Now, according to the new study, population models suggest that there’s a 67 percent chance lion populations in West Central Africa will be cut in half over the next two decades. “In fact, the declines in many countries are quite severe and have enormous implications”, said Dr Hans Bauer, lead author of the study.
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There are thought to be just 400 lions remaining in West Africa, according to the researchers, making them likely the most endangered lions on the planet.
The researchers estimate that in the mid-20th century there were around ten times the present number of lions, 200,000 spread throughout Africa. “The lion plays a pivotal role as the continent’s top carnivore, and the free-fall of Africa’s lion populations we are see today could inexorably change the landscape of Africa’s ecosystems”.
Dr Luke Hunter, president and Chief Conservation Officer of wild cat conservation group Panthera and a co-author of the study, said: ‘Many lion populations are either gone or expected to disappear within the next few decades. The results were sobering. All in all, the world lion population is estimated to be less than 20,000 lions remaining, although earlier estimates confidently stated that around 30,000 lions remained.
“It came as a big surprise because Nigeria has by far the biggest human population on the continent, and the national parks are fairly small compared to others in West Africa that already have lost their lions”, Henschel told The Associated Press. There is a 37% chance in East Africa. The safety measure not only protected the livestock, it also reduced attacks on lions. “Neither of these is mysterious or complicated, but implementing them at large scales requires a major commitment of people, expertise and funding”. Trophy hunting is only legal in two West African countries namely Burkina Faso and Benin.
But he’s optimistic, citing last summer’s frenzy of outrage over the high-profile death of Cecil the lion, who was killed during a trophy hunt, as reason to believe that people do care. “In our view, that’s not an option”, said Paul Funston, senior director of Panthera’s Lion Program.
The lack of adequate protections in East Africa could spell trouble for the felines-especially as the human population continues to grow-says Craig Packer, a lion researcher and ecologist at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and one of the study’s co-authors. There are also other notable differences between Southern Africa and the rest of the continent – for instance, there tend to be fewer humans and more prey available in Southern Africa as well. “If we don’t get past ideology and get down to what works, we’re going to lose the whole lot”.
The largest lion populations in East Africa-those in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya-are either increasing or experiencing only a slight decline, Pimm notes.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a Thursday deadline to make a final determination on the status of the African lion, which it has proposed to list as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
According to Hunter, trophy hunting – like the one that took down Cecil the lion – is now a small contributor to the decline in lions. A final decision on the listing must be made by Thursday. Numbers are rising in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.
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In addition, while African countries could devote more resources to conservation, Western aid groups may need to increase support if they want to see the iconic symbol of Africa survive, he said.
