Lion Encounter launch ‘Night Encounters’

Lion Encounter and ALERT – The African Lion & Environmental Research Trust

Lion Encounter, in partnership with ALERT, is an active conservation project that is passionate about saving lions. It is also Africa’s first genuine programme to ethically re-introduce the offspring of captive-bred African lions back into the wild. Thanks to supporters such as Sir Ranulph Fiennes and the president of Zambia, the project has had many successes and continues to run in both Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The scary statistics are that free-ranging African lion populations have shown a decline (between 80 and 90%) in the last 50 years. ALERT supports assisted lion reintroduction into specific areas. These areas are where lions have been eradicated and where the causes of the original population loss in the past have been identified and are being mitigated.

The team at Lion Encounter have just reached a critical stage in their programme having launched what they call Night Encounters. The aim of this is so that the cubs, who have previously just done walks in the bush (accompanied by clients, experienced handlers, scouts and guides), will now begin to practice and hone their hunting skills at night. Depending on their success at this, as well as the success of social bonding within the pride, will determine their release into the next satge. This is when all human contact will be removed, the cubs will be released into an enclosure of 900 acres or more and will live as wild lions.

For more information on Lion Encounter:

General enquiries: info@lionencounter.com

Zambia
Tel +260 (0)213 327122
Email visitlivingstone@lionencounter.com

Zimbabwe
Tel +263 (0)13 43513 / 40178
Email visitvicfalls@lionencounter.com

For more information on ALERT
Tel +44 (0)203 371 7835
Email info@lionalert.org