Lion Aid

29/05/2026

Don't miss this exhibition by Peter Haygarth

Peter Haygarth is a professional photographer and videographer from the UK.

I am delighted to announce that he has an exciting new exhibition at:
GALLERINA,
1,Victoria Road, Darlington, DL1 5SJ.

This exhibition takes place from the 13th June to July 25th this year.

Peter's photographs and videos are exceptional and it is well worth a visit to this exhibition if you are in the area.

Peter was part of the 11 person LionAid team of LionHearts when we climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in July 2022 to raise money for lions. He also came with the team directly after the climb, to Merrueshi, Kenya to meet the community there who are benefitting directly from the funding we are providing for this initiative.

The initiative aims to combat the human/wildlife conflict that was so prevalent in that area. Since the commencement of this initiative, we are proud to say that not a single lion has been killed in retaliation, to date.

Peter produced amazing photographs and detailed video footage of the climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro for LionAid and also of the trip to Merrueshi.

He is an exceptional photographer and videographer and this new exhibition will be well worth a visit.

https://lionaid.org/news/2026/05/dont-miss-this-exhibition-by-peter-haygarth.htm

22/04/2026

The Line in the Sand: Why is the UK Government still stalling on Trophy Hunting?

Yesterday, LionAid met with Ministers and officials at the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). We arrived with a clear message, backed by 11 years of tireless campaigning and the support of hundreds of thousands of you.

The outcome, however, was a bitter pill to swallow.

Despite a clear pledge in the Labour Manifesto that "a vote for Labour is a vote for animals," we have learned that the commitment to bring in a Hunting Trophies Import Ban will NOT be included in the forthcoming King’s Speech.

Promises vs. Reality
We’ve been here before. In 2015, the then UK Environment Minister personally told LionAid a ban on lion trophy imports was coming. It never did. Now, history seems to be repeating itself. While the Government maintains the ban is still "on the agenda," their actions—or lack thereof—tell a different story.
It isn’t just the trophy ban that’s at risk; recent reports suggest commitments to ban fur and foie gras imports have also been sidelined. If this Government truly believes that animal welfare is a priority, why are these "low-hanging fruit" policies being dropped when the public demand for them is so high?



The Maths of Extinction
While politicians debate "timelines" and "legislative windows," the African lion is running out of time.

Lion Aid's latest estimate show only around 13,000 lions left in the strongholds of Southern and Eastern Africa, with populations in the West and Central regions facing total collapse.

Lions cannot wait for another election cycle or another decade of "consultations." Every trophy allowed through UK ports is a green light to an industry that prioritizes "souvenirs" over the survival of a species

We Need Your Voice: The Road to One Million

In 2019, LionAid launched a petition to stop these imports. Today, it stands at over 906,000 signatures.

We are so close to the one million mark. Reaching this milestone is a powerful way to show the Government that they cannot ignore the public's will. They need to hear that we see through the empty promises and we demand the ban be enacted without further delay. https://www.change.org/p/ban-lion-trophy-hunting-imports-into-the-uk

How you can help today:

Sign and Share: If you haven’t signed this petition yet, please do so now. If you have, share it with five friends.
Contact your UK MP: Remind them that their manifesto promised to be "on the side of animals." Ask them why the Hunting Trophies Bill has been left out of the King’s Speech.
Spread the Word: Use the hashtag and let the Government know that the UK should not be a market for the destruction of wildlife.


The King’s Speech may be missing the Bill, but our movement is not missing its resolve. We will not stop until the UK’s doors are closed to trophy hunting for good.



Our fight to protect lions is far from over. Your continued donations are the lifeblood of our mission, directly funding the critical work needed to secure a future for these magnificent creatures. Please help us if you can with a donation https://lionaid.org/donate.php Thank you.

24/03/2026

https://lionaid.org/news/2026/03/conquering-kilimanjaro-to-save-lions.htm
Some of you won't know, but back in 2022, 11 of us decided to climb Africa's highest mountain to raise money to start LionAid's project in Merrueshi, Kenya. We raised enough money to get that project started and we are still raising money today to keep the project moving forward. The project addresses the human/wildlife conflict that exists in rural Africa where there are wild predators.
I am proud and delighted to say that since the project started, not a single lion has been killed in retaliation for attacks on community livestock ( and this was an area of high retaliatory killings before we started the initiative). And because we also equip individual households with an electric light ( as well as placing blinking lights around the village boundary fences), children are doing better at school as they can now do their homework, cataract problems amongst the community have reduced greatly because they are no longer using toxic kerosene lamps, and the quality of life for rural households has improved enormously.

But there is a lot more still to do as we need to equip many more villages with these lifesaving lights. Please help us by DONATING to allow us to expand the project. https://lionaid.org/donate.php

But before I finish this update, I will share with you all the enormity of the challenge we undertook to conquer Africa's highest mountain.
We had a UK doctor climb with us and he did an amazing job at keeping us as fit as possible to complete the climb and reach Uhuru Peak, the summit of Kilimanjaro. He was also adept at taking videos and he has produced two fantastic videos documenting what we did with footage of us all on that epic climb.
I am proud to say we did reach the summit and it is an experience that will remain with me forever.
Here is Part One of the two videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZo7WbofyeQ
Here is the final part of our epic climb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yddUuV9sT4
Experience climbing Mount Kilimanjaro the easy way from your armchair!!!
I hope this might have inspired you to DONATE to the project we are raising money for. You can add your much needed donation here. Thank you. https://lionaid.org/donate.php

20/03/2026

LionAid is absolutely delighted to support this fantastic new initiative called EXERCISING KINDNESS.
For those of you who don't know me - at the weekends I am an avid rambler, exploring the local countryside with likeminded people and getting close to our wonderful natural world in all its amazing diversity.
It's an amazing way to clear your head of all the stresses and strains the working week can bring and fabulous for keeping your body active and healthy.

This Sunday I will be taking part in another 12 mile ramble along the newly created King Charles III Coast path - and I can't wait!!

So when I was contacted about of being one of the charities involved in this new venture, I was thrilled to support.
So please consider joining this new initiative - helping lions and keeping your mind and body in tip top condition! www.exercisingkindness.co.uk

Thank you so much for your support !!

20/03/2026

https://lionaid.org/news/2026/03/the-shrinking-horizon.htm

THE SHRINKING HORIZON

The tall grasses of the Mara didn’t part as easily as they once did. For a magnificent lion we will call Tau, a pride male whose golden mane was now peppered with the grey of many seasons, the world was becoming a much smaller, quieter place.

The Shrinking Horizon
Decades ago, Tau’s ancestors ruled an endless sea of amber. Today, that sea is being hemmed in by invisible fences and the steady hum of human expansion. As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in bruises of purple and gold, Tau let out a roar.

It was a magnificent sound—a low, rhythmic thrumming that should have been met by an orchestra of answering calls from neighboring prides. Instead, there was only the wind.

The Mathematical Tragedy
Tau watched his two remaining cubs tumble in the dust. They were full of fire, unaware of the devastating maths of their existence. In the mid-20th century, there were likely over 200,000 lions roaming Africa. Today, the LionAid Assessment reveals a terrifying collapse:

The Southern & Eastern Strongholds: Tau is one of only 13,014 wild lions left in these regions.
The Genetic Ghost: To the West and Central parts of the continent, the situation is even more dire. Only 342 lions remain there—small, isolated groups that are highly genetically distinct. If they vanish, a unique branch of the lion’s evolutionary tree is pruned forever.

The Silent Threats
The decline wasn't just about the lack of space; it was a ghost story told in three parts:

Genetic Isolation: With so few lions left, Tau’s cubs may never find unrelated mates. Without "wild corridors," the pride becomes an island, and the bloodline weakens.
Conflict at the Edge: As farms push into the savanna, the wild prey vanishes. When a lion eyes a cow out of desperation, the human retaliation is swift and final.
The "Paper Lion" Illusion: While some claim there are more, LionAid warns that those numbers often include lions in small, fenced enclosures. For a truly wild king like Tau, the kingdom is nearly gone.

A Flicker of Gold
Tau nudged the smallest cub with his scarred muzzle.

The survival of these "Kings" now rests not on their claws or their strength, but on the choices of a different species entirely. To save the lion, we must protect the 13,356 that remain with a ferocity that matches their own.

As night fell, Tau settled into the grass. He was a king of a fragmented kingdom, waiting for a dawn where his roar might once again find an answer in a world that still has room for him.



While Tau is a fictional character, his story is the lived reality for the remaining 13,014 lions in Eastern and Southern Africa. He represents the silent struggle of a species being pushed into ever-smaller corners of the map. We created Tau to give a face to a number that is hard to wrap our heads around. It is easy to ignore a statistic like 13,356, but it is impossible to ignore the sight of a king losing his home. Tau helps us visualize the habitat fragmentation and genetic isolation that our researchers document every day in the field.



Please help us if you can with a DONATION so that we can continue our work to save this magnificent species. https://lionaid.org/donate.php

We hope to meet up again with the UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment in the next few weeks to discuss current thinking in the Government, regarding the implementation of a UK ban on hunting trophies.

Rest assured, we will continue to emphasise to her the urgent need for the UK to bring in this much needed and very overdue ban and present further up to date scientific evidence to show how trophy hunting continues to decimate our endangered wildlife, especially wild lions.

Thank you so much for any support you can give us.

11/03/2026

13,356. That is the number of wild lions left in Africa according to

’s 2025 Synthesis. While others cite 20k, the reality on the ground is far bleaker. The UK MUST ban trophy imports NOW. 🦁🚫 . https://lionaid.org/donate.php

11/03/2026

The crisis is regional. In Central and Western Africa, only 342 lions remain. These lions are genetically distinct—if we lose them, that unique DNA is gone forever. Yet, trophy hunting continues to target these fragile prides.

11/03/2026

The UK Government has promised a ban for years. As of March 2026, the "souvenirs" of dead endangered animals are still crossing our borders. It’s time for the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill to become law. No more excuses.

11/03/2026

The Line in the Sand: Why the UK Must Finally Shut the Door on Trophy Hunting

For years, we have been told that a ban is "coming." We’ve seen manifestos pledged, Private Members' Bills introduced, and passionate debates in the House of Commons. Yet, as of March 2026, the UK remains a destination for the "souvenirs" of a dying industry.

At LionAid, our stance has never wavered: The UK must implement a total ban on the import of hunting trophies. While lions are our primary focus, the rot of trophy hunting extends across species. From elephants to leopards, the arguments for "sustainable use" are crumbling under the weight of scientific evidence and ethical reality.

Furthermore,the myth that this industry "saves" lions is being systematically dismantled by the reality of the numbers on the ground.

Disappearing in Plain Sight: The Real Numbers

While many organizations still cite a "comfortable" estimate of 20,000 lions, the latest LionAid 2025 Synthesis reveals a far more desperate reality. We are not looking at a stable population; we are looking at a species in a state of fragmentation and collapse.

Our latest data indicates that there are:

No more than 13,014 wild lions remaining in Eastern and Southern Africa.
A mere 342 wild lions left in Central and Western Africa.
The lions of Central and Western Africa are not just another statistic; they are highly genetically distinct. To lose them is to lose a unique evolutionary lineage forever. When hunters target "trophies" from these already fragile populations, they aren't just taking an individual; they are accelerating a regional extinction.

The Myth of "Conservation Funding"

The most common rebuttal from the hunting lobby—and recently echoed by the US Secretary of the Interior—is that trophy hunting funds conservation. This is a fallacy that LionAid has spent years debunking.

Minimal Economic Impact: In many African nations, trophy hunting contributes as little as 0.03% to 0.5% of GDP.
Leakage and Corruption: The "trophy fees" often stay in the hands of private operators or central treasuries, rarely trickling down to the local communities who actually live alongside wildlife.
Abandonment: In Tanzania and Zambia, nearly 40–70% of hunting blocks have been abandoned by operators because the wildlife has been so depleted that it is no longer "commercially viable" to hunt.

A Sovereign Choice, Not "Neo-Colonialism"

Critics often label an import ban as "neo-colonial." This is a deflection. A ban does not dictate what an African nation does within its own borders; it dictates what we as a British public are willing to facilitate. Over 80% of the UK public opposes these imports. We have a sovereign right to ensure our ports are not used to validate the killing of endangered species for sport.

The Status of the Bill (March 2026)

The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill has faced an uphill battle. While it has seen cross-party support, it has repeatedly stalled in the House of Lords or been derailed by political timing. We are now at a critical juncture. The UK Government must provide full sponsorship for this legislation rather than leaving it to the precarious fate of Private Members' Bills.

"Every lion trophy imported is a testament to a failure of modern conservation. We don't need more 'smart' regulations or 'enhancement' rules. We need a closed door." — LionAid Team

Please help us if you can by donating to our work to secure a future for our magnificent lions. Your continued donations are truly the lifeblood of our mission. Thank you.

Please support Our Research: LionAid relies on your donations to continue providing the data that debunks hunting lobby rhetoric.
https://lionaid.org/donate.php

23/01/2026

US Secretary of the Interior shockingly urges the UK not to ban the import of hunting trophies.

Last week, Doug Burgum, the US interior secretary, warned of “unintended consequences” from the Government’s proposed crackdown on hunters bringing body parts of lions, elephants, zebras and other wildlife killed for sport back to Britain.

In a letter to Emma Reynolds, the UK Environment Secretary, Mr Burgum was of the opinion that there would be “unintended consequences” if the ban was implemented – and that while “well intentioned, the legislation risks undermining conservation efforts not only in the United States but in communities around the world” and that “Legal, well-regulated hunting – particularly trophy hunting – plays a vital role in supporting healthy wildlife populations, restoring habitat and supporting local economies.”

Sadly, Mr Burgum’s missive is light on any detail. Mr Burgum does not inform Ms Reynolds of what these “unintended consequences” might include. Similarly, the import ban on US trophies will have a negligible effect on US “conservation” efforts – in the ten years 2014-2023, UK trophy hunters imported a grand total of 31, yes 31 trophies from species native the USA under the CITES “wild” category, most of which, 7, were polar bears. Also, when Mr Burgum opines that “Legal, well-regulated hunting – particularly trophy hunting – plays a vital role in supporting healthy wildlife populations, restoring habitat and supporting local economies” he is really walking on very thin ice.

For African species the evidence that trophy hunting plays a role in supporting healthy wildlife populations, restoring habitat and supporting local economies is not based on any factual assessment and falls directly in the category of rhetoric.

Why would Mr Burgum decide to write this letter?

Clearly the language and hyperbole comes straight out of the Safari Club International playbook. It is well-known that SCI (and perhaps other US-headquartered pro-hunting organisations like the Dallas Safari Club and Conservation Force) are fundamentally opposed to the possibility of a UK import ban. Apparently SCI, with their deep pockets, has already been investing considerable funds in efforts to undermine the proposed ban in multiple ways. Including seeking and funding reports from various African hunting organisations, funding a trip to London by a former minister of environment from Botswana and his entourage to directly lobby against the ban mainly in the House of Lords, and incessantly spouting pro-hunting rhetoric in the many media outlets supportive of trophy hunting. Mr Burgum is also a known Trump supporter. But whether Trump himself is behind this move is doubtful. While both Trump sons are known to trophy hunt, Trump himself called trophy hunting a ”horror show” during his first term. But Trump could easily have changed his mind during his second term – US trophy hunters include some very wealthy and influential people.



UK conservation organizations, including LionAid, seem up in arms, and they should be. Not least because Ms Reynolds has not made any official reply, leaving it to Baroness Hayman, DEFRA Undersecretary of State, to contact the US Embassy. We were not informed of the results of that discussion. Also, Mr Burgum clearly trampled on the sovereign right of the UK to make their own legislation based on the overwhelming will of the UK public to seek a ban on trophy imports.

Meanwhile, it is high time that the UK government starts making some tangible progress on the ban. The proposed ban on trophy-hunting imports was first pledged by Boris Johnson in the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto but has still not passed through Parliament, despite repeated attempts. The proposed ban has received cross-parliamentary support, and while efforts to get the Bill through Parliament (via Private Member’s Bills) have made some progress, they always strand on the rocks of the House of Lords. Critics have labelled the Bill as something only supported by “luvvies and leftie celebrities” including Gary Lineker, Joanna Lumley and Ricky Gervais. For example, Charlie Jacoby, who leads SCI in the UK, said: “I welcome this latest in a long line of interventions from countries with far better track records on wildlife than the UK. If it annoys a few urban MPs and TV comedians, so be it. This Government has lost touch with people on the frontline of wildlife management. Trophy hunters are conservation heroes.”



If the government wants to get serious about the Bill and this manifesto promise, it will need government sponsorship right from the start, not just left to flounder about via Private Member’s proposals. That is what we should be pushing to start making progress.

LionAid will continue to urge the UK Government to ban the import of hunting trophies.

https://lionaid.org/news/2026/01/us-secretary-of-the-interior-shockingly-urges-the-uk-not-to-ban-the-import-of-hunting-trophies.htm

16/01/2026

This is the most horrendous news. We simply must get a UK ban on the import of hunting trophies enacted and soon. Lions are already on the brink of extinction.

It has emerged that the UK Government is facing direct pressure from the United States to abandon its long-promised ban on trophy hunting imports.

Last night details were revealed of a letter from the US Administration urging the UK to U-turn on its manifesto commitment to ban trophy hunting trophies entering Britain. The letter was sent by US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to DEFRA Secretary of State Emma Reynolds.

Statement from Eduardo Goncalves, founder of The Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting

“It is outrageous that the Trump Administration is attempting to bully the UK Government into scrapping a manifesto pledge to ban trophy hunting imports, a policy supported by 9 out of 10 voters as well as virtually every single party in Parliament.

"Let me be absolutely clear: this is a sovereign decision for Britain. The British public has spoken loudly and decisively at the ballot box. The House of Commons has twice voted unanimously in support of a ban.

"It is no secret that Trump’s sons are notorious trophy hunters. Less well-known is that powerful US hunting lobby groups including Safari Club International and Dallas Safari Club backed Trump’s presidential campaign. Our investigations have shown how these groups have spent millions of dollars on disinformation campaigns and funding pro-hunting lobbyists in the UK to try and block the will of the people.

“Trophy hunting is cruel, outdated and indefensible. The Government has committed to banning trophy hunting imports. Keir Starmer’s response to this latest effort by the Trump Administration to meddle with the affairs of sovereign nations should be to confirm that the ban will be legislated for this year.”

✉️ Take action:
Please write to Emma Reynolds and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Urge them to stand up for British democracy, ignore overseas pressure, and deliver the trophy hunting imports ban without further delay.