World Lion Day was begun in 2013 by Derek and Beverly Joubert, a husband-and-wife team with a passion for big cats. It was started as an awareness holiday to protect the remaining big cats living in the wild.
World Lion Day is celebrated yearly on August 10.
Lion Facts
- Lions are the second largest big cat in the world. Only the Asian tiger is larger.
- Lions weigh 300-550 pounds and are admired for their speed and muscular strength.
- Today, lions are only found in the wild in Africa and certain sections of Asia when once they were found all over Africa and the Eurasian continent. This is mostly due to loss of their natural environment.
- Lions are not currently on the endangered species list, but are considered 'vulnerable' because their number has been reduced by fifty percent over the years.
- Researchers estimate that there are only 30,000 to 100,000 lions left on the planet.
The Three Purposes of World Lion Day
- Raise awareness of their plight and the issues that the species faces in the wild.
- Find ways to protect the big cat’s natural environment (such as creating more national parks and reducing the areas in which people can settle).
- Educate people who live near wild cats on the dangers and how to protect themselves. Big cats and humans can live in harmony together, if they understand how to do so.
Places to See Lions Other Than in the Wild
Zoos – many zoos today designate wild areas where the zoo lions can roam outside in a simulated natural habitat. This way they do not need to be caged, yet people can safely see them.
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| Photo by Sylvestermouse |
Sylvestermouse shares a fantastic photo of two such lions – Fred and Savannah – when they were living at the Memphis Zoo. Her interesting article with facts on the African Lion, and on Fred & Savannah, can be found on her Amazing Wild Animals website.
Wildlife Parks, such as Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kansas (near Wichita) which is a family-friendly destination where parkgoers can have up-close and hands-on interaction with the animals.
Plush Lion
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| Luke, the crocheted plush lion |
Children who wish to have a lion of their own could safely do so with a cuddly plush lion. :-)
Luke the Lion is a plump round roly-poly kind of Lion who is soft and fun to hold. He's a very friendly little lion who seldom ever roars, and likes to do 'quiet' things, like reading and playing board games.
Luke the plush lion is handmade in crochet and can be found in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts.
Summary
So, celebrate this “King-of-the-Jungle” on August 10 each year. An interesting and fascinating animal awareness holiday.
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*World Lion Day holiday review is written by Wednesday Elf
