The European Lion
Panthera leo europaea
Extinct 100 A.D.
From the series Extinction Portraits
Graphite on paper with vintage award ribbon
11" x 9" framed
2007
Many people aren't aware wild lions once lived all over Europe. The lesson here is that, unfortunately, extinction is nothing new. The European Lion became extinct around 100 A.D. due to excessive hunting by the Romans, Greeks and Macedonians. The lions were often captured for Roman arenas where they were killed for sport, one of the main forms of 'entertainment' in that Roman Empire. After the extinction of the European Lion, Romans began importing lions from North Africa and the Middle East. Due to human activities, today's populations of lions are also in severe decline.
(click image to enlarge)
Extinct 100 A.D.
From the series Extinction Portraits
Graphite on paper with vintage award ribbon
11" x 9" framed
2007
Many people aren't aware wild lions once lived all over Europe. The lesson here is that, unfortunately, extinction is nothing new. The European Lion became extinct around 100 A.D. due to excessive hunting by the Romans, Greeks and Macedonians. The lions were often captured for Roman arenas where they were killed for sport, one of the main forms of 'entertainment' in that Roman Empire. After the extinction of the European Lion, Romans began importing lions from North Africa and the Middle East. Due to human activities, today's populations of lions are also in severe decline.
(click image to enlarge)
