World Lion Day

When is World Lion Day?

World Lion Day is an annual event that takes place on August 10th.

What is the history of World Lion Day?

This year is the 10th World Lion Day. It was founded in 2013 by Derek and Beverly Joubert with the intention of raising awareness about the challenges lions face in the wild.

Prior to this, the Jouberts also partnered with National Geographic to create the Big Cat Initiative. Again, this initiative focused on trying to stop the rapid decline in lion populations.

Why is World Lion Day important?

Lions are facing huge threats

The number of lions in the wild has dropped dramatically, and this trend is continuing. The population of African lions, for example, has dropped by 43% since 2001. Without our help, lion populations may never recover.

Lions are exploited

Lions aren’t typical farmyard animals, but thousands of lions are farmed around the world for their bones and other body parts. These are often used in traditional medicine, despite no evidence that they work. These animals have short, brutal lives of suffering.

Lions have empathy

Lions are social animals and they are able to empathise with other members of their pride. For example, they experience contagious yawning just like humans.

Lions are intelligent

Like many other animals, lions are able to solve puzzles to obtain food. Unusually, they can also learn how to solve a puzzle simply by watching another lion solve it first. This shows a higher level of intelligence and social connection than most other animals.

Join our fight against the exploitation and commodification of wild animals. Can you lend your voice? 

FAQs and facts about lions

Where do lions live?

Nearly all lions currently live in Africa. They’re able to live in lots of different habitats, including open plains, dense brush, and even dry thorn forests. They will usually be found living close to a body of water which can also help them find prey.

Are lions intelligent?

Lions are highly intelligent animals who can solve problems easily. As sentient, social creatures, they can even work together to solve puzzles and obtain food.

What do lions eat

Lions typically eat large or medium-sized animals, such as impala. They usually work together to hunt and stalk their prey rather than engage in a long chase.

Are lions endangered and why?

Lions are described as “vulnerable”, with only about 20,000 African lions left in the wild. They are suffering from the loss of prey animals but they are also being hunted and caught for human purposes. These include entertainment and traditional medicine.

Captive lions are also used for “hunting experiences”. These experiences keep the lions in a confined space, allowing wealthy “hunters” a guaranteed kill. These lions often sustain agonising wounds and suffer significantly.

Can lions be domesticated?

Lions are sentient, wild animals and cannot be domesticated. Their emotional and social needs can only be met by living in a pride with other lions.

How can we protect lions?

We can protect lions by putting an end to their commercial exploitation. We can remove the demand for lions in tourist entertainment and boycott companies that still engage in these practices. We can also pressure governments to crack down on the use of lion parts in traditional medicine.

What is a lion's mane?

Only male lions have manes. This covering of longer hair around their necks and heads signals their health, virility, and dominance to both rivals and mates.

How long can a lion live?

Lions live on average between 12 and 16 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity, though their quality of life may be severely diminished if kept in pseudo sanctuaries or used in wildlife tourism for commercial gain.

How fast can a lion run?

Lions can run at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour for short bursts when hunting.

How much does the lion weigh?

Adult male lions weigh between 170 and 230 kg, while females are slightly smaller and lighter.

What is the largest lion in the world?

The largest lion living in the wild ever recorded was just under 3.3. metres long and weighed 270 kg.

Are lions a protected species? Are lions endangered?

The IUCN classifies all lions as vulnerable, while the Asiatic lion subspecies is classed as endangered.

What is a lion’s habitat? What are the threats to the lion’s habitat?

Lions are found in savannahs, grasslands, open woodlands, and scrublands across sub-Saharan Africa and within Gir National Park in India. Threats to lion habitat include urbanisation, agriculture, and climate change.

What are the different species of lion?

There is just one lion species, known scientifically as Panthera leo. The Asiatic lion, found in the Gir Forest in India, is considered a subspecies.

Are there any extinct lion species?

Several lion subspecies are already extinct, including the Barbary lion and the Cape lion.

How many lions are left in the world?

The lion population is decreasing, and there are just 23,000 to 39,000 mature adult lions left in the wild. Lion poaching, the lion bone trade, human-lion conflict, prey depletion, and habitat loss are all impacting their survival.

How many white lions are left in the world?

White lions are a rare genetic variant of African lions, not a separate species. There are very few white lions left in the wild.