You may or may not know, but one of the causes that American CPR Training® donates to each year is the National Geographic Society – we help fund efforts for the protection of endangered species including elephants, lions, and other less- exciting, but needy animal species. During National Pet First Aid Awareness Month, we'd like you to think about other animals as well Big cats, big challenge… We all know big cats face many challenges. Some, like lions, are endangered, while others, like tigers, are on the brink of extinction. Our support for the National Geographic Society is making possible some of the most innovative, far reaching, and effective conservation work happening anywhere on the planet. No one solution and no one person can save big cats.  They face challenges as diverse as habitat loss, illegal hunting, conflict with livestock, and even climate change. Supporting the best ideas and helping innovative conservationists expand what's working, we can achieve a lasting difference for big cats. Last year, our contributions helped fund 16 on-the-ground conservation solutions for lions, cheetahs, leopards, and snow leopards. This year, we will continue to contribute and try to help give big cats a future. A story about one of the proven solutions our contributions have helped expand:
In Tanzania, many families have historically endured losses from lions killing their livestock. Losing their herds meant losing their livelihoods and the ability to feed their families. Sometimes, the response was retaliating against big cats. But killing lions couldn't be the answer. So Amy Dickman has worked in the Ruaha region of Tanzania sharing innovative solutions to protect livestock and reduce encounters with lions. By fortifying fences and using guard dogs, she has helped families dramatically reduce conflict. Amy proved the success of her program by working with five villages. Funding from the National Geographic Society program we contribute to helped her expand to 15 villages. That's triple the reach of her solution, with a positive impact on thousands of people, more than 1,000 lions, and about 200 cheetahs. It's been a tremendous success! More hope for big cats.
For the most endangered big cats, the challenges are great and the situation is urgent. But there is real hope because of the actions being taken by programs like this. If you are able, you too can help Save Big CatsKitties