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International superstar Shania Twain
and Panthera,
a global wild cat conservation organization, have
launched #IFAKEIT –
a social media campaign to raise awareness for one
of fashion’s most revered but underrepresented icons
– the leopard.
Referred to as the ‘new neutral,’
this cat’s spotted print has inspired fashion for
centuries, influencing style from catwalks to
sidewalks, celebrities and even first ladies. The
purpose of this campaign is to connect the dots, and
inform the general public that while the spots they
are wearing are so widespread, the real leopard is
under serious threat.
Every year, more leopards are killed
in the wild than any other big cat. The species has
vanished from nearly 40% of its range in Africa and
over 50% in Asia. And it is their beauty that is
partly responsible. While leopards are also in
jeopardy from loss of habitat and conflict with
people, the demand for their skins is one of the
main causes of their decline.
Even though the international trade
in leopard skin is now illegal, it is still common
for local communities in Africa and Asia to use real
leopard skins for religious and cultural ceremonies,
whether worn as capes or used for other traditional
regalia.
Panthera’s Furs for Life Leopard
Project is
providing a simple and sustainable solution that
protects leopards but also supports local culture.
Collaborating with digital designers, Panthera has
created a high-quality and realistic faux leopard
skin to replace the authentic skins worn at
ceremonies. More
than 5,000 faux leopard capes have already been
donated in southern Africa, and Panthera’s new
partnership with the Peace Parks Foundation and
Cartier has enabled the distribution of at least
another 13,000 more capes before the end of 2017
(Read the press release about this partnership here.)
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“I was shocked to learn that these
gorgeous animals are being killed for their
beautiful skins and other parts for the illegal
trade, and yet are so loved by the fashion world. We
wanted to capitalize on the fact that people
everywhere are wearing more leopard print than ever,
but so few know what’s actually happening to them in
the wild,” said Shania Twain, Panthera’s Leopard
Ambassador. “With Panthera, we aim to begin this
conversation and generate awareness for leopards on
a grand scale, while giving people something
tangible to grasp, and engage in a fun and impactful
way.”
To do this, Shania Twain and Panthera
have launched the #IFAKEIT campaign and are asking
people around the globe to join the movement and
show how they ‘fake it’ for leopards by posting
photos of themselves wearing fake leopard print to
Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with the #IFAKEIT
tag. People can also donate to the campaign at ifakeit.org,
where just $30 can support the creation of one fake
leopard skin and save a leopard’s life.
The campaign first aims to generate
18,000 unique mentions tagged with #IFAKEIT on
social media, to accompany each donated cape, as a
thank you to the communities willing to fake it and
to stop leopards from being killed for their skins.
The campaign also aims to raise $300,000 for the
creation of at least 5,000 new fake leopard skins to
distribute to communities outside of southern
Africa, and to support other conservation activities
to protect leopards across their range.
Lizwi Ncwane, an elder and legal
adviser of the Nazareth Baptist ‘Shembe’
Church, stated, "As a leader of the Shembe
community, I have seen firsthand how receptive my
community is to using these fake skins. Not only do
they look and feel like real leopard skins, they
also last longer. We're grateful that Panthera has
worked with us in finding a solution that
interweaves the conservation of leopards with the
customs of the Shembe.”
Panthera’s Leopard Program Director, Dr.
Guy Balme, explained, “Panthera’s Furs for Life
Leopard Project is providing an innovative and real
solution to a threat that is decimating leopard
populations. Very rarely in the world of
conservation do you see a resolution this simple and
respectful of cultural and religious traditions that
is so swiftly accepted by local communities.”
Dr. Balme continued, “In just a few
years, we have seen a positive and deeply-rooted
cultural shift in the adoption of Panthera’s fake
leopard skins in southern Africa. We hope the #IFAKEIT
campaign will help bring much-needed attention to
the plight of leopards and help spark a movement
that ensures the species, and not just the images of
their beauty, remain long into the future.”
Visit ifakeit.org to learn how to
‘Show Your Spots, So You Can Save Theirs.'
Follow Shania on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Follow Panthera on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About Panthera
Panthera, founded in 2006, is devoted exclusively to
the conservation of wild cats and their ecosystems.
Utilizing the expertise of the world’s premier cat
biologists, Panthera develops and implements global
conservation strategies for the most imperiled large
cats – tigers, lions, jaguars, snow leopards,
cheetahs, cougars and leopards. Representing the
most comprehensive effort of its kind, Panthera
works in partnership with local and international
NGOs, scientific institutions, local communities and
governments around the globe. Visit
www.panthera.org. |