ZSL prepares to embark on campaign for Asian lions
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is preparing to launch Lions400 - a public fundraising campaign to raise money and awareness of the Asian lion, a species on the brink of extinction.
The campaign is designed to raise £5.7m towards the building of a state-of-the-art lion breeding centre and visitor experience.
Money raised will also allow the extension of vital conservation work in the field, where there are estimated to be only 400 Asian lions left, putting them on the IUCN Red List of threatened animals.
In preparation for this campaign, a health check has been carried out on 11-year-old male Asian lion Lucifer, who is due to move to another breeding group next week.
Keepers have trained Lucifer, who weighed in at an impressive 30 stone, to lean up against a wall so that he can be anaesthetised with a handheld injection instead of a tranquiliser dart. Vets were then able to carry out a thorough examination of his stomach, chest, and even the insides of his mouth to check his razor-sharp teeth.
Named after his studbook number of 666, Lucifer was given a clean bill of health, and is due to move later this week, leaving his female cubs to form part of a new breeding group at the zoo. Visitors will be able to see these lions when the new exhibit opens in 2016.
David Field is the zoological director at ZSL. He says: “Lucifer’s move signals the first step in our campaign and will enable plans to be put into place for a new conservation breeding hub and exhibit at the zoo, ensuring we have a back-up population for the future.
"At the same time, funds raised will also allow us to urgently expand our field conservation projects and help protect Asian lions in the wild”.
Click here to find out more about ZSL’s Lions400 campaign.
Image courtesy of ZSL London Zoo.
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