The Asiatic lion has an interesting history of origin, evolution and an escape from extinction in the previous century. The Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat, India, decided the destiny of this great cat in the 20th century, but its fate in the new millennium depends on how human beings respect this majestic feline. The author has brought together here his observations collected over roughly three decades. This book covers every aspect of the Asiatic lion from the past and present status to a likely future scenario. The management and conservation of the Gir forest and the Asiatic lion during the last ve decades, which has made Gir one of the best managed Protected Areas in the world, have also been summarised. Singh has extracted information from ancient literature and historical records to present the origin and history of the big cats. The book also covers scientic and biological information on the feline. Social behaviour, breeding ecology, physical attributes, habits and habitats, hunting behaviour, feeding patterns, prey base and predation pattern are discussed. Most of the photographs in this book were taken in the Gir forest by the author, although some photographs made by others have also been included.