Where are wild Asiatic lions found?

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A male lion — lion The distinguishing feature of a male lion (*Panthera leo*) is its mane, which makes the animal look larger and may serve to intimidate rivals or impress prospective mates.

Wild Asiatic lions are currently found only in India. Their remaining wild population is restricted to the Gir Protected Area—which includes the Gir National Park—and a few other smaller habitats located in the western Indian state of Gujarat.1

While their historical range once spanned from Turkey to India, human hunting and habitat loss led to their extirpation from other regions by the mid-20th century. Today, conservationists remain concerned about the vulnerability of this population because it is concentrated in a single, small geographic location.1