The athlete greatly admired Hercules and wanted to imitate in this way the first Labour of Hercules, in Nemea. Ancient texts also tell us when the lions disappeared from Greece.
Polybius notes that in his time - BC none of the species that existed in Africa existed in Europe. At the same time, Dion Chrysostom, writing in the 1st century AD, asserts that lions had completely disappeared from Macedonia.
But how did this eventually happen? The main reason for the extinction of lions in Greece was probably uncontrolled hunting since the special animals had practically no natural enemies. At the same time, the growing demand for wild animals in Roman arenas should be taken into account. So, according to all available evidence, it seems that the lions that once lived in our country were limited to Macedonia and generally to Northern Greece.
Let us not forget that the famous ancient mosaic depicting a lion hunt is located in Pella. At the same time, it is believed that the species that once lived in Greece was similar to today's Asiatic lion Panthera Leo Persica. Perhaps, in the end, the first heroic Labour of Hercules is to some extent based on facts and is not entirely the invention of some fanciful tale of ancient Greece.
Greek scientists believe that a cave near Vravrona, about 40 km 25 miles east of Athens, was a hideout for lions and panthers which roamed the ancient Greek countryside thousands of years ago. Fossils belonging to small and large mammals, including lions and panthers, have been recently unearthed in the cave by researchers.
Other animal species identified from skeletal remains include wolves, bison, horses, bears and deer. Excavations in the cave began in the mid s and continue to this day.
Scientists say that the fossils found there date over a large period between twenty-five thousand to seven thousand years ago. They believe that the cave was either a natural trap for animals, or perhaps was a place where large predators, like lions, would bring their prey to enjoy a quiet dinner.
Yet, it is clear from not only fossils but also from eyewitness accounts that lions and big cats roamed the land in ancient Greece.
The West African Lion Panthera leo senegalensis , also known as the Senegal lion : This is found in isolated areas in west and central Africa and is considered to be critically endangered. Recent estimates put the number of lions in West Africa at between and , mainly in Burkina Faso, Benin, and Niger, while the number in central Africa may be around This subspecies is relatively common and well protected in areas such as the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda may be a potential stronghold for these lions, if poaching is curbed and prey species recover. As noted, conservation efforts have resulted in some growth in the numbers of these lions in recent years. There are more than lions of this subspecies in the well protected Kruger National Park. It is thought that they may continue to exist in the wild in the east and north-east of the country, although this has yet to be determined.
Although the general boundaries are accurate, I would imagine that, in reality, between those borders there would be a lot of big splotches and quite a bit of white, as the current range is presented.
Those splotches would obviously be bigger and more common, but still not the solid shading as shown. Just a thought I always have.
The decline of the lion and all wild creatures is tragic. Surely large wildlife would have been concentrated around water and rivers. There are vast areas in Africa with no water. As a conservationist working against time and circumstance to help save Endangered African species from Extinction: Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes, Pangolins being the most deeply threatened, I found your map and information invaluable confirmations of all I have heard, read and experienced.
Since so few people in the West know the extent of the crisis, your education is invaluable. How I wish that major news media would break their silence on the Sixth Extinction! See also the interesting paper by N.
Thomas from , referenced in the further reading, below. But also long after the fall of the Mycenaean palaces, the lion remained an important animal in Greek art. One of the most interesting early post-Mycenaean uses of the lion in Greek art occurs on the so-called Chigi Vase of ca. On the bottom frieze, young boys hunt hares, while the frieze above depicts young men fighting a lion.
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