African Lion Endangered

Lion population is declining. In 1950 over 200,000 roamed Africa's savannahs. The most recent estimate puts the figure at 35,000. But as bad as things are for wild lions, notes Richardson, life is just as tenuous for the 5000 plus in captivity in South Africa, raised to be slaughtered like chickens. Captive bred lions are sold to hunt clubs for as much as $312,000.

Richardson spent time with young cubs, bonding with them as they grew into adolescents and adults.
He discovered-as everyone else in the park did-that he had a six'th sense when it came to the cats.

A year ago with the help of donors, the Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary was established, on a privately owned plot comprising 1,200 hectares of rolling grasslands. The sanctuary also includes leopards and hyenas. Richardson aims for the captive population to plummet, that means a moratorium on lion breeding. The fear is that the industry is too profitable to stop locally. The environmentalists around the world hope that the African lion will get protection under the Endangered Species Act.

Richard's mission is to run his park called 'Wellgedacht' as a game park weithout a captive lion population once his own brood dies off. "I want no lions in enclosures," he says. "If that happens, the I know we're doing something right."

Kevin Richardson is very brave, but it looks as if he has a special connection with the lions. It is good of him to have created a sanctuary. So many animals, elephants, rhinos,certain types of bears,animals living in the oceans,even butterflies and bees are decreasing in numbers at a very alarming rate. I hope that we don't destroy the balance of the planet.



And so many more...

Love,
yoko

Thank you Inda.

You are right yoko, kevin Richardson is really brave, but he is a good human trying to save the endangered species. You are also right, yoko, about all the other animals who are endangered because of humans,

Love,
Vicky

Thanks Inda.

I read that article and am glad that you posted it.
It is nice to see that someone is trying to preserve some of the endangered animals, even though Kevin Richardson is truly very brave.

The lion looks very happy and content in this picture.





Love,
Sue

Thank you Inda.

Sincerely,
Gisele