A subspecies of the lion is the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) which lives only in the gir forest of Gujarat in India. It is also known as the Indian lion or Persian lion. The Gujarat government reported that the in 2005, 359 Asiatic lions were sighted in the gir forests.
The Asiatic lion once lived along the Mediterranean to the northeastern parts of the Indian subcontinent. Due to excessive hunting, water pollution and decline in their in the nature reduced their natural habitat. Compared to the African counterparts they are smaller and less aggressive. Bengal, Arabian, and Persian are the three classifies of the Asiatic lion.