Barbary Lions are a currently extinct species of Lion that once lived within the Atlas Mountains of North Africa.
Description[]
Barbary lion zoological specimens range in colour from light to dark tawny. Male lion skins had manes of varying colouration and length. Head-to-tail length of stuffed males in zoological collections varies from 2.35 to 2.8 m (7 ft 8+1⁄2 in to 9 ft 2 in), and of females around 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in). Skull size varied from 30.85 to 37.23 cm (1 ft 0.15 in to 1 ft 2.66 in). Some manes extended over the shoulder and under the belly to the elbows. The mane hair was 8 to 22 cm (3.1 in to 8.7 in) long.
In 19th century hunter accounts, the Barbary lion was claimed to be the largest lion, with a weight of wild males ranging from 270 to 300 kg (600 to 660 lb). Yet, the accuracy of such data measured in the field is questionable. Captive Barbary lions were much smaller but kept under such poor conditions that they might not have attained their full potential size and weight.
The colour and size of lions' manes was long thought to be a sufficiently distinct morphological characteristic to accord a subspecific status to lion populations. Mane development varies with age and between individuals from different regions, and is therefore not a sufficient characteristic for subspecific identification. The size of manes is not regarded as evidence for Barbary lions' ancestry. Instead, results of mitochondrial DNA research support the genetic distinctness of Barbary lions in a unique haplotype found in museum specimens that is thought to be of Barbary lion descent. The presence of this haplotype is considered a reliable molecular marker to identify captive Barbary lions. Barbary lions may have developed long-haired manes, because of lower temperatures in the Atlas Mountains than in other African regions, particularly in winter. Results of a long-term study on lions in Serengeti National Park indicate that ambient temperature, nutrition and the level of testosterone influence the colour and size of lion manes.
In Universe[]
The New Adventures of Kimba the White Lion (Jungle Emperor 1989)[]
Barbary Lions appeared numerous times within the 1989 series (or at least confirmed Barbary Lions): the Lions that live on Marody's Cliff are confirmed to be Barbary Lions specifically.
Gallery[]
