*I am Cecil.

Naturally I am powerful.
Yet the situation was such that I am not longer alive.
Alive to hunt, alive to live, alive to be African.
I am not Cecil. But I am Africa, An Africa for you to kill, obviously.

I am every rhino and elephant that you tear apart.
I am the Ivory ripped from their faces, for you to consume.
I am rhino and elephant. I am Cecil, I am Africa.

I am sorry that we can’t defend the defenseless against people with weapons used to attack.
I am sorry that we can’t bring Cecil back.
You’ve killed Cecil.
You’re killing Africa.

I am not Cecil.
I am Africa.
I need help.*

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Big cats in the wild are disappearing at an alarming rate. In fact, within your lifetime, lions in the wild could disappear forever. In support of World Lion Day (August 10), we’re raising money to preserve big cats—like lions—and their habitats through National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative.

Your donation, no matter how small, will make a very real difference in the lives of these majestic creatures. From building livestock enclosures to save snow leopards in Nepal to combating lion snaring and poaching in Zambia, the Big Cats Initiative provides on-the-ground conservation and education support to preserve big cat populations worldwide.

National Geographic is a nonprofit organization driven by a passionate belief in the power of science, exploration, and storytelling to change the world. Together we can make a difference. #5forBigCats