Rajawali

RAJAWALI adalah burung yang secara luas dianggap memiliki penglihatan yang sangat baik dibandingkan dengan manusia. Hal ini disebabkan oleh fotoreseptor di retina (lebih dari 1.000.000 per mm persegi untuk Buteo, sedangkan manusia hanya 200.000).

RAJAWALI adalah burung yang secara luas dianggap memiliki penglihatan yang sangat baik dibandingkan dengan manusia. Hal ini disebabkan oleh fotoreseptor di retina (lebih dari 1.000.000 per mm persegi untuk Buteo, sedangkan manusia hanya 200.000).
Ciri utama dari burung rajawali adalah tidak takut badai. Burung rajawali malah menantikan datangnya badai. Dia akan mengembangkan sayapnya, memperhatikan dengan pandangan visinya, kapan badai datang. Sebab dia akan menghadapinya dan menggunakan badai itu untuk melambung tinggi. Burung rajawali tidak mengepak-ngepakkan sayapnya, tetapi dia mengembangkan sayapnya.
Burung rajawali tidak seperti ayam atau anak ayam. Ayam atau anak ayam penciumannya tajam, mereka tahu saat akan datang badai. Mereka ribut berkotek-kotek, menciap-ciap, bingung lari kesana kemari, sambil mengepak-ngepakkan sayapnya mencari tempat persembunyian untuk berlindung terhadap badai. Apabila badai datang mereka bisa menjadi korban, sebab mereka lemah, tak berdaya, dia menjadi victim badai. Lain dengan burung rajawali, dia tidak menjadi victim, tetapi menjadi victor, pemenang, terbang mengatasi badai.
Selain itu ciri-ciri yang dimiliki burung rajawali adalah ia menyediakan waktu untuk memperbaharui diri. Saat sadar bahwa kekuatan sayapnya mulai berkurang, dia sabar. Dia berdiam diri; dia tidak terbang. Dia mencari tempat yang tinggi di atas bukit batu.
Seekor burung rajawali bisa mencapai umur hingga 70 tahun. Tapi untuk mencapai umur tersebut adalah sebuah pilihan bagi seekor rajawali, apakah dia ingin hidup sampai 70 tahun atau hanya sampai 40 tahun.
Ketika burung rajawali mencapai umur 40 tahun, maka untuk dapat hidup lebih panjang 30 tahun lagi, dia harus melewati transformasi tubuh yang sangat menyakitkan. Dan pada saat inilah seekor rajawali harus menentukan pilihan untuk melewati transformasi yang menyakitkan itu atau melewati sisa hidup yang tidak menyakitkan namun singkat menuju kematian.
Pada umur 40 tahun paruh rajawali sudah sangat bengkok dan panjang hingga mencapai lehernya sehingga ia akan kesulitan memakan. Dan cakar-cakarnya juga sudah tidak tajam. Selain itu bulu pada sayapnya sudah sangat tebal sehingga ia sulit untuk dapat terbang tinggi.
Bila seekor rajawali memutuskan untuk melewati transformasi tubuh yang menyakitkan tersebut, maka ia harus terbang mencari pegunungan yang tinggi kemudian membangun sarang di puncak gunung tersebut. Kemudian dia akan mematuk-matuk paruhnya pada bebatuan di gunung sehingga paruhnya lepas. Setelah beberapa lama paruh barunya akan muncul, dan dengan menggunakan paruhnya yang baru itu ia akan mencabut kukunya satu persatu-satu dan menunggu hingga tumbuh kuku baru yang lebih tajam. Dan ketika kuku-kuku itu telah tumbuh ia akan mencabut bulu sayapnya hingga rontok semua dan menunggu bulu-bulu baru tumbuh pada sayapnya. Dan ketika semua itu sudah dilewati rajawali itu dapat terbang kembali dan menjalani kehidupan normalnya. Begitulah transformasi menyakitkan yang harus dilewati oleh seekor rajawali selama kurang lebih setengah tahun.

Itulah sebabnya Rajawali digunakan oleh La Negsatu sebagai nama Regu Inti Penggalang Putra, yang diharapkan keunggulan dan kelebihan burung tersebut juga menjadi keunggulan dan kelebihan Regu. La Negsatu memberikan tambahan kata “Bagus” dibelakangnya, hal ini dimaksudkan agar setiap tindakan dari anggota regu mengutamakan akhlak yang baik dengan memegang teguh Tri Satya dan Dasa Darma Pramuka.
Secara umum bentuk maupun ukuran bendera sesuai dengan peraturan yang berlaku di Gerakan Pramuka, untuk gambar burung rajawali sendiri berbentuk silhouette atau bayangan hitam dengan background warna silver yang menandakan bahwa regu ini lahir pada era millennium ke-3. Dengan menggunakan rumbai warna merah pada bendera regu dan garis tepi merah pada tanda regu yang melambangkan warna Golongan Penggalang di Gerakan Pramuka.

More about → Rajawali

Golden Eagle

The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas. Despite being extirpated from some its former range or uncommon, the species is still fairly ubiquitous, being present in Eurasia, North America, and parts of Africa. The highest density of nesting Golden Eagles in the world lies in southern Alameda County, California.

These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks.
Golden Eagles use their agility and speed combined with extremely powerful talons to snatch up prey including rabbits, marmots, ground squirrels, and large mammals such as fox, wild and domestic cats, mountain goats, ibex, and young deer. They will also eat carrion if prey is scarce, as well as reptiles. Birds, including large species up to the size of swans and cranes as well as ravens and Greater Black-backed Gulls have all been recorded as prey. They have even been known to attack and kill fully grown roe deer. The Eurasian subspecies are used to hunt and kill wolves in many native communities, where their status is regarded with great mystic reverence.

Golden Eagles maintain territories that may be as large as 155 square kilometres (60 square miles). They are monogamous and may remain together for several years or possibly for life. Golden Eagles nest in high places including cliffs, trees, or human structures such as telephone poles. They build huge nests to which they may return for several breeding years. Females lay from one to four eggs, and both parents incubate them for 40 to 45 days. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months.

Diskripsi:
Adult Golden Eagles vary considerably in size, though some are among the largest eagles of the genus Aquila. The Golden Eagle vary from 66 to 90 centimetres (26 to 35 in) in length, the wingspan can range from 180 to 234 centimetres (71 to 92 in), and weight approximately 2.5 to 7 kilograms (5.5 to 15 lb).[4][5] The smallest-bodied subspecies is A. c. japonica while A. c. daphanea is the largest on average.[4] As with many Accipitriformes, females are considerably larger than males; in the case of the Golden Eagle they weigh one-quarter to one-third more than male birds.
The plumage colour ranges from black-brown to dark brown, with a striking golden-buff crown and nape, which glows in the sunlight and light reflects the golden tint, which give the bird its name. The upper wings also have an irregular lighter area. Immature birds resemble adults, but have a duller more mottled appearance. Also they have a white-banded tail and a white patch at the carpal joint, that gradually disappear with every moult until full adult plumage is reached in the fifth year. Contour feathers may be moulted in a short time span.

Makanan:
Golden Eagles' predominant prey in North America are leporids (hares and rabbits) and sciurids (ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and marmots), the two groups normally comprising 50% to 94% of the diet of nesting eagles. Additional mammals regularly taken include mice, martens, foxes, young deer, and mountain goats.[9] The secondary important prey group for eagles are other birds. Various gallinaceous birds (largely phasianids, ptarmigans and grouse) are the most significant avian prey. However, virtually any bird, from a jay to a swan, is potential prey. During winter months when prey is scarce, Golden Eagles scavenge on carrion to supplement their diet. Sometimes when no carrion is available golden eagles will hunt down large prey, such as goat-antelopes and caribou.[10] There is one confirmed report of a Golden Eagle snatching the cub of a Brown Bear,[11] Other attacks by a pair of eagles on adult brown bear have been filmed, the birds probably were driving the bear out of their territory. Golden eagles are avian apex predators, meaning a healthy adult is not preyed upon. There are records of golden eagles killing and eating large raptors such as Gyrfalcons, Northern Goshawks, and Buteo hawks, whether adults, nestlings or eggs. Falcons, jaegers ,and Buteos like Rough-legged Hawks, which are normally competitors, have worked together to group-mob Golden Eagles that have passed their adjacent nesting areas.[12] In one instance, a golden eagle flying in towards a peregrine falcon nest was struck and killed by a swooping parent falcon.[13] This may have been a freak event since, bearing in mind the eagle is many times larger and more powerful than the falcon, the reverse outcome is much more likely.[14] More commonly, Golden Eagles kleptoparasitize, or steal prey, from other raptors. Despite being often smaller in size than the largest vultures, they are capable of displacing them, of both unrelated families, from carrion. Golden Eagles have exceptional eyesight and can spot prey from extreme distances. The Golden Eagle has a resolution power many times more powerful than that of a human. The huge talons are used for crushing, killing and carrying the prey, whilst the beak is used for tearing and eating. A pair often have a division of labour while hunting, one bird may drive the prey towards its waiting partner. On the other hand, the size difference between males and females allows more unpaired birds to live off the land, which is helpful to maintain a sufficiently large population for this large and slowly-maturing bird.

Reproduksi:
Golden Eagles usually mate for life. They build several eyries within their territory and use them alternately for several years. These nests consist of heavy tree branches, upholstered with grass when in use. Old eyries may be 2 metres (6.6 ft) in diameter and 1 metre (3.3 ft) in height, as the eagles repair their nests whenever necessary and enlarge them during each use. If the eyrie is situated on a tree, supporting tree branches may break because of the weight of the nest. Certain other animals—birds and mammals too small to be of interest to the huge raptor—often use the nest as shelter. Their predators are just the right size for Golden Eagle prey, and therefore avoid active eyries.
The female lays one to four (usually two) eggs between January and September (depending on the locality). The eggs vary from all white to white with cinnamon or brown spots and blotches. They start incubation immediately after the first egg is laid, and after 40 to 45 days the young hatch.[15] They are covered in fluffy white down and are fed for fifty days before they are able to make their first flight attempts and eat on their own. In most cases only the older chick survives, while the younger one dies without leaving the eyrie. This is due to the older chick having a few days' advantage in growth and consequently winning most squabbles for food. This strategy is useful for the species because it makes the parents' workload manageable even when food is scarce, while providing a reserve chick in case the first-born dies soon after hatching. Golden eagles invest much time and effort in bringing up their young; once able to hunt on their own, most golden eagles survive many years, but mortality even among first-born nestlings is much higher, in particular in the first weeks after hatching.

More about → Golden Eagle

Gajah

Elephant trunks are muscular, flexible extensions of their upper lip and nose. African elephants have a trunk with two fingerlike growths at its tip. Asian elephants have a trunk with only one fingerlike growth. These growths, also known as proboscides (singular: proboscis), enable the elephants to grasp food and other small objects. Both species use their trunks to strip vegetation from branches and to pull grasses from the ground.

To drink, elephants suck water up into their trunk. They can siphon up to ten quarts of water into their trunk. The elephant places the end of its trunk in their mouth and releases the water. African elephants also use their trunks to take dust baths that help to repel insects and guard against harmful rays of the sun. To give itself a dust bath, an African elephant sucks dust into its trunk. The elephant then bends its trunk overhead and blows the dust out over its back.

An elephant's trunk is a unique structure and a fundamental part of the animal's olfactory system. Elephants point their trunk in different directions to sample the air for scents. When swimming they hold their trunk out of the water much like a snorkel so they can breath. The trunk is also sensitive and dexterious enough to enable elephants to pick up objects of various sizes and weights. In some instances, elephants use their trunk to fend off attackers.

More about → Gajah

The King of the Beasts

Found predominantly in Africa, lions are the largest felines in the world, and are often called the "King of the Beasts". Male lions are distinguishable from a considerable distance by their mane, which can be used as an indication of age, nutrition, and the climate of their habitat. Their large body mass provides an advantage in taking down prey, along with their powerful jaws and sharp claws.

Lions are social animals that hunt and live in groups called prides. The males have little parental investment toward the cubs, and males may even commit infanticide against suckling cubs that are not their own. There is usually fierce competition for food because successful hunts are rare and members of the pride tend to gorge themselves when food is available. The ruling male lion will eat his fill, and then the other males, females, and finally the cubs. The competition for food contributes to the high mortality rate of

Habitat dan Perilaku:
Lions live in a wide range of habitats including plains, grasslands, forests, and even semi-deserts. They can also live at high altitudes, with a population spotted living at an altitude of 4,240 m in Ethiopia.

Groups of lions, called prides, can range anywhere between 2 to 40 lions with the average being 13 lions. They are composed of both sexes with the males having more dominance. Prides are needed as they benefit lions by increasing their hunting efficiency as well as defending their territories against other lions and animals. Lions greet each other by rubbing their heads together with their tails looped in the air as they moan.

Morfology:
The length of a lion can range between 205-350 cm. They can weigh between 265-550 pounds and grow up to 109 cm tall. Both male and female lions have tawny-colored fur, but it can also vary in color from yellowish gray to dark brown. They possess powerful jaws as well as forelimbs that are stronger relative to their hind limbs.

Lions are sexually dimorphic, meaning there are morphological (physical) differences between the two sexes. Male lions develop manes as they begin to mature but females do not. The mane is an indicator of the lion's physical condition, such as nutrition, and it can be used to intimidate other lions as well as attract females. Research by B. D. Patterson suggests mane development in lions is affected by climate. It was found that lions living on higher elevated grounds possessed a more extensive mane compared to lions living in hot and dry places. The mass of the lion and the development of the mane also seem to have a direct correlation. Furthermore, lions held in captivity generally have a larger mane compared to wild lions, which is probably due to better nutrition as well as climatic effects.

Predasi dan Konservasi:
With lions being fierce carnivores, they have very few predators, which include humans, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas. Lions compete with the other big cats for food, and hyenas are known to kill lion cubs or weak adult lions.

Humans on the other hand are a big problem for lions as poaching has decreased the lion population over time. It is estimated that only 23,500 lions remain in African protected areas compared to 100,000 a quarter century before. Due to the decline in population, many African countries have protected areas to restrict lions from being poached.

Diet Informasi dan Berburu:
Lions hunt various animals and usually hunt in prides. Prides can have different food preferences from one another. Both sexes also have different preferred preys, with females hunting smaller prey such as zebras and males hunting larger prey such as buffalos. Their diet can be composed of zebras, buffalos, wildebeests, as well as small animals such as birds, fish, and rodents. Hunting efficiency of an individual lion is about 17% but around 30% in prides; this is probably one of the reasons why lions are usually in prides.

Lions usually hunt at night in groups comprised of females, since the manes of the males draw too much attention. While experts at stealth and ambushes, the lions are quite a bit slower than the prey they hunt to the extent that some prey do not even run away at their maximum speed. For this reason, lions use the darkness and bushes to conceal their presence, lying in wait near water holes and downwind from their prey to avoid being detected by scent. Although they can sprint up to 60km/h for short bursts, they are often unsuccessful because the prey they hunt is much faster.

Reproduksi:
Lions can reproduce all year round, but the female estrus period, when the female is in heat, peaks in the rainy season and lasts for four days. During the estrus period, the lioness will mate several hundred times in total. Usually, there is no fighting over females within a pride, as males will mate with many females. Takeover, or the attacking of one pride by another pride, occurs approximately every two years and is fought by the males. The winner will be able to mate with the females, ensuring that his genes will be passed on to the next generation.

Gestation period is three to four months, with the female giving birth to a litter of two to four cubs. After giving birth, the female will not mate for about two years. It is the female’s responsibility to raise the cubs and to wean them between seven and ten months of age. At about one year, the cubs start learning how to hunt, perfecting their technique by the time they are two years old. At this time, males are driven from the pride.

More about → The King of the Beasts

singa

Justifikasi:
A species population reduction of approximately 30% is suspected over the past two decades (= approximately three Lion generations). The causes of this reduction (primarily indiscriminate killing in defense of life and livestock, coupled with prey base depletion: Bauer 2008), are unlikely to have ceased. This suspected reduction is based on direct observation; appropriate indices of abundance; a decline in area of occupation, extent of occupation and habitat quality; and actual and potential levels of exploitation.

Estimating the size of the African Lion population is an ambitious exercise involving many uncertainties. The three main efforts (Ferreras and Cousins 1996; Chardonnet 2002; Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004) all use different methods. The African Lion Working Group compiled individual population estimates primarily from protected areas (23,000 Lions: Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004). In 1980, Ferreras and Cousins (1996) predicted 18,600 Lions to occur in protected areas. This was probably an underestimate as not all protected areas inhabited by Lions at that time were included. Still, the comparison suggests that the number of Lions in African protected areas has remained stable or possibly increased over time. But Ferreras and Cousins (1996) predicted that most Lions in 1980 were found outside protected areas. Chardonnet (2002) finds that unprotected areas still comprise a significant portion (half) of the Lion's current African range. Comparison of Ferreras and Cousin's (1996) prediction of 75,800 Lions in 1980 (roughly three Lion generations ago) to Chardonnet's (2002) estimate of 39,000 Lions yields a suspected decline of 48.5%. This calculation suggests a substantial decline in Lions outside protected areas over the past two decades. Ferreras and Cousins (1996) may have over-estimated the African Lion population in 1980, as their number was derived from a model rather than actual Lion counts, and so it is possible that the rate of decline of the African Lion population may be lower. A group exercise led by WCS and the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group estimated that 42% of major Lion populations were declining (Bauer 2008). The rate of decline is most unlikely to have been as high as 90%, as reported in a series of news reports in 2003 (Kirby 2003, Frank and Parker 2003).

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the Lion conservation community works in the context of four regions: West, Central, East and Southern. The Lion population is classified as regionally Endangered in West Africa (Bauer and Nowell 2004). It is isolated from Lion populations of Central Africa, with little or no exchange of breeding individuals (Chardonnet 2002, Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004). The number of mature individuals in West Africa is estimated by two separate recent surveys at 850 (Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004) and 1,163 (Chardonnet 2002). Both estimates are well below the Endangered criterion level of 2,500. Lions in West Africa are grouped into three isolated subpopulations by Chardonnet (2002) and approximately seven by the African Lion Working Group (Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004). Chardonnet?s (2002) three subpopulations consist of 18 different individual populations, between which there may be some interchange of individuals, although this is unknown. There is disagreement over the size of the largest individual population in West Africa: the African Lion Working Group (Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004) estimates 100 Lions in Burkina Faso?s Arly-Singou ecosystem, while Chardonnet (2002)
estimates 404 for the same area (mean 250).

Populasi:
There have been few efforts in the past to estimate the number of Lions in Africa. Myers (1975) wrote, "Since 1950, their [Lion] numbers may well have been cut in half, perhaps to as low as 200,000 in all or even less". Later, Myers (1986) wrote, "In light of evidence from all the main countries of its range, the Lion has been undergoing decline in both range and numbers, often an accelerating decline, during the past two decades". In the early 1990s, IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group members made educated "guesstimates" of 30,000 to 100,000 for the African Lion population (Nowell and Jackson 1996).

The most quantitative historical estimate of the African Lion population in the recent past was made by Ferreras and Cousins (1996), who developed a GIS-based model to predict African Lion range and numbers, calibrated by surveying experts about the factors affecting Lion populations. First they correlated vegetation (Leaf Area Index) with Lion densities, using known values from 37 studies in 19 African protected areas, and mapped potential Lion range. Then the reduction effect of human activities on Lion range and numbers were estimated. Lion experts were surveyed in order to develop and rank a set of factors which would lead to lower Lion densities as well as Lion absence. These included agriculture, human population density, cattle grazing, and distance from a protected area, and were derived from GIS databases of varying age. For example, in areas identified as main cattle grazing areas Lion density was reduced by 90%, and in areas identified as having widespread agricultural cultivation or high human population density (> 2.5 people/km²) Lions were considered absent. Lion density was reduced by 50% in areas with low human population density (1-2.5 people/km²). Because of the age of their data sources on extent of agriculture and pastoralism, Ferreras and Cousins (1996) selected 1980 as the base year for their predicted African Lion population of 75,800. They emphasized the need for ground-truthing their estimate by censusing Lions, particularly outside protected areas.

Two recent surveys have provided current estimates of the African Lion population, with some ground-truthing. The African Lion Working Group, a network of specialists affiliated with the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group, conducted a mail survey and compiled estimates of 100 known African Lion populations. Not included were populations of known existence, but unknown or unestimated size. The ALWG African Lion population estimate is 23,000, with a range of 16,500-30,000 (Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004). The second survey was carried out by Philippe Chardonnet and sponsored by the International Foundation for the Conservation of Wildlife and Conservation Force (Chardonnet 2002). He also compiled estimates for 144 individual African Lion populations, grouped into 36 largely isolated subpopulations. His methodology included extrapolation of estimates of known populations into areas where Lion status was unknown, and his total figure is not surprisingly larger: 39,000 Lions in Africa, with a range of 29,000-47,000.

Approximately 30% of the individual population estimates compiled by the African Lion Working Group were based on scientific surveys. Techniques for these surveys included total count based on individually identified body features, sampling by use of calling stations playing recordings of hyaena and/or Lion prey, and mark-recapture methods including radio telemetry, photo databases, and spoor counts (Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004). Seventy percent of their population figures were derived from expert opinion or guesstimate. In the other survey, 63% of Chardonnet's (2002) individual population estimates were based on expert opinions or guesstimates. Twelve percent of Chardonnet's (2002) estimates were based on scientific surveys, and a further 25% were derived from extrapolation of variables from nearby populations and catch-per-unit effort-estimates based on Lion trophy hunting.

Estimating the size of the African Lion population is an ambitious exercise involving many uncertainties. The three main efforts (Ferreras and Cousins 1996; Chardonnet 2002; Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004) all use different methods. The African Lion Working Group compiled individual population estimates primarily from protected areas (23,000 Lions: Bauer and Van Der Merwe 2004). In 1980, Ferreras and Cousins (1996) predicted 18,600 Lions to occur in protected areas. This was probably an underestimate as not all protected areas inhabited by Lions at that time were included. Still, the comparison suggests that the number of Lions in African protected areas has remained stable or possibly increased over time. But Ferreras and Cousins (1996) predicted that most Lions in 1980 were found outside protected areas. Chardonnet (2002) finds that unprotected areas still comprise a significant portion (half) of the Lion's current African range. Comparison of Ferreras and Cousin's (1996) prediction of 75,800 Lions in 1980 (roughly three Lion generations ago) to Chardonnet's (2002) estimate of 39,000 Lions yields a suspected decline of 48.5%. This calculation suggests a substantial decline in Lions outside protected areas over the past two decades. Ferreras and Cousins (1996) may have over-estimated the African Lion population in 1980, as their number was derived from a model rather than actual Lion counts, and so it is possible that the rate of decline of the African Lion population may be lower. A group exercise led by WCS and the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group estimated that 42% of major Lion populations were declining (Bauer 2008). The rate of decline is most unlikely to have been as high as 90%, as reported in a series of news reports in 2003 (Kirby 2003, Frank and Parker 2003).

Genetic population models indicate that large populations (50-100 Lion prides) are necessary to conserve genetic diversity and avoid inbreeding, which increases significantly when populations fall below 10 prides. Male dispersal is also an important factor in conserving genetic variation (Bjorklund 2003). These conditions are met in few wild Lion populations, although there are at least 17 Lion "strongholds" >50,000 km² in extent (Bauer 2008).

Outside sub-Saharan Africa, the Asiatic Lion P. leo persica occurs as an isolated single wild population in India's Gir Forest. The Gir Lion population had been reduced to a very low number in the early years of the 20th century, possibly fewer than 20. In 1936, 234 Lions were estimated, falling to approximately 100 iin the 1970s, and estimates in the 1980s and 1990s around 200 adults (Nowell and Jackson 1996). In 2005, the population was estimated at 359, +/- 10, including cubs, based on, according to the Chief Minister of Forests for Gujarat state, a total count of Lions by direct sighting in a block-system methodology. This is an increase from 327 reported in 2001 (Anon. 2006). The Wildlife Protection Society of India reported 34 Lion deaths in 2007, due to poaching, electrocution, falling into open wells, and death by motor vehicle and unknown causes. Single populations are vulnerable to extinction from catastrophic events, and it has long been recommended by scientists to establish a second wild population in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, but this has not yet been done (Jackson 2008). The Asiatic Lion shows reduced genetic variation due to small population size (O'Brien et al. 1987). It is feared that the size of the population is larger than the estimated carrying capacity of the habitat and prey base (Nowell and Jackson 1996).

Habitat dan Ekologi:
The Lion has a broad habitat tolerance, absent only from tropical rainforest and the interior of the Sahara desert (Nowell and Jackson 1996). There are records of Lion to elevations of more than 4,000 m in the Bale Mountains and on Kilimanjaro (West and Packer in press). Although Lions drink regularly when water is available, they are capable of obtaining their moisture requirements from prey and even plants (such as the tsama melon in the Kalahari desert), and thus can survive in very arid environments. Medium- to large-sized ungulates (including antelopes, zebra and wildebeest) are the bulk of their prey, but Lions will take almost any animal, from rodents to a rhino. They also scavenge, displacing other predators (such as the Spotted Hyaena) from their kills.

Lions are the most social of the cats, with related females remaining together in prides, and related and unrelated males forming coalitions competing for tenure over prides. Average pride size (including males and females) is four to six adults; prides generally break into smaller groups when hunting. Lions tend to live at higher densities than most other felids, but with a wide variation from 1.5 adults per 100 km² in southern African semi-desert to 55/100 km² in parts of the Serengeti (Sunquist and Sunquist 2002). Pride ranges can vary widely even in the same region: e.g., from 266-4,532 km² in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park of South Africa (Funston 2001), and 20,500 km² in the Serengeti (West and Packer in press).

In India, the habitat of the Asiatic Lion is dry deciduous forest. The Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is surrounded by cultivated areas and inhabited by the pastoralist Maldharis and their livestock. Domestic cattle have historically been a major part of the Asiatic Lion's diet, although the most common prey is the chital deer. Mean pride size, measured by the number of adult females, tends to be smaller than for African Lions: most Gir prides contain an average of two adult females (Nowell and Jackson 1996).

Ancaman:
The main threats to Lions are indiscriminate killing (primarily as a result of retaliatory or pre-emptive killing to protect life and livestock) and prey base depletion. Habitat loss and conversion has led to a number of populations becoming small and isolated (Bauer 2008).

The economic impact of stock raiding can be significant: Patterson et al. (2004) estimated that each Lion cost ranchers in Kenya living alongside Tsavo East National Park US$290 per year in livestock losses. Likewise, annual losses of cattle to Lions in areas adjacent to Waza National Park in Cameroon comprised only about 3.1% of all livestock losses, but were estimated to represent more than 22% of financial losses amounting to about US$370 per owner (Bauer 2003). Consequently, Lions are persecuted intensely in livestock areas across Africa; their scavenging behaviour makes them particularly vulnerable to poisoned carcasses put out to eliminate predators. Little actual information exists on the number of Lions killed as problem animals by local people, even though this is considered the primary threat to their survival outside protected areas. Implementation of appropriate livestock management measures, coupled with problem animal control measures and mechanisms for compensating livestock losses, are some of the primary responses to resolving human-Lion conflict (Frank et al. 2006).

Trophy hunting is carried out in a number of sub-Saharan African countries and is considered an important management tool for providing financial resource for Lion conservation for both governments and local communities. However, there is concern that current management regimes can lead to unsustainable offtakes (Packer et al. 2006).

Disease has also been a threat to Lion populations (Ray et al. 2005).

In parts of southeastern Tanzania there have been alarmingly high incidences of people killed by Lions, with up to 400 human Lion-related fatalities recorded from 1997-2007 (Ikanda 2007).

More about → singa