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Lions in West-Africa
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Handsome male from Pendjari national park,Benin.
Credits :Thomas Armitt  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Male lion from Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal
 *This image is copyright of its original author Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (05-13-2022, 08:40 PM)Luipaard Wrote: Male lion from Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal Just noticed he has been posted before by Lycaon, just not this exact photo. Post #321.
Interesting article.
https://panthera.org/blog-post/amazing-discovery-gps-collaring-endangered-lions 
Captive west African (Zoo Antwerpen, Belgium)
 *This image is copyright of its original author Father  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author Son https://www.zootierliste.de/en/?klasse=1&ordnung=115&familie=11508&art=21102734  *This image is copyright of its original author
 (12-29-2022, 07:45 PM)Lycaon Wrote: Another great article. Great news! Thanks to the hard work of those people! 
Just a possibility: to relocate some west African lions in India, being given the fact that the India Air lions and West African lions are closely related... The gujarat government refuses any relocation of its lions (around 600 ?), thus it would be the west african lions (around 1700 in wild) which would be relocated in India. Serious idea or not ?
(03-29-2023, 03:58 AM)Spalea Wrote: Just a possibility: to relocate some west African lions in India, being given the fact that the India Air lions and West African lions are closely related... The gujarat government refuses any relocation of its lions (around 600 ?), thus it would be the west african lions (around 1700 in wild) which would be relocated in India. Serious idea or not ? Mixing is not a good idea, at least not until the bottleneck narrows to the point where the Asian subspecies needs a genetic implement. The genetic proximity found in recent studies by geneticists is a way of grouping and promoting practical conservation actions based on the spatial range - in order to guide reintroduction/translocation actions with a focus on saving and conserving the small genetic variables/differences that distinguish them and favor their adaptations to the local environment. Even framed in the same large group of haplotypes – Central and West Africa, conservation actions need to take into account the permanence of unique cladistics that differentiate them; such mixtures only when there is an imminent need when a regional group no longer has enough for recovery (victims of inbreeding and genetic drift). A good example of this was establishing that Yankari lions are genetically closer to Benoué Complex lions than Kainji Lake lions – denoting that “any mix or reintroduction to be done in Yankari must be composed of lions from the Complex”. As well seen in the video, the population of Niokolo Koba is increasing. WAP, even with the problem of Islamist insurgents in Burkina Faso, the initiative of African Parks in managing Pendjari and W parks are predictive of accommodating the lion population well, expanding the range of occupancy by more areas of the W park. there have been not lion sightings in Yankari Park since 2016. Kainji Lake still seems to have a dozen or two… but no major effort is made in the park, not to my knowledge. In total the population of western lions does not exceed 400/450 - Cameroon is considered Central Africa, the lions of the Benoué Complex do not enter this sum. I believe you brought the sum of the two regions (1700). It must be understood that the Indian lions are not facing major problems at the moment, they are the same as they have been for the last 50 years, when they exponentially occupied more areas outside the GIR. Some will say: but what about the CDV/Babesia that affect some groups of Indian lions? True, but the spatial reach is not great, it affects pockets of habitat, where contamination has not yet affected 5% of the population. The deaths due to the work as a whole: being run over by road and rail, electrocution, artesian wells and confrontation between specimens make up much more significant numbers annually. Even so, their numbers continue to rise as the state of Gujarat enables, in line with its population, coexistence in more areas in the state. There will certainly be a lion tipping point in Gujarat, I think 1000 will be the maximum capacity. More than that, there will be a need for the displacement of a large number of people in a good part of the range of the State. Difficult to predict how long the conflict will be well mediated/mitigated, only a expert could bring elements that strengthen the continued expansion of lions in this human inhabited landscape, as the State of Gujarat intends to continue to keep them expanding. It will take a lot of effort, much more than has already been done, to find a new home that can actually house more than 100 individuals. In my view, in the long term, India has two ways to go on conserving lions, although, in essence, the first seems to me to be a one-way road, with no right to remedy deviations: 1 – Develop an open area, certainly areas very close to the tiger strongholds (there is almost nothing large that does not already have tigers inhabiting it and in the Thar it is impractical to re-establish lions) to establish a small population as an experiment. Kuno is not large enough to support a viable (self-sustaining) population. 2 – Mirroring the South African model by implementing an adapted “Game Reserve” duly fenced; with the co-participation of the private initiative/investors and, within this context, establish “in an experimental way” two or three small lion metapopulations. Note: such an experiment could bring new concepts so that this country can open a new toolbox to be adapted as required. As long as the State is the only promoter of conservation, the value of wildlife will be trapped in idyllic conceptions, unable by themselves to face and reverse the increasing loss of habitat. The State is not a big entrepreneur and there is also a lack of conservation entrepreneurs in the market. In time: Niokolo Koba now has a relevant tourist enterprise
When I saw your post about lion in Yankari, I was hopeful.
Unfortunately it is from the far year 2011. The last known photo was from 2014/2015. Since then, no evidence of lions occurs in the park. Incredible as it may seem, the park received 4 radio collars to mark lions and, thus, the reality of their extirpation or continuation will have to be known. I already made my bet, and I really want to lose!!! In post number 13 that I made in this thread - Page 1 there is a link to the 2015 WCS Nigeria report, and it looks like it has a picture of the lion. |
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