Biologist Just Found Out What “Extinct” Atlas Lion Actually Are

In 1922, a hunter in Morocco's Atlas Mountains was said to have shot the last wild Barbary lion. But the story didn't end there. Later sightings, a royal bloodline kept behind palace walls, and two medieval lion skulls pulled from the moat of the Tower of London all pointed to something stranger than extinction. Now the latest genetic research reveals what the Atlas lion actually was, where its closest living relatives are today, and why its return to the mountains may not be impossible. Should the Atlas lion be brought back to the mountains of Morocco? Tell us in the comments, and subscribe for more stories about what wildlife science is really uncovering. #AtlasLion #BarbaryLion #Morocco #Wildlife #BigCats