MARKETING - The PRIDE Magazine by Liontrust - Flipbook - Page 20
PA RT N E R S HI P S
R
S
ETURN KING
OF
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Conservation in action with ZSL and Liontrust
There are only around 500 Asiatic lions living in a small area of Western India.
Simon Hildrey explains how Liontrust is supporting ZSL with its work to protect this
magnificent and iconic animal.
Lions
have arguably been
the most celebrated
and revered animals
throughout history. Take London, for
example, where there are reported to be
around 10,000 statues of lions, all the
way from outside Twickenham Stadium
to Westminster Bridge and the four
bronze lions guarding Nelson’s Column
in Trafalgar Square.
The adoration, however, has not stopped
lions being an endangered species. As
recently as the early 1800s, Asiatic lions
were living in a wide area from Southern
Europe to South East India. The numbers
of Asiatic lions declined dramatically,
however, during the 19th and 20th
centuries when they were hunted to the
brink of extinction.
But thanks to the conservation action
initiated by the Nawab of Junagadh,
the former ruler of the state that is now
in Gujarat, and the initiatives and
protection that have been put in place by
the Gujarat Forest Department (GFD), the
population of Asiatic lions has grown to
just over 500 in the Gir Forest in Western
India. Over the past three years, the
Zoological Society of London (ZSL), in
conjunction with the Wildlife Institute of
India, has been providing support and
strengthening GFD’s conservation efforts.
What, you may ask, is the connection
to fund management and Liontrust?
Liontrust is proud to have supported ZSL
over the past five years with their work
in helping to protect the Asiatic lions
and with the construction of the Land of
the Lions exhibit at ZSL London Zoo that
was opened on 17 March 2016 by
HM The Queen.
Wildlife conservation is one of three key
objectives that we aim to achieve as
part of Liontrust’s community engagement
programme.
ZSL has been supporting the GFD in
the following ways to strengthen the
Government of Gujarat’s efforts to
secure the survival of the Asiatic lions:
Sharing ZSL’s years of animal
care expertise and equipping
zoo keepers and veterinary staff
at Sakkarbaug Zoo and local vet
rescue teams.
Strengthening GFD’s monitoring of
wild populations by implementing
the SMART (Spatial Monitoring
and Reporting Tool) approach – a
standardised patrol-based monitoring
method developed by ZSL and other
conservation organisations.
Designing and enhancing conservation
education programmes at
Sakkarbaug Zoo and local
interpretation centres that
will engage public
support and
participation in
Asiatic lion
conservation.
20 - THE P R I DE - Issue 1 Winter 2017