Lions in South-Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia

[Dr Panthera]

(05-16-2014, 06:11 PM)TheLioness Wrote:

Kingtheropod\ dateline='\'1400222881' Wrote:

TheLioness\ dateline='\'1400083123' Wrote: I got a reply back it weights from the smaller lion population in southern kruger. These lions were infected with turberculosis, the results of being infected are weight loss, swollen joints, lameness, poorly healing, skin wounds and depression.

The average weight I got out of all the animals, males - 170kg and females 115kg. There was also shoulder heights. I have asked a few questions and hope to get another reply.

Almost 90% of lions in kruger national park have this illness, they loose so much weight in such a short period of time they are prone to illnesses such as F1 virus in which causes high mortality rates.

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I have the email if anyone needs further proof.
 

 

Hi lioness

I was wondering if you can show a copy paste (screen shot) of the exact email, for referencing reasons

*This image is copyright of its original author

Then I had asked about adjusted for weight content, which ones were infected, and if they come across anymore weights feel free to share. Got a reply back, said pleasure, once he takes another look at the data.
 

All of these were sick lions and that was their weight at death ( Roy Binge, veterinarian Kruger Park) compare it with the healthy lions sample from both north and south of the Oliphant river and you can see the devastating effect of bovine tuberculosis.
Interestingly bovine TB is not even endemic to Africa, domestic cattle imported from Europe brought the disease to the vicinity of the Crocodile river in southern Kruger in the early 60's, it infected the first Kruger lions by 1990 and moved northward all the way to the Limpopo river by 2006 covering the entire KNP in 16 years.
Kruger male lions are proficient buffalo killers with up to 73% of kills by nomadic lions and 59% of kills by territorial lions being cape buffalo (Funston) so they are more at risk than lionesses and TB infections continue to be a major cause of mortality.
Bovine TB also affects leopards, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, wild dogs, spotted genets, chacma baboons, and several ungulate species. Reply