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Published: 2014-10-22 17:34:36 +0000 UTC; Views: 596; Favourites: 32; Downloads: 0
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Description
Young Indian lion at Prague zoo (18-month old Sajani). Such a gorgeous face
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Comments: 16
Wow so amazing! I didn't even know there were Indian lions!
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Yup, there are, they're just very rare.
Here's a little Wikipedia-cut-and-paste summary
The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica), also known as the Indian lion, is a lion subspecies that exists as a single population in India's Gujarat State. It is listed as Endangered by IUCN due its small population size. The lion population has steadily increased in the Gir Forest National Park, more than doubling from a low of 180 individuals in 1974 to 411 individuals consisting of 97 adult males, 162 adult females, 75 sub-adults, and 77 cubs as of April 2010. As of 2010, approximately 105 lions, comprising 35 males, 35 females, 19 subadults, and 16 cubs existed outside the Gir forest, representing a full quarter of the entire lion population. The increase in satellite lion populations may represent the saturation of the lion population in the Gir forest and subsequent dispersal by sub-adults compelled to search for new territories outside their natal pride. Over the past two decades, these satellite areas became established, self-sustaining populations as evidenced by the presence of cubs since 1995.In the early 1990s, three European zoos imported pure Asiatic lions from India: the London Zoo obtained two pairs; the ZΓΌrich Zoologischer Garten one pair; and the Helsinki Zoo one male and two females. In 1994, the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for Asiatic lions was initiated. The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) published the first European Studbook in 1999. By 2005, there were 80 Asiatic lions kept in the EEP β the only captive population outside of India.
The most striking morphological character, which is always seen in Asiatic lions, and rarely in African lions, is a longitudinal fold of skin running along its belly. Asiatic lions are slightly smaller than African lions.
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Wow thats so sad! I hate it when their are any endangered animals! 
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They have three new Indian lions in Prague now, as part of a breeding programme (this one among them), which are expected to be joined by 'new blood' directly from India, in order to try and make the gene pool more healthy again. So let's hope it works out
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Really thats awesome!! I hope it works!
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Gorgeous indeed. His fangs are very healthy looking and I have to say white" for a lion. He does seem to find you (or who ever he is looking at) intriguing and I wouldn't want to come face to face with him ^_^
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From up where I was, I couldn't make out the sex. Somehow the head strikes me more as a young male, but I really don't know.
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gorgeous lion!
excellent shot!
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Thank you. 
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