The Indian lion is the only surviving lion in Asia and at the same time one of the most endangered subspecies. It once lived throughout Western Asia, Pakistan and Iran. In 1920, there were less than 20 left. Today, the population of Indian lions is estimated at 350 individuals, which live in the wild only in the Indian Gir Forest National Park. It is on the verge of extinction, especially as a result of poaching and the loss of its natural habitat. It also becomes a victim of fast-passing cars and trains. In the past, Indian lions were crossed with African subspecies in zoos. Since the 1990s, care has been taken to maintain the purebred population of Indian lions by breeding them in several European gardens, including the Ostrava Zoo since autumn 2006. It differs from the African lion by, among other things, the longitudinal lobe of freely hanging skin on the abdomen.
