Causing an Uproar

The cheetah is the world's fastest land mammal. It can run at speeds of up to 70 miles an hour.A tiger's stripes are like fingerprints—no two animals have the same pattern.The strongest climber among the big cats, a leopard, can carry prey twice its weight up a tree.You might ask: why those random facts? They are, of course, interesting tidbits that you could find on National Geographic’s website, little fragments of knowledge you could show off. Given the money, time and suitable locations, we now have the opportunity to see these big cats strolling or resting even if we are not locals, which can be the most memorable experience of a lifetime. Imagine, however, a time when this experience is no longer available, when all these facts became phrased in the past tense, when we start talking about cheetahs and tigers and leopards the way we talk about dinosaurs. It sounds both unrealistic and terrible, yet according to scientists, that time is actually not far in the future.Big cats worldwide are under threat—for many populations, local extinctions are imminent. As few as 3,000 tigers, 7,500 snow leopards, 10,000 cheetahs and 30,000 lions remain in the wild. More humans populate the planet than ever before, encroaching further and further into previously natural areas. The population of cheetahs has been halved from 2003. Our generation has reached a critical point that will define the fate of these valuable species.This is precisely why National Geographic, with filmmakers, conservationists and Explorers-in-Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert, have launched the Big Cats Initiative, a comprehensive program that supports on-the-ground conservation and education projects combined with ‘Cause an Uproar’–their global public-awareness campaign. Its current mission is to stop the rapid decline of these ecologically important top predators from their natural habitats and restore lost wild lands for big cats. On its well-built website people can make donations, spread the word by Facebook or Twitter and participate in activities, games and assignments for kids, whom they regard as potential little advocates of big cats.When my family first received an email asking for a possible donation that aimed to help herders build a wall keeping wildlife off their lands to help save local big cats, I thought it was nonsense. How could protecting herders’ livestock have anything to do with wildlife protection? The email explained that hungry lions attacking the livestock usually results in large-scale lion killings as retaliation from the villagers. Separating lions and local pastoralists, these walls (known as bomas) are proven to decrease the killing of lions as the first step of a long-term mission. To promote the coexistence of big cats and humans, the Big Cat Initiative also trains local villagers to be conflict officers, uses tourism as an incentive to raise income and offset livestock losses. They also place tracking collars on big cats that work as a warning system for villagers, and relocate problem animals from conflict areas. One by one, small areas have become protected, and the number is growing steadily. But all of this would not happen and will not continue to happen without people’s support; without our support; without your support.It may be the little money you can spare, or even just a click of the mouse, but collectively we can make a difference. At this time, the Exeter Wildlife Conservation Club is working to raise this awareness in the local community by exhibiting photos of big cats and other endangered wild animals taken by students. We’re also raising awareness about conservation issues through on campus activities and guest lectures. We need you to take action now, because helping to save those majestic creatures is the responsibility of every human being, and we no longer have the luxury of time when it comes to big cats.An adult lion's roar can be heard up to five miles away, but the uproar caused together by people supporting this urgent mission will surely travel around the globe. 