Zambia:Poaching threatening lion population-Chungu
http://www.postzambia.com/post....php?articleId=34703Poaching threatening lion population - Chungu
By Abigail Sitenge
Fri 28 June 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE population of lions in Zambia has greatly reduced and sighting has become rare, says Lusenga Trust.
During the announcement of the establishment of Zambia Lion Aid Trust at Chita Lodge yesterday, Lusenga Trust principal trustee James Chungu said the trust would address the plight of the Zambian lion which was threatened by Safari hunting.
He urged journalists to take keen interest in wildlife the same way they attend to politics as the resource was highly threatened by legal and illegal poachers.
And LIONAID trustee from the United Kingdom, Dr Pieter Kat, in an interview stressed that there was need to engage in a census account of the lions in Zambia because nobody knows how many they are.
Dr Kat said the country needed to start conservation programmes upon knowing how many and where the lions were.
"It is estimated that the Lower Zambezi National Park for instance only has 36 lions, so these populations must increase because if you tell people that you don't have any more lions left, they will go somewhere else to see them," he said.
He observed that Zambia had in the past undervalued its wildlife resources and that as a result the lion had been over -hunted hence it had disappeared.
Dr Kat said in Kenya, wildlife brings in over $1.5billion per year in revenue while in Zambia because wildlife was not appreciated, the revenue was only about K125 million.
Earlier in his speech, Dr Kat disclosed that the Lusenga Wildlife Trust and LIONAID had formed a partnership to ensure conservation of Zambia's precious wildlife resources.
He said for the past 35 years, Zambia had embarked on a policy of sustainable wildlife utilisation to benefit the people of Zambia but that this programme had not worked.
"We therefore applaud the new era of wildlife conservation implemented by President Sata and his government," said Dr Kat.
29 June 2013, 08:23
Aaron NeilsonGood lord!!!!
This Lionaid dude, is a MORON! Ask him how much time he's spent "observing" lions in Zambia? Oh, never mind - the answer is "ZERO".
Mentioning LIONAID in the same sentence as LION CONSERVATION is precisely like mentioning ROBERT MUGABE in the same sentence as DEMOCRACY and the RULE of LAW!
What an oxymoron!
29 June 2013, 11:00
fujotupuWhile it may be true that he is an idiot and an oxymoron, knows bugger all about lions except from what knowledge he steals from others, its people like him who seem to get the message through to the whimpering masses that will take a day off work to mourn a dead squirrel!
29 June 2013, 11:22
FrostbitHe's trying to be the "Joubert" of Zambia. Unfortunately, look what the Jouberts were able to a achieve in Botswana.
The thing about Dr. Kat is that he is stupid and highly intelligent all at the same time.
29 June 2013, 17:17
Aaron Neilsonquote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
Mentioning LIONAID in the same sentence as LION CONSERVATION is precisely like mentioning ROBERT MUGABE in the same sentence as DEMOCRACY and the RULE of LAW!
What an oxymoron!
Correct!
29 June 2013, 17:18
Aaron Neilsonquote:
Originally posted by fujotupu:
While it may be true that he is an idiot and an oxymoron, knows bugger all about lions except from what knowledge he steals from others, its people like him who seem to get the message through to the whimpering masses that will take a day off work to mourn a dead squirrel!
Also correct!
29 June 2013, 17:19
Aaron Neilsonquote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
The thing about Dr. Kat is that he is stupid and highly intelligent all at the same time.
And, also correct! Jim, you're right too!

30 June 2013, 04:01
jdollarthe original person( Chungu) is just as stupid. lions are being wiped out by safari hunting and legal and illegal poaching. what the hell is a legal poacher????
As John Wayne said: "Life is tough...it's even tougher if your stupid". If he were alive today he would add: and it's tougher yet when the majority is stupid!