Lions
Lions

Lion Conservation

In almost every wildlife programme the Lion is the undoubted star of the show. Whenever anyone thinks of the wildlife in Africa then the image of a Lion and his Lioness’s patrolling across the Savannah comes to the front of their minds. These incredible big cats may be a symbol of strength in the animal world, but lion conservation efforts are needed now more than ever to prevent the decline of this amazing animal from getting any worse. Lions once roamed across vast swathes of land in both Africa and Asia, but as their two major threats of habitat encroachment and hunting become ever more prominent, the fate of the lion is well and truly in our hands.

This is why, here at The Great Projects we are delighted to be able to offer you the chance to volunteer with Lions on one of our incredible Conservation Projects.You can travel to Botswana, South Africa or even Zimbabwe to immerse yourself in the world of the planets most famous big cat. Lion conservation projects are crucial to the big cats survival, so why not sign up to a project and help now!

Lions at a glance

ENDANGERED STATUS
Vulnerable
NUMBER REMAINING IN THE WILD
20,000-30,000
ENDEMIC REGION
Africa and some parts of Asia

How endangered are lions

Although a population of 20,000-30,000 may seem like a lot, in the grand scheme of things it spells danger for the lion. Over the last 20 years, their numbers have plummeted by around 30% and today over 40% of their population is in decline.The lion was not placed under the protection of the Endangered Species Act until December 2015, and this could go some way as to explaining why their numbers continued to drop at such an alarming rate. Now that they are on the list, the hope is that their species will be able to recover.

Things are much worse for the white lion, which is not recognised as a sub species of lion and has therefore been able to be hunted for years. Their numbers are as low as 13 in the wild, and that is why we need a drastic increase in lion conservation efforts.

Threats lions are facing

Lions may be an apex predator, but they are coming under increasing pressure from human based threats. Two of the biggest of these threats are:

  • Habitat Encroachment – As humans continue to expand their farmland into what was once considered lion territory, this is leading to clashes between the cats and people. If a lion takes down a farmer’s livestock, more often than not the lion is killed so the farmer can retain his animals.
  • Hunting – Hunting is still rife throughout Africa, and once these big cats are staring down the barrel of a so called “hunter’s” rifle, they stand no chance at all.
Fast Facts
  • An adult lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away!
  • In 2005, an Ethiopian girl was kidnapped and beaten by 7 men until a pride of lions chased her attackers off. The lions then stayed and defended her until help arrived.
  • Lions with black manes are alpha males. A dark-maned lion’s testosterone levels are higher than the levels in other males, his cubs are more likely to survive, and he is more likely to recover from wounds. Lionesses prefer a dark-maned mate.

Projects Do More

Where you can go
Contact Info
UK Office
The Great Traveller Ltd,
3 Dairy Yard
Star Street
Ware, Hertfordshire
SG12 9BX
United Kingdom
Opening hours: 9am–5pm

T: +44(0) 208 885 4987

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