The African lion is heading towards extinction and the single biggest threat to the lion’s survival comes from human beings. It is understandable that African farmers, trying to rear their livestock, should come into conflict with the animals and the widespread killing of lions is the result. There are added pressures on lion habitats from controversial road building schemes, such as the one across the Serengeti, to the destruction of wilderness areas to grow crops.
This is more than enough to threaten the very existence of the ‘king of the jungle’; but there is more. Americans are hunting lions for sport and carrying off trophies such as rugs and necklaces. There is a thriving trade in animal parts, both in the US and across the world and, together with the threat from local communities, this has brought the lion population into crisis.
A wildlife coalition including the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Born Free has called upon the White House to ban the import of lion parts and trophies by designating the lions as an endangered species. Between 1999 and 2008, 64% of African lions killed in the wild were killed for sport. It is difficult to believe that this could be possible. During our colonial history, many, many wild animals were killed for sport in Africa. This was bad enough but we excuse it by saying that people knew no better. What is the excuse now?
It is difficult to believe that our generation may well see the end of this magnificent animal in the wild and even more difficult to accept that it is our fault because we did nothing to help stop it from happening.
For more information about lions in danger and to discover what you can do to help go to www.lionaid.org
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