Half of Africa's lions
Lost in just 30 years
Their Kingdom is Shrinking
Will You Help Lions Roam and Recover?
Lions have lost 92% of their historic range. If this decline continues, we could lose Africa’s lions forever. Losing lions wouldn’t just mean the extinction of the iconic ‘king of the jungle’ it would be devastating for the entire ecosystem – and humans too.
We can't let lions be wiped from the map
Lions are losing their habitat fast – already locally extinct across 26 countries where they previously roamed and half their population gone in the last 30 years.
As land is converted for agriculture and infrastructure, lion prides are cut off and isolated from each other. The areas they can roam become smaller and smaller making it harder for lions to find prey and breed – while coming across humans is much more likely.
Unless we work to protect, expand and connect their habitats, the 23,000 lions that are left in the wild will keep halving in number, until they vanish entirely.
Revitalising a Kingdom
Given the chance, lions can recover quickly. WWF has decades worth of experience helping big cats overcome threats. Click through below to read about three key areas of work that are helping to revitalise the lion's kingdom.
Reconnecting Landscapes
Lions can no longer roam freely, instead populations are isolated by miles of roads and fences, plus farmland and other infrastructure.
SOKNOT is a WWF programme working across 134,000 sq km in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Its goal is to restore the wildlife corridors that allow lions to roam between the two countries.
This programme also strives to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, ensuring people and lions can live alongside each other safely.
Land 4 Life
The Land for Life project trains coexistence officers to alert communities when lions are nearby. It supports the wellbeing of over 27,000 people and protects their livestock through building Living Wall bomas made of fences and living trees. This project also protects the forest from increasing pressures such as illegal logging.
Reducing Poaching
While habitat loss and fragmentation is the lion’s greatest threat, poaching for bush meat or the illegal wildlife trade in lion parts are a significant issues too.
Across Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania, work has focused on poaching hotspots within vital wildlife corridors. Recent projects brought together local communities, project partners and wildlife authorities to reduce the demand for bushmeat and improve law enforcement effectiveness.
Living with Lions
Maasai warriors are famous the world over. And they’re showing the world how vital lions are too.
Traditionally young warriors would prove themselves by spearing a lion. But having seen the wider impact of humans on lions, they’re finding new ways to show their strength – like javelin-throwing contests. They’re keeping both lions – and traditions – alive.
We've lost half of Africa's lions in just 30 years
But you could help double their numbers in the next 30. Your donation will help lions to thrive as well as fund other vital conservation work around the world.
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