Lion

Lions are a symbol of strength and courage; they are the kings of the forest. The powerful species is the second largest big cat, and you can hear their roar from five miles away. Lions have no natural predators; however, their population has fallen by over 40% in the last three generations because of human-lion conflict and loss of habitat (The Magnificent Lion). Lions are large sociable cats, living in groups called prides. They are the only cats who create these support groups, sticking together in family units consisting of 2-40 lions—primarily three-four males, twelve females, and many cubs. The pride mostly stays together; however, the young males eventually break away to start their own prides or take over a pride by battling another pride leader (African Lion).

Male lions have large, thick manes of hair circling their heads; its purpose is to attract females. Males mark their territory by urinating and roaring to scare other animals off on their turf (The Magnificent Lion). The male lions are vicious cats, battling other males to display their supremacy. However, female lions are the primary hunters and leaders. Lions are predatory carnivores. They work together to prey on rodents, giraffes, African buffalo, antelope, wildebeest, and zebra. Most of the animals are faster than a lion, which is why teamwork is needed. Lions also steal kills from other animals, including hyenas and wild dogs. Young lions start hunting at about a year old ( African Lion).

Lions live in wide ranges of habitats, from the Savannah woodland of East Africa to the Kalahari Desert to 14,000 feet up in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia. Many live in thick brush, scrub, and grassy areas, providing coverage from hunters and perfect for their dens. 10% of African Lions are now found on the protected lands in the Serengeti and Ruaha National Park in Tanzania and East Africa (“Lion” Endangered Wonders).

Lions breed young. Females start at around four and males at five years old. After approximately 110 days, one to six cubs are born. Lion cubs are dependent on their mothers for about six months after birth. Mother lions get very defensive of their little cubs. Many lions breed around the same time, enabling the pride's females to raise their cubs together (“Lion” Endangered Wonders).

Approximately 23,000 African lions remain (The Magnificent Lion). Twenty thousand of those lions remain in the wild. Lions in West Africa used to roam from Senegal to Nigeria; however, about 250 adult lions are estimated to be left there. They are restricted to four isolated areas, with each region having around 50 lions (Lions are 'critically endangered' in West Africa). The Asiatic Lion had an estimated population of 360 lions left in 2005.There were roughly 450,000 Asiatic lions fifty years ago. Since then, their population has declined by about 95% (“Lion” Endangered Wonders).

Why Are Lions Endangered?

1. Habitat loss

Lions are drastically losing habitat due to human development on their land. Their habitat shrunk by 75% of their original range (Lions are critically endangered in West Africa). Lions used to be spread out all across Africa; however, they have disappeared from 12 sub-Saharan countries in recent decades. Now lions are mostly found in Eastern or Southern Africa only. Tanzania has three of five of the largest lion populations. African lions have vanished from 94% of their historic range. The Asiatic lion now roams only in a small area of Girl Forest in India (African Lion).

2. Lion-Human Contact

As humans develop more properties closer to lion habitats, there is increasing human lion contact. Livestock are in close proximity to lion territory, and as they hunt, they mistake livestock for prey, fueling humans' anger. This human-lion conflict causes many lions to be killed as humans protect themselves and their property ("Lion" World Wildlife Day). African lions have also lost a lot of their natural prey to the increasingly commercial bushmeat trade. Because of this, there is less food in the wild which leads lions to eat livestock. Lions are found poisoned or shot by humans because of their accidental scavenging. Lions also get caught in wire snares and traps set initially for their prey. This happens even on protected land (African Lion).

3. Hunting/Trade

Hunters target the larger males. This is called trophy hunting and it occurs in several countries in Africa with problems in their pride. With the dominant male killed, the other lions struggle to battle other prides. The dominant pride’s males will kill the other pride's cubs, cutting out the bloodline to eliminate future competition. For every one male lion hunted, approximately ten other lions die ("Lion" Endangered Wonders). Lions are also targeted by poachers who desire their bones and other body parts for illegal wildlife trading. The bones and other body parts are sold locally and internationally to make traditional medicine, primarily in Asia. Trophy hunting and hunting for lion body parts both contribute to the lion's significant risk of extinction soon (African Lion).

Why Are Lions Important?

Lions are the top predators in all their environments, from deserts, grasslands, or open woodlands. They play a critical role in the food chain, keeping a healthy population balance among other species, especially herbivores, like wildebeest and zebras. These species are vital to control because they influence the conditions of grasslands and forests. By protecting lions, the food chain stays healthy and thriving. This also benefits humans who rely on local natural resources (The Magnificent Lion).

Lions help local communities. Many lions now live in large, well-managed, protected lands in East and Southern Africa. Wildlife tourism helps support their communities, bringing in a significant revenue of cash for them ("Lion" World Wildlife Day).

Change

Lion conservations have attempted to change people's attitudes towards lions and focus on composing protected habitats for lions. Lion Conservation Action Plans provide ways to manage and reduce human-lion conflict. They offer communities financial reward if their local population of lions increases or pay farmers for their livestock that lions had killed ("Lion" World Wildlife Day).

The Lion Guardians is an organization that has implemented working solutions to decrease lion-human conflict. They have reinforced much fencing in the areas where livestock roam, to prevent more livestock loss by lions. The group also trains individuals from the local communities to track lions and patrol the areas to stop hunting operations (Carla Skaik)

In the Mozambique Zambezi Delta, their civil war caused their lion population to plummet. They then created the largest lion translocation project, bringing in twenty-four lions from South Africa in 2018. Today they are settled in and have cubs (African Lion).

The Big Cats Initiative is another organization fighting to save and expand the lions. The organization funds conservation efforts around the world and protects their habitats. They manage and monitor habitats and parks in Africa and other native wildlife programs there. The Big Cats Initiative has put in efforts to reintroduce native wildlife back to their natural habits. With new advanced technology, they have decreased poaching of the species and have worked to employ people from the local communities to protect the land and their animals. In 2020, the organization confiscated 39.7 tons of illegal wildlife products and arrested 2,090 individuals for their crimes against wildlife. Because of the funding and raising awareness for the endangered species, African parks now have the largest non-profit organization protection force, patrolling 14.2 million acres of wildlife habitats across Africa and protecting about 545 lions (Carla Skaik).

Donate: https://www.globalgiving.org/donate/43263/african-lion-and-environmental-research-trust/

Artist Statement

This work of art is constructed of cardboard. It features several complex layers that were designed to be arranged into the shape of a lion. As I worked on the sculpture, I was thinking about the various layers that are present in all living things. There are numerous coatings to one's space. The different elevations and depth is what makes each species unique. I hope the piece draws the audience in and inspires them to consider how this life relates to their own. As I balance the creative and intellectual endeavor of creating this multilayer work, this approach lets me go deeper into my personal feelings regarding this endangered species. I enjoyed the process of organizing the pieces, layering them, and peeling cardboard to create texture. I'm very pleased with the outcome of my artwork.

The Art:

Progression Of Project:

https://youtu.be/FLpEMTeoEeU