An extinct breed of lion from North Africa was held at the Tower of London in medieval times, a new study shows.
A pair of skulls unearthed from the tower's moat in the 1930s belonged to Barbary lions, a subspecies that has since died out in the wild.
The discovery suggests that descendants of Barbary lions may still survive in captivity, which could help efforts to resurrect the dark-maned breed, researchers say.
The lions' North African roots were revealed by analysis of mitochondrial DNA, a genetic marker passed between females.
What's more, the DNA reveals that the two animals represent the oldest confirmed Barbary lion remains in the world, the study team said.
The findings are reported in the current issue of the journal Contributions to Zoology.
Can they bring them "back?" NO JP style, but...read the article.
I've heard the MGM lion was a Barbary lion.
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