Lion, one of the world’s best known and most charismatic species, which are found in Nigeria, other parts of West and Central Africa, are on the brink of extinction.
The West African lion population is geographically isolated and numbers fewer than 250 mature individuals. It is listed as Critically Endangered.
Lions are extinct in 25 African nations and virtually extinct in 10, and it estimates that less than 15,000 wild lions remain on the continent as a whole, compared with about 200,000 just 30 years ago, with as few as 30 remaining in the whole of Nigeria.
Lion populations in West Africa are particularly small and fragmented and have been recently classified as critically endangered.
Just 120-250 West African lions are estimated to remain in the wild today, with their historic range having shrunk by 99%. They are part of the Northern lion subspecies, which used to range across North Africa.
Formerly widespread across northern Nigeria, today’s lions survive in only two sites in the country: Kainji Lake National Park and Yankari Game Reserve.
More than 94 per cent of the lion’s original range has now been lost across Africa. The main threats facing lions today are: habitat loss and degradation, reduction of wild prey and retaliatory and other illegal killing of lions. Habitat loss has led to some populations becoming small and isolated, especially in West Africa. It is estimated that fewer than 30 lions survive in Nigeria.
In Nigeria this precipitous decline is linked to severe depletion of their natural prey base due to hunting and habitat loss. With the loss of their natural prey lions have little option but to feed upon domestic livestock, the increase in human-lion conflict inevitably results in their direct persecution – typically by poisoning livestock carcasses.
Latterly, climate change is also playing a role, and corridors connecting populations are being lost due to the spread of large infrastructure projects. This has led to some populations becoming small and isolated, especially in West Africa.
Parks and nature conservation areas are experiencing great difficulties with the conservation of animals.
The lion population in nature conservation areas suffered from lack of investment in the management and protection of the nature conservation areas, making wildlife there highly susceptible to poaching. Poachers enter the nature conservation areas with firearms and bicycles to target wildlife for meat or body parts—and in the absence of a properly funded ranger force, were able to gradually whittle wildlife populations down. Lion numbers decline rapidly if numbers of their preferred prey drop. In addition, lions are targeted for their body parts, which are used in traditional and Asian medicine and for ceremonial use.
It is clear that wildlife in the nature conservation areas is very depleted from years of unchecked poaching.
There has been a catastrophic decline in the populations of lions in Africa, and particularly West Africa.
These lions have been neglected for a very long time and do not have adequate protection programs. They are in real danger of extinction.
Even though the national parks in West Africa contain very distinct and very important fauna compared to eastern Africa, people tend to ignore that West Africa is a very special place.
What do you think should be done today to ensure the survival of the unique West African lion?