<p>Sasan Gir, Asiatic lioness
</p><p>The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Sasan-Gir, is a forest and wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat, India. It was established in 1965, with a total area of 1412 km².
</p><p>It is the sole home of the Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) and is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia due to its supported species. It is the world's only place where lions and tigers coexist. The ecosystem of Gir, with its diverse flora and fauna, is protected as a result of the efforts of the government forest department, wildlife activists and NGOs. The forest area of Gir and its lions were declared as "protected" in the early 1900s by the Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh. This initiative assisted in the conservation of the lions whose population had plummeted to only 15 through slaughter for trophy hunting.
</p><p>The April 2010 census recorded the lion-count in Gir at 411, an increase of 52 compared to 2005. The lion breeding programme covering the park and surrounding area has bred about 180 lions in captivity since its inception.
</p>
(source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gir_Forest_National_Park" class="extiw" title="en:Gir Forest National Park">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gir_Forest_National_Park</a>)
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/67769030@N07">Arian Zwegers</a> from Brussels, Belgium
CC BY 2.0
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/azwegers/9721061956/">Sasan Gir, Asiatic lioness</a>