To ensure the long-term survival of the lion (Panthera leo), the Namibian Lion Trust (Reg#T298/2019) has developed three interdependant programmes to support the recovery, survival and range-wide expansion of this Big Cat species, namely For Lions – For Life – For Our Future.
The ‘King of the Beasts’ is under threat.
A century ago, an estimated 200.000 wild lions roamed the African continent. Nowadays, only 20.000 free-roaming lions can be found, their historic range has been reduced by 95 percent and their habitat continues to be under attack. The lion is an apex predator, at the top of the food chain, and does not have many natural enemies; however their survival is still at stake. Unfortunately, the largest threat comes from Mankind. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has marked the African Lion as “Vulnerable” on their Red List of Threatened Species, meaning that the population is vulnerable to become endangered in the near future.
Luckily, a more positive message comes from the southern African countries. The IUCN has concluded that over the past 21 years, the lion populations in Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe have increased by 12 percent. We are very proud to be part of Namibia’s efforts to protect our lion population. Our programme, FOR LIONS, consists of three strategies to safeguard the lion population:
Protect Our Prides, The Lion Guards and the Lion Research Project.