Lion Recovery Fund

A big roar from a small representative of Kafue’s next generation of lions. The Kafue ecosystem is an incredibly promising location for the recovery of lion numbers in Zambia. Thanks to DNPW and the many dedicated NGOs working in this ecosystem, this cub has an important and big future lying ahead. We’re proud to be a supporter of conservation work in Kafue alongside African Parks Game Rangers International Zambian Carnivore Programme Panthera Musekese Conservation and The Nature Conservancy Africa.

📸 Peter Lindsey

How many lions can fit in one tree?
Kenya Wildlife Trust caught this pride trying to test the limits.
📸 Borana

Hunter, leader, mom: lionesses have a lot going on.

The vital role of lionesses in pride dynamics is often under-appreciated. The survival and success of the pride relies on lionesses, who:
➖ form the core social structure of prides
➖ lead decision-making and coordination efforts
➖ conduct up to 90% of hunting activities, employing strategic, synchronized hunting techniques
➖ raise cubs communally, fostering strong pride bonds

While male lions play an important protective role, lionesses are fundamental to the pride's survival as expert hunters and fierce moms.

📸 Susan McConnell
https://hubs.ly/Q02N72zd0

What is the benefit of hunting during a storm?
Under the cover of noise, rain, and wind, a lion can more easily approach prey undetected. Lions also often hunt at night, when their night vision gives them an advantage and increases their chances at making a successful kill.

📸 Peter Lindsey

The crucial role of whiskers? Researchers from the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) are using lions' unique whisker patterns to conduct a crucial population survey, providing vital data for conservation efforts. We've partnered with the EWT and South African National Parks to support this work helping to safeguard the future of Africa's iconic lions.

📸Paul Funston

https://hubs.ly/Q02M3K3C0

The numbers are in: human-lion conflict mitigation is working!
It's incredibly heartening that lion populations in the eastern part of the Okavango delta have increased 62%, thanks to the work of CLAWS Conservancy and local communities.
Their name says it perfectly: Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainably (CLAWS). Their innovative approaches have fostered a profound sense of local pride in lion conservation, and harmonized pastoral livelihoods with predator protection.
We're proud to support such transformative work making a difference for lions🐾

Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainably Conservancy
Tusk

Tusk | Record Lion Population Growth for Tusk’s Partners Tusk’s partner, Communities Living Among Wildlife Sustainably - otherwise known as CLAWS Conservancy - shared exciting news this week that their known lion population has grown from 45 to 73 individuals in the past 18 months.

Lions are incredibly social compared to all other feline species. For a pride, social bonds are instrumental in creating the dynamics needed for the group's strength and survival. Lions form their close relationships through play, rubbing their heads together, grooming each other, and the collaboration of hunting together. This sets them apart, and makes them capable of surviving and thriving in the African savanna.

📸 Peter Lindsey

The first documented lion cubs born in Namibia's Nyae Nyae Conservancy since the start of Kwando Carnivore Project's Lion Ranger program!

With the settling of the dispersal group of lions in Khaudum, artificial water sources to help support prey population in the area, and the conscientious coexistence that is so highly present in the local community, we have high hopes these cubs can make it to adulthood.

📸 Piet Beytell

*A little forehead kiss*
Thank you for all the support on !
Without the collective power of our supporters (you!) we couldn’t do what we do.
We are so excited for what the rest of this year has in store. Big updates coming soon⚡️⚡️⚡️

Excited to share the new trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King from our friends at Disney. This we are roaring with excitement for what’s to come as we work together to , stay tuned for more information...

Mufasa: The Lion King | Official Trailer Experience the epic story of how an orphan became a King. : The Lion King, only in theaters December 20.Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved kin...

The Lionscape Coalition is where tourism meets conservation. Without healthy landscapes and wildlife populations, safaris can’t exist, so who better to engage in lion conservation than travel operators & safari companies? We've teamed up with these top tourism operators to ensure that safaris support a future for lions:
〰️ andBeyond Travel
〰️ Conservation Travel Foundation
〰️ Dazzle Africa
〰️ Globus
These companies not only raise funds for lion conservation efforts, they also help educate more people about the plight of lions and empower the travel industry to play an even bigger role in conservation.
It’s almost , so show some love for lions by exploring going on safari with the Lionscape Coalition!
Swipe for photos from some of the safaris hosted by Lionscape Coalition member Dazzle Africa.



📸Cathy Smith, Michael Paredes

$40 MILLION FOR LIONS🔥
This year we hit a huge milestone by surpassing US$40 million in granting to lion conservation projects across Africa.

Thank you to all of our incredible, generous supporters for making this possible. This year so much has already been achieved for lions, but there is still so much work to be done to hit our goal.

PS: There’s only more excitement and more opportunities to support & celebrate lion conservation coming (stay tuned for big news later this year 🤫👀).

We have something special for you 📣 ✴️ 🔆 🔶

This Wednesday August 7th at 9AM PDT we will be hosting a webinar for our supporters (aka you) to give you an update on exciting milestones about the lions, landscapes, and livelihoods impacted by the LRF across Africa.

While most people only see lions in videos or photos, some African communities live alongside these powerful animals. For them, lions are a real and, at times, dangerous neighbor. But they are also a powerful cultural symbol and a strong draw for international tourists. So how can we achieve coexistence between people and lions to minimize the costs that people bear from living alongside them, and maximize the benefits that local people derive from conserving lions?

Register and tune in here: https://hubs.ly/Q02K4CLH0

pc: Suzi Eszterhas

This World Lion Day, you can help protect everything the light touches 🌞

From lions, to their landscapes, to the communities they coexist with across Africa; every piece is essential to bringing lions back.

on August 10th by following the Lion Recovery Fund and making a donation at https://hubs.ly/Q02JZsL70

World Lion Day is one week away! 🦁
Since we started the Lion Recovery Fund in 2017, we’ve sent $40 million to on-the-ground efforts to protect lions, restore landscapes, and support local communities.
Help us shine the spotlight on lions on August 10th and spread the word to support lion conservation!


Pc: Suzi Eszterhas

Mid-bath in Niassa 🧼

Niassa Special Reserve in Mozambique is a hugely important stronghold for the African lion. With its rivers, miombo woodlands, wetlands, and plains, Niassa is a species-rich ecosystem that supports a vast population of people and wildlife.

The team at Niassa Lion Project takes an approach that is as much about people as it is about lions and other carnivores. They aim to build a sustainable lion-friendly community by working closely with the reserve management team, community members, government officials, and local tourism, considering everyone a participant in conservation.

📸 Jillian Knox

Tibu and Jacob: two lions who've rewritten the rules of feline feats.
In a record-breaking swim, these two cats swam across the treacherous Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, more than once.

What could drive lions to take such a risk crossing a mile-long river crawling with crocs and hippos? LRF Director Peter Lindsey co-authored a paper unraveling this mystery. The answer might (or might not) surprise you...

Curious about what motivated this death-defying feat? Dive into the full story:

Two Lions Make Record-Breaking Swim in Uganda - Lion Recovery Fund Two male lions, Tibu and Jacob, recently made headlines by making a record-breaking night swim across the Kazinga Channel, a nearly mile-long river teeming with crocodiles and hippos in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda. And then they did it five more times. Why did the two brothers make this pe...

Meet The General and Mohawk, the dominant males of the Busanga Plains.
LRF Director Peter Lindsey captured these moments in the iconic Kafue National Park, which is on a path to recovery after years of decline.

We’re proud to be a significant supporter of conservation efforts in the Kafue ecosystem. Thank you to everyone involved in making this recovery possible! To Department of National Parks & Wildlife and African Parks in managing the park itself, and to The Nature Conservancy in Africa, Panthera, Musekese Conservation, and Game Rangers International in supporting management in the neighbouring GMAs, in addition to other critical conservation activities. Thank you also to Zambian Carnivore Programme for your impressive carnivore conservation work!

Creating conversations across Ngorongoro.

Kope Lion brings community members together for impactful discussions that educate, inspire, and share ideas. In one session, Maasai elders and warriors will discuss the demise of the traditional killing of lions. In another, young pastoralists gather for a festival to network and explore ideas for a better future.

A youth festival participant shared: "What we have learned over these days has helped us to gain positive perspectives on different issues and to understand how we can build our future."

For over 3 years, we've partnered with Kope Lion, supporting their community-centered approach. Their work lays a sustainable foundation for long-term coexistence with lions.

African Parks and the South Sudanese government reveal results from the country's first aerial wildlife survey! 6 million antelope. One epic migration crucial for sustaining lion populations.

Discover how the LRF is supporting this work and how this data is shaping conservation efforts in one of Africa's most biodiverse regions:

Protecting Key Lion Prey Species and Habitat in South Sudan - Lion Recovery Fund African Parks, a Lion Recovery Fund grantee, and the South Sudan government recently released data from the country's first comprehensive aerial wildlife survey performed last year. The two-week survey, which spanned several national parks, including Boma and Badingilo National Park, revealed that S...

A 6-million-strong natural wonder.
South Sudan is home to the world's largest migration of terrestrial mammals: 6 million antelope.
The LRF was proud to recently issue a substantial grant to African Parks to assist their efforts to protect this magnificent spectacle and the large lion population it supports.

South Sudan says its 6M antelope make up world’s largest land mammal migration, but poaching on rise South Sudan's most comprehensive aerial wildlife survey found about 6 million antelope — a figure that would make it the world's largest land mammal migration.

Proud to support African People & Wildlife and help them expand their initiatives for the benefit of people and lions!