Blood Lions Inspired over 1300 People to add their Voices to the Cause of Saving Lions

This is an excerpt from an article written by Tyler Leigh Vivier and published online by Good Things Guy on 21 January, 2021.

Over 800 voices were added to the #800 Lions campaign; in fact, more than 660 schoolchildren and students joined the cause to help raise awareness.

South Africa (21 January 2021) – The 800 Voices for 800 Lions campaign aimed to visually represent through art the quota of 800 lion skeletons South Africa exported every year for use in traditional medicine that has no proven curative benefits.

Blood Lions wanted to inspire and mobilise people to raise their voices by creating their own lion art to submit to the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF). The campaign has been submitted to Honourable Minister Barbara Creecy at DEFF, and the organisation is awaiting further communication. They are also awaiting news on what was recommended to the Minister by the High-Level Panel.

“We are proud to report that the campaign reached 163% of its goal, with over 1,300 lion art submissions from across the globe.
Looking at the numbers, we received 853 submissions from South Africans, including 593 from young South Africans under the age of 16. The campaign also attracted 36 submissions from Vietnam, including 27 from students at Thai Phien Primary School and 20 from school children in China, which was really inspiring to see.” – Cath Jakins

A few schools in South Africa really took to the challenge and submitted student artwork en masse. Manor Gardens Primary School in Durban submitted over 138 pieces of artwork, including songs and poems written and performed by the students.