Lion population on the increase in parks

By Reason Mpofu

THE Lion Research Project based at Hwange National Park has reported an increase in the number of lions in the wild, marking an end to a rapid population decline.

This follows the imposition of a moratorium on lion hunting in the Gwayi and Matetsi safari areas.
Speaking in an interview, one of the researchers, Mr Brent Stapelkamp, confirmed that the lion population was on the increase.
He said the thrust of their study now was moving towards establishing how they could reduce the conflict between lions and human beings.
In recent years most districts in Matabeleland North, particularly Hwange and Tsholotsho, have seen villagers losing their livestock to the marauding lions.
In 2006, lions killed 63 cattle in Tsholotsho and continued wreaking havoc in the Jambezi and Mabale areas.
A Hwange traditional leader, Chief Nelukoba, is on record as expressing his displeasure over the vicious manner the lions were terrorising villagers.
“Our research has indicated that there has been an increase in the population of lions. Now that this is the case, our main focus is to address the conflict between the species and the human beings,†Mr Stapelkamp said.
“We will be studying their movement, how often they kill the livestock. Where the lions are killed we want to know why that happened. Our main focus would be to carry out a study on how to reduce the conflict we are experiencing.â€
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority’s manager for the Western Region, Mr Tawanda Gotosa, attributed the recovery of the lion population to sound management practices that were implemented by his organisation.
He said in the mid1990s, the same management plan on the lion species was effected in the Zambezi Valley and bore positive results.
Mr Gotosa said the increase in the number of lions could also be attributed to the social behaviour of the animals.
“Because of the social behaviour of the lion, that is very possible. Whenever a dominant male lion is lost in a given pride, for example through hunting, the new dominant one which then comes in will kill all the cubs. Since these lion hunts had been banned in recent years, it means the survival rate of the cubs were enhanced and so was of the total population,†he said.
Mr Gotosa was also quick to point out that the increase in the number of reported conflicts between the lions and human beings did not necessarily mean that there was an increase in the species.
“Yes, I can confirm that the number of incidences of conflict that we have seen in recent years has increased. But what one ought to note is that it does not follow that the increase in the conflicts mean an increase in the lion species. This could be that the prey has dwindled hence its movement into the rural areas,†said Mr Gotosa.
He said it was important that an informed study on the population, which pits together all theories, be undertaken.
On the lifting of the moratorium on lion hunting, Mr Gotosa said the Parks Authority would take a precautionary resumption of the lion hunt.
“As you are aware, we wanted to allocate a certain number of the lion quota this year but we could not come to an agreement with the farmers on how best that was to be done. At the end that was not issued out,†he said.
Mr Gotosa said the Parks Authority had the right to determine how the quota would be utilised.
“Our decision still remains the same. If we are to resume we have to be very cautious and issue a conservative quota. As to how the numbers are to be utilised that is yet to be discussed but what I can say to you is that we can issue the quota to the Intensive Conservation Area, not to individual farms,†he said.
The moratorium on the lion hunt was imposed in 2004.

Easy fix, just keep the natives and their cattle out of the lion area.

Not so easy, the Lions dont always stay in their area! There is no fence seperating these lions from the people.