Amazing Lions: Big Cats Africa's Dangerous Species

Beautiful Lions conservation Big Cats Initiative

Beautiful Lions and the Plight of the Big Cats

Which African lions are the famous lions? Is it the Tsavo lions, the swamp lions, the Maasai lions or the climbing tree lions, the beautiful white lions of South Africa or the Okavango delta lions? These dangerous wildlife of Africa which roamed from the beautiful South African dangerous forests across the beautiful Kenya Savannah habitat way up to the tip of Africa and cutting through the oceans and many parts of the Asian continent have see different threats from loss of habitat, dangerous environmental degradation, ever ending tropical diseases and the greatest threat being humans who with all the attempts to tame these beautiful lions have always turned such animal instincts on them and the result has been the illegal lion poaching rendering the lion to be part of the endangered species in Africa Asia and the rest of the world. With all the lion conservation and lion protection projects going on world wide, what information about lions does the youth have who can help spear head more resourceful energies in lion awareness as these are some of the most dangerous animals in the world and animals which are most adored not only in a lion movies such as the lion king, the last lions of Africa and the famous movie about lion born to be wild.

Had the continuous illegal lion poaching not been stopped, or the lion hunting for trophy or big game hunting been restricted, the majestic African Savannah lions would have been extinct by the time most of the African countries were gaining independence in the early 1960s. Why do people like to go on a lion safari in Africa? There are a number of reasons why tourist visit lion countries such as Kenya with its famous Masai Mara National Park, Tanzania with the famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro wildebeest animal migration, South Africa’s beautiful amazing Kruger National Park, Botswana with the special lions or swamp lions at the Okavango Delta not forgetting Zimbabwe and Angola which also has beautiful lion protected areas in private lands.

Why do people like to see lions on a safari? When you are on a safari and you hear a lion roaring in the distance in any Savannah habitat, that alone sends some chills along your spine with more excitement to see what really takes place in the lion’s habitat. The act of taking beautiful lion pictures tends to capture all the lion’s emotions with every move that the lion makes while hunting or when the lion is just resting with his pride. 

Making that journey to these beautiful African ecosystem already shows the connection between man and animal and lions which are a must see in any lion safari or for people who have a chance to visit these national parks just for a few hours. Seeing a lion in a zoo is 100% different than seeing a lion in the wild, a lion with its pride, a lion hunting a zebra a or a lion drinking water with other animals of prey gazing at the distance waiting to take their fill after the lion king walks in to the nearby thicket and disappears into the bushes infested with dangerous animals in many of the African Savannah dangerous forests as well.

What is so important about lions?

There have been many movies about lions made in Africa involving tamed lions and animated lions films as well. Numerous lion books have been written with lion experts who have managed to visit lion country and many habitats where lions reside. Researchers from all over the world have spent countless hours days and years researching on these big Savannah cats with an aim of bringing some light as to how these African lions share our natural habitat and the plight of lions in general in the world. 

Is there really a need to save lions? What is the exact trend as far as lion conservation and the lion protection strategy in many of the African countries where these beautiful lions are found in the wild? Is the protection given really enough, is the conservation of lions worth the cost? Is there something which can still be done to impart more information about lions to the lion loving community and the African animal safari tourist who come to lion country to see these beautiful African Savannah cats? These are some of the most frequently asked questions about lions and the plight of lions in general which are now considered endangered species as their population of lions in the wild and in captivity has a very different story to tell as far as the onset of the last two centuries is concerned. 

Look at the news about lions all over the world.

There are very good success stories about the plight  of lions and at the same time the more people become aware of the plight of these beautiful dangerous African lions the more hue and cry  is experienced from many people who love these lions not just because they know a lot about lions but from the images of lions they see in different lion pictures which are captured whether thee lions are in the wild or in the lions talked about are in captivity. With the onset of the new communication age, the circulation of animal videos and dangerous animal attacks videos have been on the fore front in giving information about lions which could be of help while at the same time depending on the lion video content being projected, many viewers have their own perception about these lion videos and as a result thee are always mixed emotions towards these animal videos as well. Whether these lion videos are graphic and are not suitable for younger viewers when such information about lions is posted, its just one way of informing people what goes around in the lion’s world as well.

 What are the facts regarding the African Savannah big cats and especially the King of the African Jungle? Who are the defenders of wildlife in Africa and the rest of the world? If people come to Africa to see the big cats and specially the lions of Africa what do they need to know about lions and what is the present ground reality about lions in the wild?

There is always a mixed opinion about lions in the wild. While it’s true that the number of lions a decade a go was much bigger than the present century we are heading to, the plight of the African lions is in danger not only in countries where there is a lot of animal protection and specially laws which protect lions and endangered species as well. In countries like Congo where mineral resources are over whelming the protection of animal reserved habitat precious minerals are making people venture into these wild forests and animal law enforcement agencies put their lives in danger for the sake of these beautiful animals of Africa but the situation as complicate as it was decades ago.

It’s not only in Africa and specially East Africa where lions are found in plenty either lions in national parks or lions found in game reserves or protected areas as well. All the big cats the Asia Tigers species, the African Lions and the Asian lions, the great cheetah and the different leopard species all part of the great big cats family around the world are threatened by man. The great big cats are threatened by habitat loss and while there is still a lot of conservation of these beautiful big cats, many of the lions in the wild are in constant conflict with the local habitats as they tend to attack livestock of the natives and in return, many of the lions are killed despite the fact that killing lions is illegal. 

An lion yawns next to a lioness in Maasai Mara
National Park kenya, Pic by Tony Karumba 

One amazing fact about lions in the wild is that, poachers have been hunting these lions day in and day out. The illegal animal or lion poaching has managed to bring down many conservation efforts which are always geared to help conserve these beautiful wild big cats in the wild. The locals in one way or another faced with financial constraints and luck of job opportunities and many of them being lured by a few wealthy individuals who induce young and energetic youngsters to venture into the wilderness and get involved with trapping and killing some of the endangered big cats in order to obtain their body parts which are very lucrative in the international markets which is ever expanding with many new customers wanting more and more lion parts or body parts as a tradition which has been passed over from generation to generation in terms of lions as a source of traditional medicine which many of the animal research refute the actual medicinal value of these animal parts. 

Cute funny lions wanting to hunt. Lion pride of six male lions resting from the
bush. Lions succeed in the wild because of their numbers pic by Solent

The locals and the concerned departments who are always vigilant to put an end to such animal attacks and all illegal animal poaching are at their wits ends as with every new protection measure being take to protect these beautiful dangerous big cats, the animal poachers are always one step ahead and making head ways in devising other ways to exploit every situation in order to keep on their supply of lion body parts to the international market. While many of the African countries where these lions are found are always in places where other animals are also found. People always say why should I not hunt the wild animals which are found in the area as a very source of first class protein to feed my family which is starving from hunger and the ever ending social and civil unrest in the society when they are forced to find refuge in the wild where these animals also reside. With such unforeseen political upheavals in the African continent still sweeping across many of the African nations many of the word countries which would want to help save lions are always found with difficulties in helping save and conserve these African lions and many of the endangered animal species of the African Savannah. 

The most beautiful lion in the world beautiful
dangerous animal safari pic by Christo Crous

Despite endless efforts to conserve lions and other Africa Big Five animals many countries depend on the respective governments to take action but with little budget even to educate the locals and the youth about the importance of wild animals and wildlife fund in Africa being inconstant class with opinions of the masses and with the elite having vested interest in these national parks and game reserves, some of the money allocated to lion protection and preservation including other endangered animals always ends up being misappropriated and a follow up of such animal protection and animal conservation are not given enough grants for their ongoing projects on a need come basis such as the Living with lion projects which helps in transforming lion killers into lion guardians in the wild and at the same time projects run by Wildlife Direct which are operating in Kenya to help solve the problem of lion poisoning as one of the easiest ways to get rid of lions which pose as a danger to many of the Maasai tribe who live within the lion protected habitat. What is the existing population of lions in the world? A wild guess about lion population is as little as someone can predict. 

It’s all in the news from the habitat of the African Savannah where the Maasai tribes have lived within the lion’s habitat for decades. That being understood as part of life in many of the African countries you also find that very good animal loving individuals have given homes to these beautiful exotic dangerous animals as well which have either been rescued or just passed over from one generation to another. But when you hear on the news that someone has let loose a number of dangerous lions, Exotic Asian tigers and a number of other big cats on the loose is something which you just don’t want to hear in the midst of a big city in the United states as was the case in one of the most dangerous lion hunts in the dead of the night which almost reminded us of the Greatest lions which ever lived during the construction of the Kenya Uganda railway where the Tsavo lions attacked and ate dozens of the railway construction workers before they were hunted down and killed. 

As far as the scenario in the USA, the lion hunt did not last long but unsuspecting motorists were astonished to see lions roaming along the road which was one great lion safari they had not expected just in their neighborhood. With a number of almost over 30 big African and exotic cats including lions, tigers leopards, jaguars, bears were shot and killed after day break you get the point that despite very strict laws and animal rights rules being implemented, the safety of humans is always a priority and keeping this in mind it all boils down to good animal protection laws and resources to keep a check on the plight of these beautiful dangerous lions which have the right to roam the great lands and forests as we are.

October 20, 2011. Associated Press. Animal Rights Advocates Agree There Was Little Authorities Could Do After Exotic Animals Escaped.

Zanesville, Ohio,dozens of wild animals 18 rare Bengal
tigers and 17 lions Sheriff's deputies shot 48 animals

ZANESVILLE, Ohio –  Amid expressions of horror and revulsion at the killing of dozens of wild animals in Ohio -- and photographs of their bloody carcasses -- animal rights advocates agreed there was little local authorities could have done to save the dangerous creatures once they began roaming the countryside after their owner released them before taking his own life.

Sheriff's deputies shot 48 animals -- including 18 rare Bengal tigers and 17 lions -- after Terry Thompson, owner of the private Muskingum County Animal Farm near Zanesville, threw their cages open Tuesday and then committed suicide.
"What a tragedy," said veterinarian Barb Wolfe, of The Wilds animal preserve sponsored by the Columbus Zoo. "We knew that ... there were so many dangerous animals at this place that eventually something bad would happen, but I don't think anybody really knew it would be this bad."

As the hunt winded down on Wednesday, a photo showing the remains of tigers, bears and lions lined up and scattered in an open field went viral provoking visceral reactions among viewers, some of whom expressed their anger and sadness on social networking sites.

Some local townspeople also were saddened by the deaths. At a nearby Moose Lodge, Bill Weiser said: "It's breaking my heart, them shooting those animals."
Authorities said the slain animals would be buried on Thompson's farm.
Will Travers, chief executive of the California-based Born Free USA animal welfare and wildlife conservation organization, said police had no choice but to take the action they did. "It's a tragedy for these particular animals, for no fault of their own they've been shot, and I can see how difficult that decision was for the police," he said. Jack Hanna, TV personality and former director of the Columbus Zoo, also defended the sheriff's decision to kill the animals, calling deaths of the endangered Bengal tigers especially tragic.

The animals destroyed also included six black bears, two grizzlies, a baboon, a wolf and three mountain lions. Six -- three leopards, a grizzly bear and two monkeys -- were captured and taken to the Columbus Zoo.

"It's like Noah's Ark wrecking right here in Zanesville, Ohio," Hanna said.
Officers were ordered to kill the animals instead of trying to bring them down with tranquilizers for fear that those hit with darts would escape in the darkness before they dropped and would later regain consciousness. A wolf was later found dead, leaving a monkey as the only animal possibly still unaccounted for in the mostly rural community of farms, widely spaced homes and wooded areas about 55 miles east of Columbus. 

"These animals were on the move, they were showing aggressive behavior," Sheriff Matt Lutz said. "Once the nightfall hit, our biggest concern was having these animals roaming."

Veterinarian Wolfe had tried to save a tiger in a heavy bramble by using a tranquilizer dart, but the animal charged her then tried to flee. It had to be shot and killed by sheriff's deputies.
"I was about 15 feet from him and took a shot, and it didn't respond too much, and I thought we were OK, but within about 10 seconds he roared and started toward me," she said.
Sheriff's Deputy Jonathan Merry, among the first to respond on Tuesday, said he shot a number of animals, including a gray wolf and a black bear who charged him from 7 feet away. He said he's an animal lover and only took pride in knowing he was protecting the community.
"All these animals have the ability to take a human out in the length of a second," he said.

The Humane Society of the United States criticized Gov. John Kasich for allowing a statewide ban on the buying and selling of exotic pets to expire in April and called for an emergency rule to crack down on exotic animals until the state comes up with a permanent legal solution.
"Every month brings a new, bizarre, almost surreal incident involving privately-held, dangerous wild animals," Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of the Humane Society, said in a statement. "In recent years, Ohioans have died and suffered injuries. ... Owners of large, exotic animals are a menace to society, and it's time for the delaying on the rulemaking to end."
"Surely, after this latest incident, enough blood has been shed for the state to take action," the group said in a statement.

Activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also called for emergency regulations and pointed the finger at Gov. John Kasich, saying the incident should serve as his "wake-up call." 
Ohio has some of the nation's weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.
Born Free USA says it has tracked 1,500 attacks on humans or other animals, and escapes by exotic animals since 1990, with 86 being in Ohio. Travers said there's an urgent need for legislation that addresses the competency of Ohioans seeking to own exotic pets and owners' ability to provide for the animals' welfare as well as public safety.

"Legislation should be there to protect the animals from the people and to protect the people from the animals," he said.

Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said Wednesday the governor had called on Lutz to commend the job he had done and to ask him to be part of the process of putting into law what the executive order failed to do.
"Clearly, we need tougher laws. We haven't had them in this state. Nobody's dealt with this, and we will. And we'll deal with it in a comprehensive way," Kasich said earlier in the day at a meeting of Dix Communications editors at which The Associated Press was present.

The Ohio Veterinary Medical Association also called for exotic animal regulations. U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland called the deaths of the escaped animals preventable.

"By enacting more stringent restrictions on owning exotic pets in Ohio, tragedies like this one can be avoided in the future," he said in a statement.
He had gotten out of federal prison just last month after serving a year for possessing unregistered guns.

Thompson, 62, had had repeated run-ins with the law and his neighbors. Lutz said that the sheriff's office had received numerous complaints since 2004 about animals escaping onto neighbors' property. The sheriff's office also said that Thompson had been charged over the years with animal cruelty, animal neglect and allowing animals to roam. 

Thompson had rescued some of the animals at his preserve and purchased many others, said Columbus Zoo spokeswoman Patty Peters.
It was not immediately clear how Thompson managed to support the preserve and for what purpose it was operated, since it was not open to the public. But Thompson had appeared on the "Rachael Ray Show" in 2008 as an animal handler for a zoologist guest, said show spokeswoman Lauren Nowell.

There are no doubt a few great men and women who have dedicated their lives in helping save the lions and the African big cats as a whole. Their efforts has been profound in actively promoting the conservation of the big cats and at the same time the saving of big cats through carious medias such as the great lion films and the big cats videos and books about lions in the wild as well. Another great effort done by Beverly and Dereck Joubert his husband in the protection and conservation of lions is through the great animal foundation with the help of the National Geographic Society which is used as a spring board in helping save the African lions and the other African Savannah and Asian Cats called the Big Cats Initiative.

As far as the lives of the lions are concerned, this great charity work done by the Big Cats Initiative is to help and reduce the rate at which lions are killed or disappearing from the wild and to stop the decline of lion numbers by 2015 and gradually restoring the lion’s population through lion education to the Maasai local communities and the best way on how to protect themselves against dangerous lion attacks and their livestock as well.

Efforts made in the movie industry on how the lion is portrayed comes from different ages and from all walks of life. There are people who have lived with lions in the wild and in their homes. When these lions were orphaned, they took care of these lions and nature them and when they were grown up they were released in the wild. Some of the best success stories about lions still keep on inspiring others to keep on saving the big cats and the lion pride as well. 

In the name of lion conservation and lion protection, a lot of movies have been made about lions and while some might have educated people about lions and made them see these lions in their natural habitat, people step by step are beginning to get some knowledge about how these beautiful lions of Africa and Asia live and how they are part of this ecosystem as well. Here is just a list of some of the best lion movies and lion animated movies which have made names in as far as lions in the movies are concerned.

List of some of the best lion movies ever made

1. Africano (2001)(Adventure/Romance)
2. Androcles and the Lion (1953) (Comedy/Adventure)
3. Animals United (2010) ( Wild Adventure)
4. Aslan Adam (lion Man)(1975) (Action)
5. Born Free (1966) (Elsa the Lion) (Virginia McKenna)
6. Born Free (1966) (Family/Drama)
7. Christian The Lion (2006)(Animal Adventure)
8. Clarence, the Cross-Eyed Lion (1965) (Comedy)
9. Curse of the Voodoo (Curse of Simba)(1964) (Horror)
10. Daktari (1966 - 1969)(Adventure)
11. Dr. Dolittle Million Dollar Mutts
12. Family (Animation)
13. Frasier The Lovable Lion (1973) (Comedy)
14. George of the Jungle (1997) (Adventure/Comedy)
15. Kimba the White Lion
16. Leonardo Lion of King Leonardo
17. Lionheart (1968) (Drama)
18. Lions movie  Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
19. Living Free (1972) (Elsa the Lion) (Susan Hampshire)
20. Living Free (1973) (lions and other African animals)
21. Madagascar Escape 2 Africa (2008) (Animated)
22. Madagascar (2005) (Comedy)
23. Murders in The Zoo (1933) (Horror - Crime - Mystery)
24. Napoleon & Samantha (2006)
25. Napoleon and Samantha (1972) (Lion) (Johnny Whitaker)
26. Narnia - The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe (2006) (Adventure)
27. Prey (2006)
28. Pride (2004) (lions)
29. Roar (1981) (Adventure/Comedy)
30. Rogue Lion (1987) (Adventure)
31. Savage Harvest (1981) (Adventure)
32. Secondhand Lions (2003) (Comedy/Drama)
33. Simba`s Pride (1998)
34. Tarzan, The Ape Man (1981) (Adventure)
35. Tarzan and the Golden Lion (1927)(Adventure) (Silent)
36. The African Lion
37. The Chronicles of Narnia series written by C. S. Lewis,
38. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) (Adventure)
39. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2011) (Adventure)
40. The comedic movie Cowardly Lion in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
41. The Disney animated feature film The Lion King 
42. The Egyptian (1954) (Drama)
43. The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) (Lions) (Val Kilmer)
44. The Lion Hunters (1951)(Adventure)
45. The Lion King (1994) (lions and other African animals)
46. The Lion King 1½ (animated)
47. The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) (Lions) (animated)
48. The Lion Man (1936) (Adventure)
49. The Lion (1962)(Drama)
50. The Wild (2006) 
51. The Wizard of Oz (1939)(Family)
52. To Walk With Lions (1999) (Adventure/Drama)
53. White Lion (2011)
54. Zookeeper (2011)

Beautiful animal safaris the lion king also known as the king of the jungle
in many beautiful lion movies picture by Kennman Word Photography

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