Conservationists Agree on Steps to Save African Lion

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Regional governments and conservationists have agreed on initial steps that need to be taken to save the African lion, which has been pushed to the brink of extinction throughout much of its range.

JOHANNESBURG — Regional governments and conservationists have agreed on initial steps that need to be taken to save the African lion, which has been pushed to the brink of extinction throughout much of its range.


The strategies were worked out at a workshop on lions in east and southern Africa which wrapped up at the weekend.


"...the reduction in the lion's wild prey base, human-lion conflicts and habitat degradation are the major reasons for declining lion populations and need to be addressed," the World Conservation Union, one of the workshop's organisers, said in a statement on Monday.


Government officials, local community representatives, lion biologists and safari hunters attended the meeting.


"Regulated trophy hunting was not considered a threat, but rather viewed as a way to help alleviate human-lion conflict and generate economic benefits for poor people to build their support for lion conservation," the statement said.


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Trophy hunting of lions already takes place in several African states including South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.


But expanding these lucrative operations to other states is bound to be opposed by animal welfare groups which view hunting as cruel.


With its iconic status as "King of the Beasts," the hunting of the lion is an emotive issue sure to stir controversy, even if it does generate revenue for poor rural communities from licensing fees and jobs created.


Other strategies agreed on at the meeting include: action to prevent the illegal trade in lions and lion products; developing management capacity; and creating economic incentives for poor rural folk to live close to lions.


The lion's overall situation is dire in the face of swelling human populations on the world's poorest continent.


"Over the past 20 years, lion numbers are suspected to have dropped dramatically from an estimated 76,000 to a population estimated to be between 23,000 and 39,000 today. Across Africa, the lion has disappeared from over 80 percent of its former range," the World Conservation Union said.


In West Africa lions number fewer than 1,500.


Conflict between humans and lions is a huge problem with attacks on people by man-eaters on the rise in Tanzania and Mozambique.


Source: Reuters


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