Saed News: The Persian lion, or Asiatic lion, was once abundant in the plains and mountains of Iran. However, extensive hunting from the Ghaznavid era to the Qajar period brought this magnificent animal to the brink of extinction.
According to the History Service of Saed News, the Persian lion—a magnificent subspecies of the Asiatic lion—was actively present in Iran’s natural environment until about a century ago. However, historical accounts and visual documents show that hunting this animal was common and sometimes considered a matter of pride from past centuries up to the Qajar era.
Beyhaqi’s history records that Sultan Masoud Ghaznavi hunted eight lions in a single day—an indication of the court’s fascination with lion hunting as a symbol of power. This tradition continued into the Qajar period, and today photographs remain showing people standing beside the carcasses of hunted lions posing for the camera.
With the continuation of this practice and habitat destruction, the Persian lion completely disappeared from Iran by the 1940s. Today, the only remaining populations live in Gir Forest, India.
