Bronze lion sculptures go on display in Edinburgh

Twenty-five lion sculptures have gone on display in Edinburgh to raise awareness of the decline of the numbers of big cats in the wild.

The bronze sculptures are life-size and have been positioned in two green spaces in Scotland's capital city.

Each lion in the exhibition represents the story of a real lion.

The charity Born Free which put on the installation hope people visiting will learn more about the animals and the work the organisation does.

Wildlife charity Born Free was founded by Virginia McKenna OBE, Will Travers OBE and Bill Travers MBE in 1984.

It works to protect animals in their natural habitats and campaigns against animals being kept in captivity.

The lions represented by the sculptures include Christian, the cub bought from Harrods department store in London and returned to the wild in Kenya, and Cora who was rescued from terrible conditions in a Spanish zoo and taken to a sanctuary in South Africa.

Other members of the pride include Louga, one of Born Free's Lions Of Lockdown, rescued from a circus in France and rehomed at Born Free's sanctuary in Shamwari Private Reserve, South Africa, earlier this year.

Cecil, the lion who was killed by an American trophy hunter in Zimbabwe in 2015 is also remembered in bronze form.

"Through those individual stories, visitors will learn about the plight of lions in captivity, the challenges they face in the wild - where they belong - and what we can all do to help," Born-Free co-founder Virginia McKenna said.

The artists who designed the lions Gillie and Marc Schattner said:

"The bronze cubs symbolise the future generations of lions that can be created with hard work, dedication and a lot of love."

The bronze lions will be on display for three months and each of the statues are available to buy, with all the funds supporting the charity.