Witha PoD of 1900, how can we have the African Lion keep as much of its range, the Barbary Lion avoid its extinction in the wild (with thousands of wild specimen), the Asiatic Lion widespread in parts of India/Iran and even reintroduced to the Balkans and Arabia (numbering in the thousands in both), and all three being as popular in culture as possible?
Also, making them invasive species in the Amazon is another bonus.