Asiatic lions are on the brink of extinction.
Visitors encouraged to donate to Lions400 and be part of the 'Land of the Lions' Majestic Mosaic
ZSL London Zoo are offering visitors the opportunity to contribute to its new Land of the Lions exhibit which is due to open in spring 2016.
The zoo will be creating a Majestic Mosaic within their new lion exhibit. The mosaic will be made up of 400 individual tiles representing each of the 400 endangered Asiatic lions left in the wild. Taking pride of place in the new enclosure, the mosaic will offer supporters of Lions 400 the chance to dedicate a mosaic tile with a personal message.
Asiatic lions, which only survive in the isolated Gir Forest in Western Gujarate, India, are on the brink of extinction. Their natural habitat leaves them vulnerable to threats such as disease, disaster and conflict with humans.
ZSL's Lions400 campaign aims to raise £5.7m to create Land of the Lions, a state-of-the-art Asiatic lion hub and exhibit, and carry out vital conservation work in the wild to protect this endangered species. The zoo is working with the Gujarat government and Wildlife Institute in India to safeguard the future of these majestic creatures.
Each of the limited edition tiles which form the mosaic will acknowledge a £400 donation to the campaign.
ZSL's fund-raising director James Wren said: "The Majestic Mosaic will allow supporters to be personally recognised for their generous donations to Lions400 and will create a stunning legacy in the heart of the new Land of the Lions Exhibit.
"These magnificent animals face a fight for survival every day, and are particularly vulnerable to the threats of disease of conflict with humans. By donating to the campaign not only can people make their mark on the Zoo, they will also be helping ZSL to ensure these big cats will survive for future generations."
To find out more visit www.zsl.org/lions400
Image (C) ZSL London