Wolves, tigers, and other wild animals are popular sports mascots. But what if cheering for those mascots could also help protect real animals?
Ugo Arbieu, an ecologist in France, led a study that found that more than 700 professional sports teams across 50 countries use wild animals in their logos or branding. Many of those species, including lions and elephants, are in danger of going extinct. That inspired Arbieu to launch the Wild League, a global initiative that raises awareness about the risks these animals face. It also encourages teams, sponsors, and fans to donate money for research and conservation projects.
A program in the U.S. has a similar goal. At Clemson University in South Carolina, the Tigers United University Consortium brings together universities with tiger mascots to support wild tigers in countries such as India. “We are using athletics as the megaphone for conservation,” director Greg Yarrow told a reporter. “If you have close to 90,000 individuals in a football stadium, and each contribute $1 to tiger conservation, that’s significant.”