Asiatic Lions Roar Back From Near-Extinction

The Asiatic lion population has risen by more than 70% in a decade to 891 in India, continuing a remarkable recovery from near-extinction.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav credited “strict legal protection,” along with the revival of the lions’ natural prey and a landscape-wide approach to conservation.

The population increased from 523 lions in 2015 to 891 in 2025, up 32% since 2020 and dramatically higher than the 40–60 animals remaining in the early 1900s. Their range has expanded to nearly 35,000 square kilometres across 11 districts, while lions have naturally returned to Barda Wildlife Sanctuary after disappearing there in the 19th century. Conservation measures include protecting more than 55,000 open wells, restoring habitat, monitoring disease and working with local communities to reduce conflict.