THE ACORN TREE
THE HUNT FOR THE BARBARY
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photo of "Rocky" courtesy of: John Williamson and John Burkitt, Tiger Touch, Fallon, NV (c) 2000
Could "Rocky" be a Barbary?
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When I first began this project, I didn't even know there was a difference in lions. A lion... is a lion.. is a lion. So what on earth is a Barbary Lion? Hang tight, I'm about to tell you!
First of all, the Barbary Lion lived primarily in the North African forests. The male Barbary Lion was huge, weighing more than 500 lb. Now, just so you get the picture, your average, run-of-the-mill, garden- variety lion weighs only about 300-400 lb. Like I said, we are talking huge!
The Barbary Lion had a more compact and longer body, between 9 ft. and 11 ft. from ears to tip of tail. He was shorter than his cousin, the African or Asian Lion, but a powerhouse lion with lots of muscles. The Barbary's face was wide and had large amber eyes, instead of the dark brown eyes of his cousin. The face was framed proudly with a beautiful mane that sported a golden halo which burst into a sea of black, or what appeared to be black. This mane was thick and lush, running down the lions chest, between the front legs and down the back below the shoulder. Believe me that is a lot of hair! His coat was a bit longer than the lions we know, and it was grayer and darker than his cousins.
Most people thought the Barbary Lion was gone, no longer in existence, kaput. But recently, they have discovered lions with the same traits, color, and size as the Barbarys. In order to find out if these lions are true descendants of the Barbary Lion, scientists must compare DNA taken from lions in museums, with lions alive today who seem to share the traits of a Barbary Lion. If they can determine that a living lion is a direct descendant of the Barbary Lion, there is a chance that they can bring the Barbary Lion back into existence, through careful breeding.
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