Today is World Lion Day.
The outlook for lions was bleak when National Geographic launched the Big Cats Initiative just a few years ago. At that time across Africa, the lion population had declined by 90% over the past 75 years.
Now, in regions where Big Cats Initiative grantees are working we are seeing:
Much less poaching
Fewer retaliatory killings
And more local villagers becoming lion guardians
Taken together, this means more lions are surviving and more prides are thriving.
There is much more to do, but today – please join us in celebrating our progress and enjoy these fantastic photos of lions in the Serengeti, taken by award-winning National Geographic photographer Michael Nichols.
PDIL Hasselblad/ National Geographic CreativeTo commemorate World Lion Day, which takes place on August 10, National Geographic presents some of our most captivating images of lions.—Text by Katie Langin, Photo Editing by Kathy Moran Published August 8, 2014
This photo shows lion mounts that were collected for the Smithsonian during an expedition led by former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. Concern about the fate of Africa’s most iconic cat species is growing, as lion populations have been reduced by 30 percent in the last two decades.
Some Protection More than half of wild lions can be found in protected areas, 
like this male in Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa. National Geographic photographer and Chief Content Officer Chris Johns noted that “the Kalahari lions are really beautiful. It’s a harsh habitat so only the strong ones survive.”There would be an emptiness in the Kalahari without lions there.”Published August 8, 2014 “You see a lion like [the one in this photo] and you realize how incredibly powerful they are and the presence that they have.
Shrinking Space Lions are found in less than a quarter of the lands where they once roamed. The species has disappeared from five countries since 2002, and recent work indicates that the total population in Africa has dwindled to around 30,000 animals in the wild. Conflict with humans is the greatest threat.Published August 8, 2014Johns noted that this is of concern because “a world without wild places and a world without apex top predators is a lesser world for everyone.” (See stunning footage of Serengeti lions.)Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic Creative.
Family Life Lions are the most social of all the cats and live in groups called prides. Here, two new members of a pride play with their mother’s tail.Published August 8, 2014Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic Creative.
Food Is Critical Another threat to lions is a diminishing food supply. Here, cubs eat a zebra that was captured by adult females in their pride in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.Published August 8, 2014Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic Creative.
Big Cats Lions are the second largest species of cat behind tigers. Here, a lioness pursues a herd of gazelles in Botswana.Published August 8, 2014 Photograph by Beverly Joubert, National Geographic Creative.
Brave Hunters A lioness grabs a young Cape buffalo in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Hunting buffalo is no small task, even for lions. Adult buffaloes often fight back to protect their young, using retaliatory measures that can prove fatal for lions. (Read our Twitter chat with the Jouberts about lion conservation.) Published August 8, 2014 Photgraph by Beverly Joubert, National Geographic Creative.
Lion Pride The female members of a pride are related to one another. Here, lionesses and their cubs take a breather in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Published August 8, 2014 Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic Creative.
Mighty Mane Male lions team up with other male lions to fight for control over prides. Published August 8, 2014 Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic Creative.
Lions Get Frisky Males that succeed in winning control of a pride mate with females in heat. Published August 8, 2014 Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic Creative.
Males Hunt Too Male lions have gotten a bad reputation for leaving the hunting to female members of their pride. Here, a male takes down a wildebeest on the savanna of Tanzania. Male lions also capture prey by ambushing them in areas that are more vegetated—events that are more difficult for us to observe—according to a recent study. Published August 8, 2014 Photograph by Mitsuaki Iwago, National Geographic Creative.
SEE MORE -
Pictures & Stories: Captivating Pictures of Africa’s Disappearing Lions