats, lions have a social structure as opposed to a solitary lifestyle; and males differ from females with large manes, whereas males and females of other wild cats look similar.

Lion (Panthera leo) Subspecies

Lion Lower Classifications

Historically up to eleven subspecies of lions have been described:

• Panthera leo leo
• Panthera leo azandica
• Panthera leo bleyenberghi
• Panthera leo hollisteri
• Panthera leo kamptzi
• Panthera leo krugeri
• Panthera leo massaica
• Panthera leo melanochaita
• Panthera leo nyanzae
• Panthera leo persica
• Panthera leo senegalensis

With the advent of genetic studies many of these lion subspecies fell away and up until recently lions were classified into two subspecies - the Asian lion (Panthera leo persica) and the African lion (Panthera leo leo), on which the current IUCN Red List Lion status is based:

Regionally Extinct (RE)

• Lion Panthera leo (Mediterranean - North Africa)
  

Critically Endangered (CR)

• Lion Panthera leo (West Africa)

Endangered (EN)

• Asiatic Lion Panthera leo persica (Asia)
  

Vulnerable (VU)

• Lion Panthera leo (global)
• African Lion Panthera leo leo (Africa)

However the current Felidae taxonomy revision proposes that the Asian sub-population is closely related to the lions in the northern range of Africa and the southern and eastern African lions are a distinct subspecies. Thus the lion lower classifications (or lion subspecies) at present are:

1. Panthera leo leo - Central and West Africa and India
2. Panthera leo melanochaita - Southern and Eastern Africa