National Geographic Documentary - King Of Africa

The BBC Natgeo Wildlife Animals documentary, "LION King at AFRICA," features the African lion, which is a member of the Felidae family and the Panthera genus. This term collectively refers to several subspecies found in Africa, with some males weighing over 250 kg (550 lb). Only the tiger is larger among living cats, excluding hybrids such as ligers. While wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in India, where an endangered population resides in and around Gir Forest National Park, their range was historically much wider. In ancient times, they lived in most of Africa, including North Africa, and across Eurasia from Greece and southeastern Europe to India. Approximately 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans. Panthera leo spelaea lived in northern and western Europe, and Panthera leo atrox lived in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru during the late Pleistocene period. The lion is now classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to a major population decline of 30-50% in its African range over two decades during the latter half of the twentieth century. Lion populations can only be sustained within designated reserves and national parks, with habitat loss and human conflicts being the most significant causes of concern. The West African lion population is particularly at risk within Africa.