Please Protect Your Country's Imperiled Lions

Dear [Decision Maker],

As someone who cares about protecting lions, I strongly urge you to enact a ban on the import and use of the deadly neurotoxin carbofuran and support new protections for the lions in your country.

Just 50 years ago, it is estimated that nearly a half a million lions could be found in Africa. Now lion experts say that as few as 16,000 remain, a staggering decline of more than 95%.

In recent years, the use and sale of carbofuran has become a significant threat to the survival of lions.

Just a handful of carbofuran, a deadly neurotoxin that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers too toxic for use in America, can kill an entire pride of lions. Sadly, this awful poison is still sold in stores (and widely used) in many African nations.

Lions play an important part in Africa's tourist economy. They are the top tourist attraction and bring in millions of dollars annually through tourism.

But it's not just revenue from tourism that is at stake. The use of carbofuran to kill lions creates many unintended victims, including vultures, hyenas, jackals and other scavengers. Last year, a Kenyan child was even killed after accidentally ingesting some of this deadly poison.

Even when used in farming, carbofuran is still not safe; exposure is dangerous to farmers, pastoralists and consumers of fruit and vegetables. This poison can also taint water and is toxic to wildlife, birds and fish.

For all of these reasons, I ask that you:

· Stop the import and use of carbofuran in your country;
· Make sure there is proper enforcement of the ban;
· Lead the way toward a new lion conservation strategy; and
· Give lions special protected status to ensure their survival.