The lion, with its majestic mane and the loudest growl of all the big cats, is today a vulnerable species with decreasing populations in extremely fragmented habitats. It once ranged widely throughout Africa and Eurasia; today, it’s restricted to parts of sub-Saharan Africa and one small area in western India. For World Lion Day on Aug. 10, Mongabay looks back at some of our coverage this year of the challenges that Panthera leo faces. Victims of wildlife trade Lions makes up the lion’s share of all wildcats in the legal wildlife trade, according to a report in May by Mongabay’s Alex Shaw and Spoorthy Raman. While commercial trade in the Indian lion populations isn’t permitted, it’s very much open for African lions, whose body parts can be traded legally. Shaw and Raman found that 10,401 p
World lion day: Why is the king of the savanna declining?

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