Tag: Cats

Only known photo of a live Cape Lion
The only known photograph of the Cape lion, which went extinct in the mid-19th century. The only known photograph of the Cape lion, which went extinct in the mid-19th century. The only known photograph of the Cape lion, which went extinct in the mid-19th century. (© See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Study Questions the Myth of the Extinct Cape Lion as a Distinct Subspecies

A study published yesterday in Scientific Reports questions the taxonomic status of the Cape lion (Panthera leo melanochaita), which was driven to extinction around 1860. For a long time, this large cat was considered a distinct subspecies, characterized by its striking black mane that extended over its shoulders and belly,

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Berberlöwe
A Barbary lion in Algeria, photographed by Sir Alfred Edward Pease in 1893. The particularly dense, dark mane was notable, but it does not provide significant insights into the species. It may instead represent an adaptation to climatic conditions. (© Alfred Edward Pease (29 June 1857 – 27 April 1939), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Barbary Lion

The cultural significance of North African lions Lions played a role in early Egyptian art and literature. Archaeologists discovered statues and statuettes of lions from Egypt’s Early Dynastic Period (3100 to 2686 BC) in Hierakonpolis, the religious and political center of Upper Egypt, and in the ancient Egyptian city of

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