Animals become endangered due to over hunting and destruction of their habitats.

As humans we are responsible for our environment and also responsible for preserving and taking care of the many species in our environment. The Asiatic Lions are one of the endangered species that live mainly in the Gir Forest National Park of India. They are also known Panthera Leo Persicia or the Indian lion. They are first largest predator in the Gir Forest. The Asiatic lion can presently be found in the nation forest of Gir located in Gujrat, India. Before, one could have sighted the Asiatic Lion all through out Asia Minor, Arabia through Persia, and India. Today this species is confined to Gir Forest so it can be protected and not become extinct. The Asiatic Lions diet consists of deers, antelopes, wile boars, water buffalos, and gazelles. Female lions are mainly the ones that hunt their prey and bring it back to their pride. The male lions weigh around 160-190 kilograms and the female lions are about 110-120 kilograms. They measure up to be 200-280 centimeters in length. The male skull size ranges from 330-340 millimeters and the females skull size ranges from 260-270 millimeters. Asiatic lions are considered to be highly social animals that live in prides. The prides consist of usually two females and one male and their cubs. Asiatic male lions tend to associate with the pride when they are mating or trying to hunt a large animal. The climate that these lions stay in is usually very dry, in a temporary forest dominated by teak. People and their livestock live in this wild life sanctuary, which surrounds the Gir National Forest. Presently, the forest most of these lions live in which is the Gir Forest, and this forest gets 660 millimeters of rainfall per year.

These lions start to reproduce around the age of four and they tend to have about three to four offspring. These lions reproduce year round mainly during late winter to early summer. The Asiatic lions are nocturnal animals that work in teams to hunt and ambush prey. Lions within their pride are often affectionate with one another. When the lions are resting they enjoy lots of touching, head rubbing, licking and purring. In the 1800s, hunting these lions was a popular sport. Hunting sports was the main reason why the animal became endangered until it was outlawed to hunt them. During the turn of the century, Nawab of Junagadah, India decided to protect the Asiatic lions by confining them to the Gir Forest. Some Asiatic lions can be found in zoo where they are protected and taken care of in a safe environment. Asiatic lions have become extinct from all other countries besides the Gir Forest in India. The cause to their extinction has to do with the destruction of their habitat and lack of food resources. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 was signed on December 28, 1973 by President Richard Nixon. This law was basically created to protect species from extinction due to economic growth and the concern for conserving wild life. A species being endangered and a species being threatened are two totally different meanings. A species that is threatened means that it is exposed to extinction and the population of it is decreasing. Where as to, endangered species, such as the Asiatic Lion means that the animal or species will be extinct if nothing is done about it. Sometimes, when the population of a species or animal is declining, two of the same species (male and female) will mate in order for more off springs to be created. If this takes place, then the decreasing population of an animal will eventually increase slightly.

The present-day world-wide population of the Asiatic Lion is 411, and that is in the Gir Forest. To save the population of these lions, the Gir Forest started a wildlife conservation program in 1965. With the achievement of this wildlife management program and Gir Development Scheme, the populations of Asiatic Lions have increased gradually from 177 in 1968 to 359 in 2005 all the way to 411 in 2010. The gradual increase in population is possible to this day, due to the fact that the Gir Forest National Park has allowed these lions to stay in their captivity.