Twenty-five years ago, Disney created a world where lions rule the animal kingdom, wildlife burst into song, and warthogs and meerkats enthusiastically endorse a carefree life. Disney’s The Lion King wasn’t just a film, it was a phenomenon that moved millions of people with its tale of loss and redemption, of friendship and kinship. This July, Disney is releasing a brand new The Lion King—a groundbreaking feature film unlike anything audiences have seen before, that will undoubtedly reignite the sensation.
In the 25-years since the first film’s release, Africa has lost half of all lions in the wild. Wildlife Conservation Network, in partnership with the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, launched the Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) in 2017 to halt and reverse this decline and bring back the lion population.
Today, we are proud to announce a new collaboration with Disney in celebration of The Lion King that will help recover lions in Africa and inspire lion conservation in the hearts and minds of people around the world.
Disney’s support will help the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund and its partners reach its goal of doubling the number of lions in Africa by the year 2050; a goal the LRF seeks to achieve through efforts that engage communities to ensure a future for African wildlife and their habitats. In addition to providing philanthropic support to the LRF, Disney will also promote lion conservation to a global audience in celebration of one of their most successful franchises. By encouraging audiences to “Protect the Pride,” Disney and the Lion Recovery Fund are urging fans and wildlife lovers around the world to participate in lion recovery.
The Disney Conservation Fund has been a recognized leader in conservation efforts for decades and has worked with Wildlife Conservation Network for over 15 years. Building on Disney’s previous $75M investment in global conservation efforts since 1995, this combined effort around The Lion King will be the biggest single-species wildlife conservation initiative in Disney’s history.
Thus far, most people around the world have been largely unaware that we are rapidly losing Africa’s lions. This lack of awareness means that lions and the incredible conservationists working to protect them are not receiving the support needed to stop this crisis. Through the power of its storytelling, Disney can inspire people of all ages to support the Lion Recovery Fund and help bring lions back to Africa.
How you can Protect the Pride:
Learn more
Explore The Lion King “Protect the Pride” website
Spread the word
Join the conversation and raise awareness of the crisis facing lions with the hashtags #TheLionKing #ProtectThePride
Contribute
Donate to the Lion Recovery Fund to protect lions