Top Scientists Make $3bn Plea To Rich Nations To Help Conserve Africa’s Lions

[NamStay]

Daily Maverick Webinar: Fork out, or they’ll fork off - top scientists’ $3bn plea to rich nations to help conserve Africa’s lions

Facing the grim reality of potential extinction, Africa’s iconic but underexposed wild lion populations are crying out for help — and for investors with deep, patient pockets.

www.dailymaverick.co.za

Facing the grim reality of potential extinction, Africa’s iconic but underexposed wild lion populations are crying out for help — and for investors with deep, patient pockets.​

he cost of conserving the African lion may exceed a staggering $3-billion a year, according to new landmark findings.

Jointly led by Oxford University and the Johannesburg-based Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), a Nature-published study delves into the multifaceted challenges — social, political and ecological — that confront free-roaming lions. Co-produced by more than 30 authors, it is the first Africa-wide attempt to understand that threat triangle, and offer an investment framework for wild lions living across the continent.


In a Daily Maverick webinar on Thursday, the EWT’s co-lead author Sam Nicholson presented fresh approaches to conservation investments but acknowledged some of the statistics were grim.

These big cats had vanished from 92% of their historic territories, representing one of the most significant range contractions of any species, said Nicholson, a senior scientist at the EWT’s Carnivore Conservation Programme.


From left: Our Burning Planet conservation reporter Tiara Walters. (Photo: Supplied) | Unsplash | Senior Carnivore Conservation Scientist at the Endangered Wildlife Trust Sam Nicholson. (Photo: Supplied)

 

[sureshot375]

.....or Just keep as many areas open to hunting as possible and they will save themselves.

 

[JvW]

.....or Just keep as many areas open to hunting as possible and they will save themselves.

I agree!

 

[375Fox]

It’s really a question of what has more value people or lions. Until they make a difficult and politically incorrect decision lions numbers aren’t going to increase.

 

[375Fox]

.....or Just keep as many areas open to hunting as possible and they will save themselves.

I’ve been in a lot of hunting areas that have less and less lions from year to year. It’s really not that simple. Many hunting areas are community areas with people and cattle, some animals are tolerated more than others, predators are generally not tolerated well. The higher the human and cattle populations get the worse the outlook is for lions in those areas.