How Many Lions Are Left in the World? (Updated 2025)
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Written by:
Editorial
- Published:
- Updated: May 2, 2025
How Many Lions Are Left in the World? (And Why It’s Less Than You Think)
You see one on a logo. On a T-shirt. In a movie. Maybe even tattooed on someone’s bicep. The lion — bold, unshaken, royal. But here’s what you don’t see: the slow disappearance.
If you’re dreaming of Africa and lions are on your bucket list, here’s the wake-up call — fewer than 24,000 lions are alive in the wild today. That’s not a typo. That’s all that’s left of the king of beasts.
So before you hop on that safari truck, let’s talk numbers, reality, and what your trip could mean.
Lion pride in Ngorongoro Crater
How Many Lions Are Left in the World?
The total estimated global lion’s population is between 20,000 and 24,000 wild lions.
Out of all these, about 99% of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa and may be sighted in any arranged game drive.
Only 600 or so are left in India’s Gir Forest, the last holdout of Asiatic lions.
Due to destructive human practices, over the years, lions numbers have dropped from over 90% of their historic range.
To put it bluntly: there are more Facebook employees than wild lions on Earth.
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Why Are Lion Populations Declining?
This isn’t about nature balancing itself. It’s about us.
- Habitat loss: For lions to prevail, they need space. Lots of it. But farmland, roads, and towns keep squeezing them out hence leading to a great decline in their numbers.
- Human-wildlife conflict: A lion kills a cow? That farmer doesn’t call animal control. He grabs a spear or poison. It’s survival — for both sides and this doesn’t leave their numbers the same.
- Illegal hunting and trophy hunting: In some countries where lions are, wealthy hunters can legally kill lions. Elsewhere, lions are snared, poisoned, or poached.
- Declining prey numbers: Less zebra, less wildebeest, less everything — which forces lions to hunt livestock.
- Inbreeding in small populations: Isolated lions, especially in India, face genetic issues due to low diversity.
African Lion pride in Serengeti
Where to See Lions in Africa.
If you’re serious about seeing lions while they still roam wild, these are your best bets:
| Location | Why Go |
| Serengeti, Tanzania | Massive prides, endless plains, big drama |
| Maasai Mara, Kenya | Great Migration views and high lion density |
| Okavango Delta, Botswana | Lions that hunt in water — yes, really |
| South Luangwa, Zambia | Remote, raw, and walking safaris |
| Queen Elizabeth NP, Uganda | Home to rare tree-climbing lions |
| Gir Forest, India | The last 600 Asiatic lions live here — nowhere else |
| Murchison falls National Park, Uganda | Here, you can easily spot lions on a game drive. |
Keep in mind the above destinations give you a true wild lion encounter (not the one you do in a zoo). This is wild Africa — or what’s left of it. And seeing a lion here is more than just a photo-op. It’s a connection.
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What You Can Do as a First-Time Safari Traveler
You don’t need to be a biologist to help lions. You just need to care a little more and for starters, listen to what your professional tour guide tells you.
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Choose eco-conscious safari companies that contribute to local conservation. Do not litter anyhow, try practicing responsible tourism. In other words, be a good guest.
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Don’t support lion petting farms or canned hunting setups (yes, those exist).
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Ask questions — where your money goes, how local communities benefit, what wildlife protections are in place.
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Share the real story — not just the Instagram photo, but what you learned.
Your first lion sighting could be the start of something more meaningful than just a vacation.
Lion: King of the jungle
Final Word
There’s a reason the lion is a symbol of courage. But it’s not courage that keeps it alive — it’s space, protection, and less interference from us.
So, how many lions are left in the world? Not enough. But enough to save — if you care, if you choose wisely, and if you make that trip with open eyes and a little heart.
And when you’re sitting in an open vehicle, 10 meters from a lion locking eyes with you… Will you just be a tourist, or will you be one more reason it’s still alive?
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