Protecting Lions in Uganda

Lion September 21 GG Report

Thank you for supporting David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation through GlobalGiving. As well as providing you with your bi-annual Lion project report, we would also like to inform you about an exciting campaign.

In June this year, DSWF received a request from Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). WTI are a ground-based conservation partner of DSWF who provide rapid action responses to wildlife threats tackling risks to India’s wildlife when highly threatened by innumerable threats that require an immediate response.

WTI got in touch with us to ask for support for the Gir National Park in India which is the only hotbed for Asiatic lions in India. We were asked to support the communities surrounding the Gir national Park as for several years, the communities neighbouring the park have been working with the forest department to monitor and rescue lions and to help deter conflict situations.

The community were in need of desperate support as they were suffering badly from the spread of Covid-19 due to a rise in the number of cases in the area. This not only risks the lives of the community who work hard to protect the last Asiatic lion stronghold, but it is possible that Covid-19 can spread to the lions as well.

Further to this, two Asiatic lionesses in South India (Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Tamil Nadu) have recently died of suspected SARS CoV-2 which has created a slight scare around Protected Areas in India. In addition, Ten lions in Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Tamil Nadu and eight in Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh have all tested positive in the last few months as well.

Taking these factors into consideration, DSWF have been supporting the communities living in the Gir landscape to provide safety equipment and improve sanitation for over 15,000 people. So far, we have funded the distribution of 4,500 safety kits, including masks and sanitiser, have installed two community hand washing setups in each village and have put up posters regarding Covid appropriate behaviour. We hope that through this support we can limit the spread of Covid-19 and save the lives of the community and the critically endangered population of Asiatic Lions in Gir National Park.

How can you help this vital work continue?

This week GlobalGiving are hosting their annual Little by Little Campaign this means that all donations donated through GlobalGiving to David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation between Monday 13^th and Friday 17^th September will receive 50% match funding from GlobalGiving. So, if you donate £20 today, we receive £30 towards protecting Lions making your contribution work that little bit harder!

We are hugely grateful that you have chosen to support us to help turn the tide on extinction. Thank you.

Little by Little Campaign T’s and C’s

• Campaign runs from Monday 13^th to Friday 17^th September.
• Donations up to the amount of $50 / £36 will be match funded by 50%.
• One donation per unique donor will be match funded.
• New monthly donations set up this week will be 50% match funded and your 4th donation will be 100% matched!
• All DSWF GlobalGiving projects are eligable for match funding. 

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) campaigns for a total ban on the international trade in lion parts and derivatives and the closure of all lion breeding farms and canned hunting facilities. In a ground-breaking recent statement from South Africa’s Environment Minister Barbara Creecy, plans have been revealed to ban the breeding and keeping of captive lions for economic gain, including hunting them. The recommendations follow the report of a Ministerial High-Level Advisory Panel which was appointed in November 2019 to review the existing policies, legislation and practices relating to the breeding, hunting, trade and handling of elephant, rhino, lion and leopard. The panel also recommended an immediate suspension on the trade of lion derivatives such as bones, which they concluded pose major risks to wild lion populations in South Africa.

Whilst these recommendations are yet to be formulated in national policy, DSWF applaud South Africa in cracking down on the exploitative captive lion breeding industry which is threatening the survival of wild lions.

Our conservation partners across Africa continue to protect lions through anti-poaching patrols, human wildlife mitigation and population monitoring alongside conservation education and awareness in local communities.

To learn more about our conservation work protecting Lions, please visit our website.

Thank you for supporting our mission to turn the tide on extinction.