A new study by the Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP) and partners has revealed the extent to which wildlife protection measures, such as anti-poaching patrols, can benefit lion populations.
Depletion of prey such as antelope due to wire snares used for bushmeat hunting is one of the biggest threats to large carnivores across Africa, but prior to the research, surprisingly little was known about how this activity impacts lion populations, nor how effective intervention could be.
The research, conducted between 2013 and 2021 in Zambia’s Greater Kafue National Park, involved radio collaring one lioness in each pride to help build a long-term database of photos that identified every lion. This allowed the ZCP to record which individuals lived and died, which had cubs, and which dispersed to a different group.
The study found that a lack of prey was causing mothers to roam further afield in search of food, leading not only to a low survival rate of cubs but, in some cases, the inability to breed altogether.
Protection measures were introduced in 2018, mid-way through the study, with some areas afforded higher levels of protection than others.
In the high-protection zones, researchers saw a 29 per cent increase in lion reproduction and an 8.3 per cent increase in the annual survival rate.
Lions, which are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and whose numbers have declined by 70 per cent over the past 50 years, also face threats of habitat loss, conflict with humans and livestock, and the illegal trafficking of skins and parts.
The study concludes that “Combining improved protection with improved programs for community conservation and coexistence should substantially improve the prospects for lion conservation.”
Main image: lioness and cub/Credit Anna Kusler – ZCP
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