95
u/Original_Feed_2910 1d ago
Lions in Armenia??? 😭
39
u/DoctorWernstrom 1d ago
Thousands of years ago.
52
u/kearsargeII Physical Geography 1d ago
Probably more recent than that. They were around in Iran until the 1940s, and in upper Mesopotamia near the Turkey/Iraq/Syria tripoint until the turn of the 19th century. I could not find when the last lion in Armenia was killed, but given that they were still present fairly close to Armenia until recently, the last lions in Armenia were probably wiped out around the same time.
10
u/DoctorWernstrom 1d ago
Wikipedia says the 10th century AC for South Caucasus. So "a thousand" rather than "thousands".
11
u/kearsargeII Physical Geography 1d ago edited 1d ago
Following up on this, I found a source suggesing the last lions in Caucausia lived in the period between 1600-1850. Specifically:
At the end of the 19th century, Blanford (1876) indicated that lions had become extinct innorthernIran, but were still living in Mesopotamia on the western Zagros spurs and southeast of Shiraz. The Persian lion, P. leo persica Meyer, 1826, was described from a Teheran specimen, i.e., from northwestern Iran. Chardin records that lions and tigers still inhabited the forests of Mingrelia and Imeretia at the beginning of the 17th century (1735, p.51). Chopin (1852), who lived in Armenia, stated that during his lifetime lions were no longer observed there, but tigers were occasionally seen wandering from the Araks River. Mammals of the Caucauses, 1959.Imretia and Mingrelia were historic regions in Georgia. Chopin's 1850 account suggests that they were extinct in the region at that point, but they were still living in or near Armenia in the 1600s per that first mention. Not having the original source, I would guess that they became extinct in the region not long before Chopin was born if he was wording it that way.
2
59
52
u/ur_sexy_body_double 1d ago
why don't they just move into that big empty area in north africa? are they stupid?
25
66
u/minaminonoeru 1d ago
This is a good situation for a large wild mammal. The situation is worse for other large wild mammals, and even worse outside of Africa.
33
u/rdfporcazzo 1d ago
Cougars and jaguars are in a way better situation in the Americas.
1
u/Ok-Elk-6075 1d ago
Nah but old whytes love hunting mountain lions . They’re ruining their population
16
u/Littlepage3130 1d ago
Honestly, I think that's just how it goes. Like we can express sympathy for these fierce animals, but at the end of the day very few people want to live in an area where they could ever pose a danger to human life. Conservation efforts are still great, but the world is never going back to when their populations were at their peak
7
63
u/ConversationNo7628 1d ago
They almost won't the Superbowl last time. They'll be okay. . .
13
u/jus10beare 1d ago
For real. The outlook for the future of bears is much more dire. Wish the owners would go extinct.
36
u/Electrical_Stage_656 Geography Enthusiast 1d ago
And it's all our fault
7
-12
1d ago
[deleted]
3
5
u/CriticalEngineering 1d ago
In what way are dinosaurs and lions related?
Please let us know, since you’re smarter than everyone here and every scientist alive.
6
9
22
u/Wonka_1 1d ago
Lot of injuries on defense but could still make a run this year. Most wins in franchise history this season.
8
u/LukeNaround23 1d ago
Same thing I was thinking. So much negativity, but I think they’re still going to the Super Bowl.
3
3
5
u/travelguideian 1d ago
I bet this map is mixing together extirpation by humans (bad), anthropogenic climate change (bad), and natural climate change (eh that’s the circle of life). Hard to say with no start date for the data.
Look up the African humid period and you can see that some of the areas highlighted in red used to be hospitable for megafauna, but no longer are.
Like… interior Western Sahara and the Bir Tawil / Halaib area aren’t hospitable for anything nowadays.
-3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
-9
u/Downtown_Physics_884 1d ago
Humans are a cancer.
1
u/ur_sexy_body_double 1d ago
We're animals like any other. Lions will kill hyenas because they're a threat. Wolves will kill mountain lions for the same reason. We're a successful species.
If you really think you're a cancerous rot then why do you insist on getting up each day and consuming? What are you, some kind of hypocrite? The worst part is the hypocrisy.
1
-3
u/Rottenveggee 1d ago
I mean while this might be true. But natural selection always induces the survival of the fittest, if anything humans are the only species that atleast have some level of empathy and conscience regarding their own doing. So there's that too.
-1
u/LukeNaround23 1d ago
You really think humans haven’t interrupted the whole survival of the fittest part of natural selection when it comes to actual humans? The premise of natural selection is that it’s left up to nature, and humans have been doing some very unnatural things in modern history, don’t you think?
0
u/Rottenveggee 1d ago
Yes, and that's what I wanted to imply. Humans are the first species to divulge natural selection into anthropogenic selection.
-3
0
u/Hamblin113 1d ago
Then you assume humans are artificial? What is interesting natural selection is alive and well if looked at including humans. Norway rats, pigs, House Sparrows, pigeons, European Starlings, many insects, weeds. Have all adapted to humans and have actually used humans to expand territory. One could argue this natural, but humans are part of the environment, like it or not.
1
u/LukeNaround23 1d ago
There are many humans who are in fact made of artificial pieces. That is a perfect example of circumventing natural selection.
1
u/Hamblin113 1d ago
Who thought up the artificial piece? Plus the comment was a comparison of humans and other animals, but not considering humans. If animal learns to use a tool and teaches it to the family group, is that not natural selection. Need to consider the sphere of influence, many forget to include the impact of humans.
2
u/LukeNaround23 1d ago
Apparently, one or both of us has lost the point. Either way, happy holidays and happy new year.
1
u/Tiny_Megalodon6368 1d ago
They're not bad, Ellis Park is just in a really bad part of Johannesburg. They should move to a different stadium.
2
u/dermotoneill 1d ago
No, they must be talking about the British and Irish lions. In which case you can class Wales as completely extinct.
2
u/Tiny_Megalodon6368 1d ago
Hopefully not completely extinct, but probably incredibly rare next year. I'd actually forgotten B&I Lions is 2025. Thanks for the reminder.
2
u/dermotoneill 1d ago
Id compare it to, no lions in the wild ( 0 in the starting XV) but maybe a couple of token Lions in captivity (2 or 3 squad players)
1
0
u/ColgateFTW 1d ago
Yeah they have a lot of injuries but they’re still playing quite well. I’m not worried about them
0
0
u/superdupercereal2 1d ago edited 17h ago
If you showed this map to an Ottoman from 1000 AD they'd be thrilled
Edit: 1300 AD not 1000
1
u/kearsargeII Physical Geography 1d ago
Random Byzantine peasant or Seljuk horseman living in 1000 AD. "what on earth is an Ottoman?"
At that, given that Seljuks literally named themselves after lions with ruler names like Alp Arslan: "heroic lion" I would guess their views on the extinction of a literal symbol of their power in the lands they controlled would be more complex than just happy they do not exist.
0
0
u/MaddingtonBear 1d ago
They've clinched a playoff berth and will get a bye if they beat the Vikings next week.
0
0
u/docbugzy 1d ago
The Ford family saw the Lions as a business and as long as that business was making money they didn’t see a need to invest.
What isn’t talked about is the investments the team has made since Sheila has taken over. Overhauled the training staff, overhauled the nutrition program, etc.
That stuff adds value but it also creates a belief in the team, when players see that investment in them.
213
u/Adventurous-Board258 1d ago
Lions have been in severe trouble as like any other megafauna alive today.
Don't know much about Africa.
But my country India has like 600 of them restricted to a very small area. Sub nationalism within states have led the state government to refuse any pursuit of relocation this has lead a huge amount disorders in genes.
The only plus point is you can see lions migrating out of their homes in beaches.