“I was not the lion, but it fell upon me to give the lion’s
roar” Winston Churchill, politician, 1874-1965
Photo by Patti Baker Trottier
Guarding our temples, adorning our flags, decorating our
coins and capturing our hearts, the lion is beyond doubt the world’s most
iconic species. On almost every
continent, and in thousands of cultures, the lion can be found demonstrating
man’s fascination with this magnificent beast.
A half -century ago some 100,000 lions ranged across
Africa’s savannahs, but lion habitat is only a quarter of what is was then and
today lion numbers are fewer than 30,000. Forty per cent of these live in
Tanzania and only nine countries can claim to have more than 1,000 wild living
lions. Currently classified as ‘Vulnerable’ by the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) the wild lion has been ousted from over 75% of
its previous habitats on this continent in the last century, making scientists
and conservationists alike feel that all species of African lion are well on
their way to extinction.
World Lion Day is the first global campaign to celebrate the
importance of the lion worldwide and to call attention to the need for
conservation efforts in the lions’ behalf.
Organizers say, “Since the dawn of man, the lion has played an integral
role in our lives: symbolically,
religiously, culturally, economically and biologically. To lose the lion from our world would be to
lose part of our global heritage.”
Marasa Africa, a member of the Madhvani Group of Companies,
one of the largest private-sector groups in East Africa, announces it will join
Uganda Conservation Foundation in supporting World Lion Day, August 10, 2013, a
day that will be marked around the world to call attention to the endangerment
of the King of Beasts. On that date,
Marasa properties in Uganda – Chobe Safari Lodge; Paraa Safari Lodge and Mweya
Safari Lodge, will donate $1.00 for each room night at these lodges to the
non-profit Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) Conservation through Action
programmes provide practical support to revitalise and protect natural habitats,
biodiversity and also helps protect lions in the national parks from poachers.
This will also benefit the vulnerable tree climbing lions in ishasha Guests of
the lodges will also be invited to donate to the UCF.
Guests can see the splendid lion in his natural habitat by
going on game drives at Chobe Safari Lodge and Paraa Safari Lodge, both in
Murchison Falls National Park, and both scenically situated on the River
Nile. And they can view a particular
wonderment – tree-climbing lions – while on safari at Mweya Safari Lodge. Mweya
is located in Queen Elizabeth National Park on the amazing natural channel,
Kazinga, running between salt water Lake Edward and fresh water Lake George.
The channel attracts a varied range of animals and birds, with one of the
world’s largest concentrations of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles.
Arrangements to see the Ugandan lions can be made through
Premier Safaris.
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