Big Cats Initiative - Letters and Drawings to Lions - Editors' Picks

"Felicitous, Fuzzy Felines"
Drawing by Spenser B.
About Letters to Lions
Lions are in danger of extinction across Africa. Filmmakers and National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert recently invited kids to help save lions! These are just a few of the letters to lions the Jouberts will deliver to African leaders to let them know how important lions are to kids everywhere. Learn how you or the kid in your life can send a letter to a lion!
Above: Hi! My name is Spenser! Lions mean a lot to me. I know tons about them. My friend is an animal nut! Her favorite animals are safari animals. She talks non-stop about these felicitous, fuzzy felines. Lions, to me, are probably one of my favorite animals. I was not informed about the possible extinction. Now that I know, I really truly am upset. It's really just maddening! I can't believe they're nearly gone.
The way they move. It's just so graceful. The way they pounce on prey is so swift and quick. When they crawl through the grass, waiting for an unsuspecting zebra, or warthog. They're so quiet and mysterious. When they're just hanging around, they look like they are posing for a picture. And the little cubs are just so stinking cute!
Lions have these monstrous teeth that are poking out when a wildebeest walks past! Wouldn't want to get stuck in those!
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Spenser B., Age 10, NJ
"Woolly Mammoths"
Drawing by Cassie L.
Help save lions because they are not being mean they are just trying to get food. They are like us, because they live in families called prides. Some male lions go out of their pride and take over another. If they succeed and there are cubs in the pride then the lion will kill them. Unlike other cats the males have manes. If they became extinct then in the future they will be like woolly mammoths. There used to be 450,000 lions in Africa but now there are only 20,000. Lions aren't mean they are only doing their job.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Cassie L., Age 8, NY
"African Lions Rock"
Drawing by Jessica B.
I love lions because you all are fascinating animals. Every time I go to the zoo, I make sure before I leave that I have to see you all again just one more time. I pray that you lions do not go extinct. Because I love you all so much. I am very proud to write a letter to help save African lions. Because African lions rock!
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Jessica B., Age 14
"They May Look Cuddly"
Drawing by Olivia O.
I love lions now after I've been watching National Geographic and seeing that it was big cat week. I want to help and make a difference for cats. They are very cute and they may look cuddly but I know that they are VERY powerful! I've sent out text messages telling all my friends about them and the webpage on National Geographic. I also want to make a difference around where they live! If there is a way to give them the natural resources that they need without getting them too familiar with humans I would do it! I LOVE LIONS!!!!!!!!
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Olivia O., Age 11, OH
"On Their Toes"
Drawing by Matthew C.
Let's help lions not get extinct because lions do their job. They don't try to hunt people. Here's a good fact about lions. Lions can roar 5 miles away isn't that cool? There were 450,000 lions in Africa 60 years ago now there are 20,000 isn't that sad? Here's another good fact about lions. Lions are on their toes 4-5 hours a day. Lions are the only cat that live in prides. So what do you say, are you going to help lions?
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Matthew C., Age 8, NY
"My Dream: To See You in the Wild"
Drawing by TJ S.
I am writing to you because I want you to know how important and special you are. I saw on the National Geographic Kids website that you are near extinction. We can't let this happen! You are part of the food chain and part of the life cycle.
I have studied about you in my science lessons and if it were not for you many other animals might become endangered also. Like the hyenas, they depend on you lots of times for their food, because they eat off your leftovers. So do the vultures. Also if you were extinct some of the other animals like the wildebeest might become over populated and that could cause problems too. They might eat all the grass and stuff and leave the land naked. I think that you are so beautiful, we just can't loose "The King of the Beast!" When I grow up I am going to be a veterinarian and I want to come and visit Africa to learn more about you. I pray that when I get there that you will still be there also. That is my dream someday, to be able to see you in the wild.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by TJ S., Age 10, AR
"Pretending to Be a Lioness"
Drawing by Sasha J.
Lions mean an awful lot to me, as they have been part of my life since I was little. And I'm not the only one. Not only do lions have purpose to my friends and to myself, but they are a vital part of the food chain on the African grassland savannas, so they are also important for the daily lives of other creatures.
When I was little I absolutely loved a movie called The Lion King. After watching the movie, I would pretend to have pet lions, to actually be a lioness, and any other things I could think of. Lions have been part of my childhood, and it would be awful if they suddenly died out.
Even though lions may cause some issues with daily lives of humans (like maximizing the danger of your livestock being eaten or killed), those problems can be fixed. If lions are killed, the herbivorous hoofed animals can do damage to crops because there are no lions to keep them in line. If lions become extinct, there is no going back and trying to fix the problem. Overall, I believe that lions are not worth being hunted or poisoned for such things as their carnivorous natures. Think how strange the plains of Africa would be with no predators...with no lions.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Sasha J., Age 11, Michigan
"Lions Have Feelings Too"
Drawing by Gabriel K.
Lions aren't mean, they're just doing their jobs. Baby lions go through a very tough time growing up. Lions live shorter, so they should enjoy the time they have alive. When I have kids, do you want lions to be like dinosaurs? They have a pride just like we have a family. Lions have feelings too you know! How would you like it if humans were extinct? There are 430,000 less lions than there were 60 years ago. Lions have rights to live. Here's how we can stop hunting lions, move away from lions.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Gabriel K., Age 8, NY
"Living Mammals With Feelings"
Drawing by Lindsay P.
Let's help save the lions because lions do not try to hurt us, in reality they are doing their job and we are hurting them. We should be helping lions because they help us by killing pests like rabbits for eating our plants, but instead of us helping them we are hurting them. We are both living mammals with feelings. We should treat them like us because we are basically the same.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Lindsay P., Age 8, NY
"They Are Just Like Us"
Drawing by Jaiden E.
Help save the lions. The lions are just like us. We live in families and they live in prides. The lions need each other to live. So if a couple of lions die more and more and more die. Male lions can roar and it will travel up to 5 miles and it might scare away things that can hurt us. Lions need to be fed. Female lions attack and 1 out of 7 times they will get the food so the lion needs more food to survive. So can you try to feed them? Please help save the lions because if they didn't eat what they eat the lion's food population would grow and grow and they would take over the continent.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Jaiden E., Age 8, NY
"Truly Beautiful Animals"
Drawing by Kasey M.
What do lions mean to me? There are just so many answers to that question. I may no longer be a kid anymore but I believe lions mean a lot for many people. I remember growing up Lion King was my favorite movie. I first became fascinated by lions and other big cats when I was 15. What mainly triggered my fascination was a show called Big Cat Diary. My fascination for lions quickly changed into admiration and love. My dream is to go to Africa and see all the big cats, especially lions. What is so sad is they're expected to be extinct by 2020. I am still very young, and I will never get to see these truly beautiful animals by 2020. I'm afraid that my future children will not even know what lions are. To me, lions are one of the most magnificent animals out there. To actually see lions is my dream. I really do not want my dream or hope to disappear.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Kasey M., Age 22, TX
"Please Don't Go Away!"
Drawing by Maya V.
Dear Lions! Please don't go away! You mean very much to me! You are the king of the animals! What will they do if you go away? You are beautiful and strong. What will we do without you? And guess what! When I was small my favorite cartoon was Lion King! You kill only sick animals because they can't run away from you. You also keep the healthy animals from getting sick. You have everything a king should have, even a crown. You mean so much to me I don't even know how to explain it. I know that if you go away I will too. I just don't know how everyone will survive if you don't!
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Maya V., Age 8, NY
"Male Lions Eat First, Not Mom"
Drawing by Olivia M.
Please help my class and me save the lions! Lions can help find their babies. When babies are lost the lions' roar can help. There are different types of lion like a mountain lion. The male lions protect their pride. The baby lions go off on their own in 2 to 4 years. The moms are the ones that hunt not the babies. The prides can be as small as 3 or as big as 40 animals. Lions live together, when they live together it is called a pride. The male lions always get to eat first not the mom who hunts the food. Lions are related to pet cats. The male lion's mane is like army armor. The male lions eat 60 pounds of meat. Lions live in the grasslands.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Olivia M., Age 8, NY
"Furious and Wild"
Drawing by Lauren L.
What lions mean to me is that they are part of the never ending wilderness. Lions are furious and wild but sometimes calm and peaceful like they didn't do a thing to anyone or thing. They also mean to me that they are part of the wilderness, so if they go extinct they will affect all the other animals in the wild and not just lions themselves. One more thing that lions mean to me is that I think that they're fascinating, so everyone should try to help save the lions. That is why lions are so very important to me.
—This drawing and letter were submitted to the Big Cats Initiative, Letters to Lions by Lauren L., Age 11, MI

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