National News
14.07.2011
Desert lions face uphill battle
By: JANA-MARI SMITH

DR Philip (Flip) Stander warned in 2010 that the killing of male lions in Namibia is “not sustainable”.
In a research report published by Stander in May 2010, titled ‘The impact of male-biased mortality on the population structure of desert-adapted lions in Namibia’, the lion researcher said the Kunene Region in northwestern Namibia, is “one of the only places in Africa where the lion population is on the increase”.
However, despite successful conservation efforts and community support, desert lions still face many challenges – and “people still pose the biggest threat to lions”.
Stander said it is a fact that communities have to share in the benefits of lions, otherwise they will “continue to shoot or poison lions to protect their livestock”. Moreover, Stander warned that the “selective and unsustainable shooting and trophy hunting of male lions is detrimental to the social structure and long-term viability of the desert lion population”.
Stander estimates that the lion population in the Kunene Region stands at more than 100 today. However, studies show that despite the “value of hunting to the people and the long-term conservation of wildlife in the Kunene” the selective shooting and trophy hunting of mostly male lions has resulted in a worrying trend – an imbalance of males versus females.
In May 2010, when the report was published, Dr Stander pointed out that six of nine major prides in the Kunene Region were “without a pride male”.
He said the long-term survival of desert lions is in danger as a result of the “excessive killing of adult and sub-adult males”.
Between 2000 and 2010, the report says that of the 47 known deaths of radio-collared lions Stander was monitoring, 32 were killed by people.
Of these, the majority, 20, were shot or poisoned, and 12 were hunted for trophies.
He said females are most often shot or poisoned by local people, while the majority of males are killed by trophy hunters.
According to Stander, the significantly high number of deaths among male lions has led to skewed ratios between males and females which can be described as “critical”.
The report concludes that a “key element of the conservation success achieved in the Kunene is because local people benefit from wildlife”.
However, Stander warned that there is an urgent need to adapt the management and utilisation strategies related to lions if the long-term conservation of the species in the Kunene is to be secured. Big cat conservationist, Beveryly Joubert recently said that the world is facing “mass extinctions of big cats within 10 or 15 years unless something is done about it”. she added that in Africa, 600 male lions are taken legalli in safari hunts each year.


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quote:

Between 2000 and 2010, the report says that of the 47 known deaths of radio-collared lions Stander was monitoring, 32 were killed by people.
Of these, the majority, 20, were shot or poisoned, and 12 were hunted for trophies.
He said females are most often shot or poisoned by local people, while the majority of males are killed by trophy hunters.

interesting how all of the other stats have specific numbers assigned to them, where "the majority of males are killed by trophy hunters". Not saying it is not true, but the man writing the article isn't doing his position any favors by wording it like propoganda. Or, maybe it is propoganda.

From a biologist point of view I have to say if you are managing a population of 100 wild animals you probably should not be taking quota off of them yet. That is a very risky endeavor. However it looks as if the quota was very conservative with only 1.2 males taken per year. The guy needs to look into a little more than hunting being the problem here if six of nine prides are without males. If there are viable males they will enter the pride and start breeding females fairly quickly. It would not take five years or more. Something else is putting a lot more pressure on these cats than hunters shooting young males.

Hunters are removing 1 male a year from the population. This guy is telling me that none of the females are having cubs or none of those cubs are reaching maturity because of 1 male, out of nine seperate prides, getting shot a year??????

quote:

Posted 15 July 2011 16:04 Hide Post
From a biologist point of view I have to say if you are managing a population of 100 wild animals you probably should not be taking quota off of them yet. That is a very risky endeavor. However it looks as if the quota was very conservative with only 1.2 males taken per year. The guy needs to look into a little more than hunting being the problem here if six of nine prides are without males. If there are viable males they will enter the pride and start breeding females fairly quickly. It would not take five years or more. Something else is putting a lot more pressure on these cats than hunters shooting young males.

Hunters are removing 1 male a year from the population. This guy is telling me that none of the females are having cubs or none of those cubs are reaching maturity because of 1 male, out of nine seperate prides, getting shot a year??????

Good analysis, Ben. Of course, the Jouberts couldn't reach your analysis because facts do not concern them. Citing them, as this writer did, gives them an appearance of credibility that they do not deserve.

Hi
Something intresting,
One of the bigest problems in Namibia with lions, The Etosha National Park is bordering alot with private land owners, the problem starts with the big hyenas population in the Etosha National Park the lions are pushed out of the Park into private land by the hyenas and cuases alot of problems for the private land owners of wihich most of them are cattle breeders with stud animals.

The land owners does not take inmind that the lions they kill to protect their animals and income has a very big negative impact on our lion population.so the problem starts with the hyenas their population is blooming and not kept under control, i suggest that the hyenas population sould be counted on a yearly basis and kept undercontrol for the lions population to recover, once the lion population is healthy some of them should be relocated to private game reserves such as Erind for futher breeding of healthy lion populations in Namibia.

Regarding the Desert lions that was kiled by piosen in the Kunene region i say the goverment is to blame the piosen that was used to kill the lions is supose to be under very strict goverment vetenary control so wher did theise people get this piosen called strugnine? and the goverment does not educate the people on the importance of theise lions!!!!

Wild lions are doomed if the big parks are there only islands of existence. They need much more territory. Fences to keep them in and safe are not the solution.

They need to coexist with people, ranching, hunting blocks, etc...

The alternative is a few thousand somewhat wild lions and a few more thousand in zoos.

John