African Lion

Status: Vulnerable (IUCN) Endangered (US)

Size: Male: 5.6 – 8.2 ft. (Head and body) and 420 pounds, Female: 4.6 – 6 ft. (Head and body) and 280 pounds. 5.6 – 8.2 ft.

Habitat: Forest, Savanna, Shrubland, Grassland, Desert

At the Zoo: Our lion exhibit is the first large animal exhibit you will see as you enter the Zoo.

According to redlist.org administered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in 2014 the African lion with an estimated wild population of 23,000 t0 39,000 was listed as vulnerable.    A vulnerable species is one that has been categorized by the IUCN as likely to become endangered unless the circumstances that are threatening its survival and reproduction improve.  Vulnerability is mainly caused by habitat loss or destruction of the species home. 

A year later in 2015 the US Fish and Wildlife Service added the African lion to its endangered species list.  The nearly extinct lions of western and central Africa including the Asiatic lions of India, with an estimated wild population of 1,400, were listed as endangered.  Another subspecies from east and southern Africa were listed as threatened with an estimated wild population of 17,000 to 19,000 lions.  The greatest threat to African lions today is believed to be poaching for bushmeat.   

There are over 350 lions at 100 AZA accredited zoos. The African Lion SAFE Program’s goal is to increase the number of African lions in the wild through public engagement and partnering with those working on the ground in Africa. The program will offer a menu of opportunities for AZA institutions to support lion conservation though both funding opportunities and public engagement. The El Paso Zoo is helping to protect lions by sponsoring a Lion Guardian Ranger in east Africa.

Photos:
Cover and bottom. Diana Robinson, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Top: Jacob Torrey, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Middle: Alex Berger, Wikimedia Creative Commons