Lion PRIDE Initiative
Join the Pride
In January 2006, AWF and internationally recognized artist John Banovich joined forces to launch the Lion P.R.I.D.E. Initiative. John is among the most renowned wildlife artists in the United States, and his art is appreciated by collectors internationally. He specializes in large oil paintings of animals from around the world and is talented, prolific and dedicated − both to his art and to preserving wildlife and the places they inhabit.
P.R.I.D.E. stands for Protection, Research, Implementation, Development and Education, and the Initiative is dedicated to raising resources and awareness to save Africa’s imperiled lion population. It aims to do this through a combination of applied scientific research, preserving large conservation landscapes and community development.
In November 2006, the Lion P.R.I.D.E. Initiative achieved a historic milestone when it surpassed its first-year fundraising goal of $100 000, which was made possible by the generous donations of those who appreciate John’s work around the world.
P.R.I.D.E. funding presently supports three important AWF lion conservation and research initiatives:
- The Large Carnivore Research Project - Since 2003, Gosiame Neo-Mahupeleng has been studying the population dynamics, movement patterns and human−lion conflict in AWF’s Kazungula Heartland, which spans the border regions of Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
- The Maasai Steppe Lion Research Project - Led by Bernard Kissui, this is AWF’s newest species research project. Its launch in mid-2006 would not have been possible without critical funding from P.R.I.D.E. Bernard has been investigating the demography and dispersal patterns of lions in and around Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park, and lion−human conflict in surrounding communities.
- The Laikipia and Kilimanjaro Predator projects - Through these two projects, Dr Laurence Frank and his team collaborate with communities in northern and southern Kenya on ways to ensure that humans and lions continue to share the landscape, as they have for millennia.
> For more information, visit www.lionsforever.com
