Lions Stroll Into Gas Station Parking Lot and Send Guard Dogs Running

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Imagine a brisk nightly walk through the Sasan Gir National Park. Sounds rather relaxing, doesn’t it? It would be nicer if lions weren’t roaming about, though! This is exactly what we get a glimpse of in the featured video, which features several lionesses casually taking the spotlight.

At first, it seems all is well at a gas station, with a few alert guard dogs standing watch. However, they quickly decide to bail at the first sign of intruders – hope they’re not out of a job! The pair of uninvited guests prowl about for a moment and then appear to leave as soon as they arrive. Looks like spooking the night watch was the name of the game!

Take note that these aren’t your standard African lions, but instead Asiatic lions. This subspecies inhabits a very tiny area of Gujarat, India, and is considered to be endangered due to habitat destruction and hunting. Thankfully, conservation efforts have seen a gradual increase in their numbers within said area.

With all of that said, let’s take a mini-safari and learn a tad more about these exotic felines.

Did Lions Originally Inhabit Asia?

Although the modern take on lions gives them a lot of weight in Africa, it’s undeniable that their range used to be much larger. Whether on the continent of Africa itself or even ranging from Turkey all the way over to India, these regal animals roamed much farther in days long gone. However, human incursion has been almost the sole contributor to the loss of their originally more expansive kingdom.

To make matters worse for the worldwide lion populations of the past, humans have always fancied the thrill of a dangerous hunt. Records exist describing the feats of many ancient kings and how many lions they felled. After the advent of the firearm, hunters, and poachers have had even more ability to damage the king of the jungle’s capacity to thrive. Ongoing conservation and awareness campaigns have assisted with this in recent years, though populations in the wild are still declining.

Dogs Versus Lions: Who Would Win in a Fight?

Just ask the pups from the video below! Seriously though, consider how massive and powerful even small lions are. With their striking jaws and muscular build, it’s understandable that even the toughest canines simply don’t stand a chance in a tussle with these cats. From the looks of things, those guard dogs could only wish they were a Kangal Shepherd Dog!

How Large is an Asiatic Lion?

Asiatic lions are generally smaller than African lions, concentrated in India. This endangered species’ numbers are abysmal–currently less than 500 left. The average shoulder height of a male Asiatic lion is 3.5-3.9 feet tall (107-120 cm), while the female measures 2.6-3.9 feet (80-107 cm). The average weight of an adult male is 353-420 lbs (160-190 kg). The female weighs in at 220-285 lbs (100-130kg).

In comparison, African male lions weigh 331-496 lbs (150-225 kg) and females weigh 183-364 lbs (83-165 kg). The heights of this species are comparable to that of Asiatic lions.