West African lion in the context of "Bauchi State"

Bauchi (Hausa: Jihar Bauchi /Fula: Leydi Bauchi 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤦𞤢𞤵𞤷𞥅𞤭) is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, It is bordered by Jigawa to the north, Yobe to the north-east, Gombe to the east, Taraba and Plateau to the south, Kaduna to the west and Kano to the northwest respectfully. It takes its name from the historic city of Bauchi, which also serves as its capital. The state was formed in the year 1976, when the former North-Eastern State was broken up. It originally included the area that is now Gombe State, which became a distinct state in 1996.

Of the 36 states, Bauchi is the fifth largest in area and also the fifth most populous, with an estimated population of over 8,308,800 as of 2022. Geographically, the state is divided between the West Sudanian savanna in the south and the drier, semi-desert Sahelian savanna in the north with a small part of the montane Jos Plateau in the southwest. A key defining characteristic of the state’s landscape is Yankari National Park, a large wildlife park in southern Bauchi State that contains large populations of waterbuck, African buffalo, patas monkey, hippopotamus, roan antelope, and western hartebeest along with some of Nigeria's last remaining West African lion, African leopard and African bush elephant populations.