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Rebirth of Barbary Lions
By Sue Leeman -- The Associated Press
P O R T L Y M P N E, England — To the
uninitiated, the tumbling bundle of claws and rough fur the color of milky coffee
resembles any other lion cub.
But scientists believe 3-month-old Saffiya, or Saffi as she is
known, may hold the key to breeding the large, dark-maned Barbary lion back into
existence.
Descended from the famous lion collection of Moroccan kings,
Saffi may have what it takes to be a progenitor of the new line of wild Barbaries.
Thanks to scientific advances, including techniques for
extracting ancient DNA, it’s now possible to trace the Barbary’s genetic profile
and find out if Saffi matches up.
Devourer of early Christians, inspiration of medieval knights and
trophy of kings, the Barbary lion could once be found throughout North Africa, from
Morocco to Egypt, prowling the woodlands of the Great and Little Atlas mountain ranges.
But hunting, development and destruction of their habitat reduced
their numbers over the centuries. And in the 1920s, a hunter claimed the last wild Barbary
in Morocco.
“Unfortunately, there are only a handful of genuine Barbary
survivors left, and many of them are getting old,” said Kay Hill of Wildlink
International, a British conservation group involved in the campaign to restore the fabled
cat.
“Breeding them now is the only way we can ensure the Barbary
does not die forever — and that’s where Saffi comes in,” Hill said.
DNA Profiling
Scientists at Oxford University are studying the skeletal remains of Barbaries from
museums and universities across Europe in hopes of identifying the lion’s DNA profile
by spring.
Then, the DNA profile will be compared with soft tissue or hair
samples from living animals, many of which are hybrids, to establish how pure their
Barbary lineage is. The lions with the closest match will be used to breed the new Barbary
line, which ultimately will be restored to the wild.
“I think we could reach our goal in a couple of
generations,” said Dr. Nobuyuki Yamaguchi of Oxford University’s Wildlife
Conservation Unit, which is coordinating the DNA research.
Morocco is just as eager as the scientists to restore the
lion’s lineage. Authorities have earmarked 98,000 acres of land in the ancient
Barbary territory of the Atlas Mountains for the new race, which the local Berber people
hope will become a tourist attraction.
About 60 specimens in zoos around the world show Barbary
characteristics, but only 20 to 25 will be tested.
“It is our ideal to see the Barbary lion back in the
wild,” said Dr. Brahim Haddane, curator of Morocco’s Rabat Zoo, which houses the
king’s collection, numbering about two dozen animals. “I have been working for
this for the last 20 years.”
Descended from the Barbaries in Rabat Zoo, Saffi was born in July
at entrepreneur John Aspinall’s Port Lympne Wildlife Park, located on the green hills
of Kent county in southeast England.
“We know how important she is, and we want to give her every
chance,” said marketing manager Philip Huckin.
The park is home to five Barbary lions, the only ones in Britain.
They include Saffi’s father, Kabir, who has the Barbary’s full, dark mane —
with its distinctive golden halo around the face — and a dark belly fringe that
extends along the groin.
10 Feet Tip to Tail
Also known as the Nubian, or Atlas, lion, the male Barbary was reported to have weighed
more than 500 pounds, compared with the 385 pounds of today’s male African lion. It
could measure 10 feet from its ears to the tip of its tail.
Historians believe the Barbary first was brought to Europe for
the Roman games at the Coliseum. The animal came to represent courage and nobility —
from the heraldic symbols of medieval knights to the giant statues in today’s
Trafalgar Square in central London.
It is believed that Moroccan kings began collecting Barbaries
after the Berber tribes, seeking to retain their autonomy, offered the animals in lieu of
taxes.
Two German scientists tried to breed Barbaries about 20 years
ago, but failed because too many parties were involved and controls were inadequate.
Hill said success this time around was vital. “If we fail,
another part of our untamed past will live only as a symbol, a myth and a memory.”
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