The English Hunter And The Hindustani Lion: A Comprehensive Account Of The Asiatic <i>Lion Panthera leo persica</i> From 19th Century British India

Historical literature on the Asiatic Lion Panthera leo persica from the Indian subcontinent is scant compared with India’s other large cat, the tiger. The principal theme of this article is the state of the lion during the British Raj in the Indian subcontinent, concentrating mainly on the 19th century. The research focuses on: (1) The regional details from British India, including some first-hand British observations on the lion; (2) Description of its last remaining habitats and prey base; (3) The causes of its local extirpation and extinction; and (4) Its geographical distribution. This article aims to add to the extant knowledge of the past ecology of this species, and to broadly assess the following: (1) The British narrative on the lion changed after their hunting encounters in northwest India; (2) The number of lions shot during the 19th century is four to five times the number recorded in a previous study; (3) Lions were geographically more widespread than previously acknowledged; and (4) Sport-hunting was the major factor leading to its regional extinction over much of India.