Cape Lion by Ghirin

The cape lion (Panthera leo melanochaitus) was native to the mountains of the Cape region of South Africa. It was a large lion, second only to the Barbary lion of North Africa. Like the Barbary lion, the Cape lion was also known for it luxurious black mane that extended beyond the shoulders and fringed the belly.

After the arrival of European settlers, the Cape lion was hunted to extinction in the wild, with the last wild lion killed in 1865.

Lions descended from Cape lion may exist in zoos around the world and a South African Zoo is trying to establish a captive population of these lions in South Africa.

References:

The Doomsday Book of Animals. Day, 1981.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...6_capelion.html

Updated 2010-10-30

Just to save space with less in zip and smaller image.