Celebrating World Lion Day at Knowsley Safari

Knowsley Safari's six-strong African Lion pride is reminding us who's king of the jungle on World Lion Day.

Pete Johnson, Carnivore Keeper at Knowsley Safari, said, "Lions were the first animals we had at Knowsley in 1971. We've had them ever since in various prides over the last 52 years. My favourite things about the lions here are they are unpredictable sometimes, I've worked with them for a lot of years, and they make you work for your money. Because of the way we keep them here at Knowsley, they have so much freedom - they have a sixacre reserve that they're in and out of every day - so managing them in that environment can be really challenging sometimes, but more often than not it's loads of fun."

Listed as a vulnerable species, the animals are threatened by habitat loss, food shortages due to natural prey decline and illegal wildlife trade, among other factors and with the global population around 40% less than three generations ago, World Lion Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of how we can help protect this majestic big cat.

Lions are the only species of big cats that live in social groups, 'Prides' are formed by females and their offspring.

The current African Lion population is estimated to be as few as 23,000 today. They are currently listed as 'vulnerable', so these apex predators will likely become endangered without changes to their circumstances. As part of their commitment, Knowsley Safari supports an African Lion conservation programme at Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senegal.