Africa's lions are facing habitat loss, poaching, poisoning and other threats.There are only an estimated 20,000 lions left in the wild -- an alarming decline from the estimated 450,000 that existed in the 1940s.
Without increased conservation efforts extinction could come for the King of Beasts as soon as 2020.
The Great Cats and Rare Canids Act-- already passed in the House -- would authorize critical funds for vital efforts to protect lions and rare animals like snow leopards, Ethiopian wolves, jaguars and other rare wildlife struggling to survive.
Urge your senators to help save lions and other struggling animals and support the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act.
As a supporter of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund and the world's threatened and endangered species, I urge you to support important legislation to save the great cats and rare wild canines of the world.
Like many of your constituents, I care about protecting rare species like lions, snow leopards, jaguars, maned wolves and African wild dogs, so future generations will one day be able to enjoy them.
[Your personal comments will be inserted here.]
The Great Cats and Rare Canids Act (S. 529) provides financial support for on-the-ground conservation programs for rare great cat and wild canine populations in countries outside of North America. Because many countries lack the resources to conserve species within their borders, conservation of these great cat and rare canine species requires a global effort.
Lions, for example, are facing habitat loss, poaching, poisoning and other threats. Now, there are an estimated 20,000 lions left in the wild -- an alarming decline from the estimated 450,000 in the 1940s. Without increased conservation efforts like those provided by the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act, extinction could come for the King of Beasts by as soon as 2020.
The Great Cats and Wild Canids Act is supported by a wide variety of wildlife conservation organizations, sportsmen and women, zoos and aquariums and citizens like me from across the nation.
This important bipartisan legislation passed in the House (H.R. 411) and the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee during the first session of the 111th Congress.
I hope that you will help protect the world's vanishing snow leopards, maned wolves and other vanishing wildlife. Please support and pass the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act in the 111th Congress.
Thank you for considering my comments.
