'Kingdom of the Barbary Lion' opens at Belfast Zoo

It's basically Tinder for endangered species - that's how the manager of Belfast Zoo describes an international breeding programme designed to pull animals back from the brink of extinction.

Alyn Cairns was speaking as the zoo opened a new state-of-the-art enclosure for its three Barbary Lions.

The Barbary is at once majestic and tragic. Native to North Africa, they no longer exist in the wild.

Their natural habitat has been destroyed and the last remaining wild one was shot in Morocco in 1942.

That's what makes the lions in Belfast Zoo so special. The only Barbaries left in the world are in captivity.

But a worldwide breeding is trying to save the Barbary Lion from extinction. Zoos across Europe are sharing DNA profiles and hoping to encourage the birth of enough cubs to keep the Barbary from oblivion.

"Lion populations all over Africa are in trouble. We hope this new facility, this new habitat will be used for future breeding," says Alyn Cairns.

"We share information with other zoos, and we make sure that there is no inbreeding. It's basically Tinder for Barbary Lions and other endangered animals," he laughs.

Lara Clarke, the senior lion keeper at the zoo, says: "Things don't look great for the Barbary Lion. If we don't take action now and get the international breeding programme to work then these lions will be extinct within my lifetime."

Barbary lions are recorded throughout history. 

They were the lions that fought in the Colosseum in Ancient Rome. 

For centuries, they were captured and used as the playthings of royal families across Europe.

Humankind has rarely been kind to the Barbary Lion, but the hope now is that with global collaboration, humans can save these magnificent animals from extinction.

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