When we mention the Moroccan national team, we immediately think of the nickname “the Atlas Lions.” What does this mean?
The Last Lions of the North
Atlas lions are muscular, have thick fur, and particularly a large mane that covers down to their bellies (Photo: Getty).
The Atlas Lion (also known as the Barbary Lion or Egyptian Lion) is a subspecies of lion that lived in North Africa, now extinct in the wild, and can only be found in small numbers in zoos and reserves.
They are known for their large, muscular appearance, thick fur, and long, dark manes that extend down to their backs and bellies (in males). These are considered evolutionary traits of the Atlas Lion to adapt to the climatic conditions of North Africa.
Until 2017, the Atlas Lion was still regarded as a distinct subspecies of lion. However, subsequent morphological and genetic analyses of lion specimens from North Africa indicated that the Atlas Lion does not differ significantly from lion specimens collected in West Africa and Northern Central Africa.
This species is also known as the Egyptian Lion.
Many documents suggest that they once roamed across the deserts and cold mountainous regions of North Africa, stretching from Morocco to Egypt. Hence, this species is also referred to as the Egyptian Lion.
According to Simon Black, a science lecturer at the University of Kent (UK), only about 10% of lion individuals chose to migrate north, while the majority headed south.
The reason for this selective process is due to the expansion of the Sahara Desert and other related geological impacts, which caused the lion population to become fragmented and forced them to adapt to the climate and living conditions of each area.
Sadly for the lions left in the North, they faced significant dispersion and pressure from land expansion, as well as hunting by humans throughout the 19th century.
At that time, Atlas Lions frequently appeared in ancient Roman arenas, where they were forced to participate in battles solely to satisfy the bloodlust of spectators. Hundreds, even thousands of lions were killed in this manner.
According to Nature, the last Atlas Lion disappeared in 1922. As of now, it has been 100 years, and despite numerous hunts, no other lions have been found in the wild.
Why do people associate Morocco with the image of a lion?
Two young Atlas lions playing at a zoo in Morocco. (Photo: Getty).
When everyone believed that the Atlas Lion was extinct, a surprising discovery was made when several dozen individuals were found alive in captivity at a zoo in Rabat, Morocco.
This turned out to be one of the remarkable efforts of King Mohammed V at the time. He is known to have called for the search and relocation of each Atlas Lion to his own zoo to nurture them, before struggling to save the last individuals on the brink of extinction.
Perhaps due to King Mohammed V’s love for these creatures, the image of two Atlas lions guarding a crown has been engraved on the emblem of the kingdom.
The distinctive appearance of the Atlas Lion has become a symbol of Morocco. (Photo: Getty).
Alongside this, the national football team has affectionately been nicknamed “the Atlas Lions.” Over time, the Atlas Lions have become increasingly important in terms of history, culture, and genetics.
To this day, scientists are tirelessly working to “revive” them, while conservationists continue their search. They believe that the last lion population in the North may still exist somewhere in the wild, away from human sight.
