Good News: Texas Schools are Helping us Save Lions in the Wild
If you caught today’s Facebook Live with our lion pride, Hasani, Uzima, Nimue, and Mattie, you were able to hear a little bit about their personality and what it takes to give them the best care possible here at the Houston Zoo. In a past visit to the Zoo you may have seen them “napping” or on another occasion, also “still napping.” They are active in the early morning and later in the day but just like your pet domestic cats, cats will be cats no matter the size and lions spend a good portion of their day resting.
In Africa, wild lions also sleep, a lot, and, they need a lot of care. The Houston Zoo works with a number of people protecting wild lions in the countries of Kenya and Mozambique. The Zoo provides support for rangers protecting lions from poaching and solutions that will allow local communities to live safely and peacefully with lions.
Our conservation partners, at the Niassa Lion Project in Mozambique have many unique programs built around developing “lion-friendly” communities. They design their agricultural fields and raise small livestock, from goats to ducks and rabbits, in a manner that does not bring lions into close contact with the communities and they’ve developed a Community Wildlife Guardians program that works to find peaceful solutions for local communities living alongside lions.
Zoo staff have assisted with another unique one of their programs called Lion Fun Days, which brings local Mozambique villages together to celebrate the Lions and the amazing diversity of animals across the region. The Houston Zoo’s Saving Wildlife School Partners at Lyons Elementary in Houston and Velasquez Elementary in Richmond have partnered with the Zoo in support of Niassa’s Lion Fun Days for many years.
The students work to raise awareness and funds by engaging their communities around their mascot: the lions! Recently, kindergarten students from McDougle Elementary made lion art work that was displayed on their school’s homepage so the entire community could celebrate their creativity!
By supporting the Zoo’s Emergency Zoo Fund, you are supporting the animals and all of our animal care professionals here and around the world.
