World Lion Day
About World Lion Day
When is World Lion Day? This holiday is always observed on August 10
Today comes in with a roar, as we celebrate the “King of the Jungle”. Also known as “King of the Beasts”, we’re obviously talking about lions, as today is World Lion Day. The key goal of this very special August 10 holiday is a global effort to promote the protection of lions and their shrinking habitat.
As the “King of the Jungle”, one might think that lions are invincible. Hunting and encroachment of civilization into their habitat are negatively impacting their numbers. Surprisingly, lions are at risk of becoming extinct. Lions are important to the balance of nature. They help keep the population of herbivores under control.
World Lion Day was created for three reasons:
To raise awareness of the plight of lions in the wild and captivity.
To encourage the protection of lions and their shrinking habitat.
To educate people about the danger that lions pose to people. Lion tamers aside, you don’t ever want to come face-to-face with a lion.
Lions are social creatures. They group together in a family called a “pride”. A single adult male is the head of the pride. Females, sometimes many generations of lionesses, remain in the pride they were born in. Occasionally, a lioness will leave the pride, to form a new pride with a young adult male. Young male cubs remain in the pride until they become adults.
Did You Know? While we talk about lions as the “King of the Jungle, and movies often have them cast in a jungle environment, lions do not live in jungles. Rather, they live in grasslands and plains near jungle areas.
A Lion we love to Hate: Mufasa from Lion King
A Lion’s Best Friend: Tarzan, of course.
LIon Trivia
They are the king of the jungle. But, they live in grasslands or savannahs.
- They live in groups called “prides”.
- They can run at speeds up to 50 miles per hour.
Cubs are also called a whelp or lionet.
- When male lions become adults, they are kicked out of the pride.
- Male lions patrol the territory from rivals.
- Females do 90% of the hunting for food.
The average lifespan is 12-16 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity.
- A lion’s roar can be heard up to 5 miles away.
- There is a very rare white lion.
How to Celebrate and Participate in World Lion Day
Here are some ways to celebrate and participate in World Lion Day:
- Support organizations that strive to protect the lions in the wild.
- Watch documentaries about them.
- Go to the zoo to see them. Don’t forget to take pictures.
Today's Quote
“An optimist is someone who gets treed by a lion, but enjoys the scenery.” – – Walter Winchell
History and Origin of World Lion Day
World Lion Day was created in 2013 by Dereck and Beverly Joubert. It is promoted by Big Cat Rescue, an exotic cat sanctuary. Big Cat Rescue promotes an end to abuse of lions in both captivity and in the wild. They are committed to help lions avoid extinction.
Related Holidays
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More About Today
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Recipe of the Day: Tex Mex Tomato Zucchini Salad
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