World Lion Day, celebrated annually on August 10, stands as a global occasion drawing attention towards the preservation of this magnificent species. Instituted in 2013 by Big Cat Rescue founders, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, the aim is to highlight the importance of lion conservation and address the mounting challenges threatening their survival. Lions, rightly revered as icons of courage and strength, inhabit primarily Africa’s landscapes, although a critically-endangered subspecies, the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica), calls the Gir Forest National Park in India home. Intriguingly, genetic studies show that lions in Western and Central Africa share more genetic ties with …