The Lion

"Once they ranged through Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas. American lions disappeared ten thousand years ago European lions went extinct two thousand years ago and wild Barbary lions were hunted to extinction in 1922. A few hundred Asian lions still exist in one park in India and the African lion is vanishing. The ever–increasing human population eats the lion's wild prey and destroys its habitat with overgrazing. Lions turn to killing livestock and are speared or poisoned in retaliation. There are fewer than 30 thousand African lions left and they could become extinct in the wild in the next 20 years."

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Support conservation groups that protect habitat and the natural prey of lions, and help farms build protection for their livestock.

• Choose responsible wildlife tourism operators that follow ethical viewing practices and contribute to conservation efforts.

• Help dispel myths about traditional medicine by sharing facts about lions’ ecological importance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HOW YOU CAN HELP

• Lion Guardians

• Panthera

• Living with Lions

• Wildlife Conservation Network, Lion Recovery Fund