Land of the Lions

Land of the Lions recreates the atmosphere of the Gir Forest in Gujarat, India, which is the only place in the world where Asiatic lions exist in the wild. The designers traveled to India to gather inspiration and sourced authentic materials, including rickshaws, bicycles, and even a life-sized truck, to place throughout the exhibit. These items help tell the story of how local communities in the Gir region live in close proximity to these endangered big cats. Visitors walk through a space modeled after the village of Sasan Gir, complete with a train station where lions are sometimes spotted resting on the tracks. The centerpiece of the area is a three hundred and sixty degree temple clearing where the lions roam, separated from the public only by fine wire mesh. When Queen Elizabeth the Second and the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the exhibit in March of two thousand sixteen, the resident lionesses came within a few feet of the royal guests. The habitat serves as a vital component of the international breeding program for this critically endangered species, which remains particularly vulnerable to disease and natural disasters in its small, isolated home in India.