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Big Cats Education

Learn About Big Cats and Conservation

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As part of National Geographic Society’s Big Cats Initiative, National Geographic Education is working with our explorers and grantees to help teachers like you educate your students about the importance of big cats and conservation efforts to protect these large predators. From lions in Kenya to snow leopards in the Himalaya, the big cats of the world need help. Lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, jaguars, and other top felines are quickly disappearing, all falling victims to habitat loss and degradation, and conflicts with humans.

This collection of selected videos, activities, and case studies give students a clear view of the biology and threats to big cats and their significance in maintaining healthy ecosystems. National Geographic Society believes that education is a key component in conservation. Help save these important large predators by supporting the Big Cats Initiative.

Content Videos

These informative 3-5 minute videos address Big Cats Initiative topics like big cat ecology, human impacts, and conservation. The videos are accompanied by background information, comprehension questions, fast facts, and links to more information.

Activities for Grades K-5

Use these hands-on activities to help primary students learn about big cat habitats, social structures, diets, and conservation.

Activities for Grades 5-8

Get your middle school students involved in Big Cats Initiative topics such as the African savanna ecosystem, food webs and food chains, and conservation.

Activities for Grades 9-12

Engage your high school students with activities on the topics of big cat populations, captive breeding, and conservation.

Explore the MapMaker Interactive

Explore maps of big cat species ranges on the MapMaker Interactive. Then compare species ranges to other layers like population density and landcover for meaningful geographic investigations.

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Case Studies

  • Photo: A lioness with her cub

    The Greater Southern Bypass

    Learn about ongoing conservation efforts to protect big cats and other wildlife around the Nairobi National Park.

  • Photo: Two cheetahs lie on the ground.

    Big Cats in the Maasai Steppe

    Learn how shrinking habitats and population encroachment in the Maasai Steppe are affecting big cats, and how conservationists are helping mitigate the problem.

  • Photo: Lion cubs in a tree.

    Big Cats in the Ruaha Landscape

    Promoting a healthy human-big cat co-existence is challenging. Conservation efforts are helping people in the Ruaha landscape understand the benefits of living alongside the big cats.

  • Illustration: African Savanna Ecosystem Illustration

    African Savanna

    Use this illustration as a visual aid when teaching about the African savanna ecosystem.

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Explorer Projects and Profiles

Big Cats Initiative

Find out how National Geographic is addressing the critical situation of big cats—victims of habitat loss, habitat degradation, and conflicts with humans.

  • Learn More

    The big cats of the world need help. Find out how you can get involved.

Nat Geo Wild

Learn more about big cats! Get background information, fast facts, photos, and interactives from Nat Geo Wild.

Lion Decline Timeline

  • 20187.jpg

    Interactive Map

    Explore this interactive timeline from National Geographic to see the dramatic decrease in lion population, and reasons behind it, from the 1800s to today and beyond.

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