African Lion Population Crashes By 30-50%
JOHANNESBURG- Africa's lion population could die out in the next decade if nothing is done to save the estimated 30,000 animals, a South African newspaper reported on Sunday quoting experts responsible for the latest research on the issue.
Conflict with humans and livestock, a loss of habitat due to development and a virus similar to the feline immunodeficiency virus has caused the continent's lion population to dwindle from an estimated 200,000 in the 1980s, according to a study, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.
The study released at the Eastern and Southern African Lion Strategy Conference in Johannesburg this week pointed to a sharp drop in the number of lions in Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana.
While lions in South Africa's Kruger National Park were identified as having a good chance of survival, it has already been shown that of the 103 cubs born in Botswana's Okavango Delta in the last six years, only 10 have survived.
It was critical that Africa embarked on action to defend its wild lions, animals that played a crucial role in the continent's economy through tourism and trophy hunting, researcher Kate Nicolls of Lion Aid in Botswana was quoted saying in the report.
The report of the meeting is here.
Conflict with humans and livestock, a loss of habitat due to development and a virus similar to the feline immunodeficiency virus has caused the continent's lion population to dwindle from an estimated 200,000 in the 1980s, according to a study, The Sunday Times newspaper reported.
The study released at the Eastern and Southern African Lion Strategy Conference in Johannesburg this week pointed to a sharp drop in the number of lions in Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana.
While lions in South Africa's Kruger National Park were identified as having a good chance of survival, it has already been shown that of the 103 cubs born in Botswana's Okavango Delta in the last six years, only 10 have survived.
It was critical that Africa embarked on action to defend its wild lions, animals that played a crucial role in the continent's economy through tourism and trophy hunting, researcher Kate Nicolls of Lion Aid in Botswana was quoted saying in the report.
The report of the meeting is here.
Labels: conservation, lions
posted by Kruger2Canyons.com at
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
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