As the world celebrated Lion Day on August 10, the plight of these majestic creatures continues to be a pressing concern.
While wild lions face an existential threat due to habitat loss and poaching, their captive counterparts endure a life of exploitation and often, a gruesome end.
Once numbering in the hundreds of thousands, wild lion populations have plummeted to an estimated 23,000 today.
Human activities have ravaged their natural habitats, reducing them to less than 5% of their historical range.
The remaining lions cling to survival in protected national parks across Africa.
Meanwhile, a booming captive lion industry, primarily centered in South Africa, has flourished.
Thousands of lions are bred in captivity for commercial purposes, their lives revolving around tourist entertainment.
From cub petting to staged feeding encounters, these animals are reduced to commodities.
The dark underbelly of this industry lies in the practice of canned hunting.
When lions grow too old for photo opportunities, they are often killed in controlled hunts, providing trophies for wealthy foreign clients.
The United States is a major source of these hunters, with thousands of lions falling victim to this practice in recent years.
The demand for lion bones, particularly in the Far East, has added further pressure to these vulnerable animals.
South Africa, despite government efforts to curb the trade, remains a significant supplier.