Re: lion's roar?

Hi Frank and Stephen,

>I think that there was an Asian
>form of lion -- Assyrian etc reliefs often show lion-hunting scenes. My
>guess is that they were hunted into extinction to satisfy the egos of kings.

As I understand it they were almost hunted to extinction. There are a few left in gir national-park, where they live in close proximity with human cow-herders. The lions and humans tolerate each others' presence after generations of getting accustomed to each other. (The lions also snatch their cows from time to time)

"Asiatic lion

It is the only remaining habitat of the Asiatic lion, which has been confined to this forest, since 1884 ( about 239 lions were reported in 1985 ).The Asiatic lion is slightly smaller than its African cousin, nevertheless, a large male lion of the Gir is quite a sight to behold"

http://www.cultureholidays.com/wildlife/gir-national-park-and-sanctuary.htm

best regards,

/Rett