Big Cats Initiative: Protecting habitat for Big Cats across Africa

Great Plains Foundation manages the Big Cats Initiative, previously under National Geographic.

Big Cats need land. They need this land now more than ever as a reservoir for their rapidly dwindling numbers. There are an estimated 44 million acres of land in Africa on which Big Cats roam that is currently unprotected or under hunting management. Great Plains’ response to this crisis is multi-pronged- acquiring, supporting and securing habitats outside national parks including former hunting concessions, community conservancies and migratory corridors and working in partnership with local communities and other conservation stakeholders.

As National Geographic Explorers, Great Plains Founders, Dereck and Beverly Joubert established the National Geographic Big Cats Initiative (BCI). More than a decade later, BCI has funded more than 150 projects in 29 countries. Current projects operate in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Botswana and utilize innovative approaches to generate maximum positive impact. In the past, BCI and Great Plains have supported initiatives like the Maasai Olympics and communal cattle herding workshops which tackle human-lion conflict and emphasizes conservation and building bridges between communities, conservation and wildlife. In 2019, Great Plains moved five lions to Selinda, saving them from the immediate threat of poaching and human-wildlife conflict and we hope to do the same in Zimbabwe as part of the restoration of the Sapi Reserve.

Your support in the past via National Geographic has been hugely appreciated, and we hope that you will continue with us and help us find new supporters.

Big Cats Initiative funds multiple projects aimed at preserving land for big cats and reducing human-wildlife conflict. Gifts of any size will be put to good use in support of these efforts.