Barbary lion

The Barbary lion was a lion population of North Africa, usually classified as part of the lion subspecies *Panthera leo leo*.

The Barbary lion was a North African population of lions, usually classified as part of the subspecies *Panthera leo leo*. It once ranged across the Maghreb region from Morocco eastward toward Egypt and is considered extinct in the wild. Surviving animals may exist in captivity, but no pure wild population remains.

Taxonomy

The Barbary lion is generally treated as a population of the lion subspecies *Panthera leo leo*. Its taxonomic status has been discussed historically, but modern references commonly place it within the lion species rather than as a separate species.

Range and habitat

Historical accounts place the Barbary lion across North Africa's Maghreb, from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco east toward Egypt. Its habitat included mountainous, forested, and coastal regions north of the Sahara.

Extinction in the wild

The Barbary lion has been considered extinct in the wild since the 20th century. Sources indicate that persecution, habitat loss, and hunting contributed to the loss of wild populations.

Captive populations

A small number of lions in captivity have been identified or claimed as Barbary lion descendants. However, available sources do not confirm the existence of a surviving pure wild population.