The World Lion Day is celebrated annually on August 10th to raise awareness of the sharp decline in Lion populations due to the threats ranging from habitat loss to illegal hunting.
World Lion Day was established in 2013 by environmentalists Dereck and Beverly Joubert, founders of the Big Cat rescue. In collaboration with National Geographic, they founded the Big Cat Initiative (BCI) in 2009, a joint initiative aimed at protecting these majestic species.
Its main agenda was to raise awareness about issues that Lions confront and their critical role in maintaining a balanced eco system.
Known as the ‘King of the Jungle,’ Lions have captured human imagination for centuries embodying courage and strength, yet behind their majestic exterior lies a precarious reality of extinction.
Lions are currently listed as “vulnerable” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species.
In Africa, the African Lion population on the continent has been reduced by half with fewer than 20,000 remaining in the whole of Africa.
In Uganda, the only places to find Lions in their natural habitat are at three Savannah national parks which include, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park.
Uganda is home to the unique tree climbing Lions found in Ishasha of Queen Elizabeth National Park which have been dubbed by tourists as the “Ishasha tree-climbing Lions.”
As Apex predators, Lions balance nature, inspire awe and fuel tourism all over the world and especially in Uganda.
On a day when these majestic creatures are celebrated, every human being should know that preservation has become a necessity, more now than ever. We cannot hope to live on a peaceful and resourceful planet if we keep depleting it of its natural resources.
Lions are vital for the balance of nature and biodiversity. Let’s Join hands and conserve these Majestic Kings of the Jungle.
