African activist calls for protection of lions as threats escalate

A lion is seen at Nairobi National Park in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, on May 19, 2021. (Photo: Xinhua)

Tourists watch a lion as it enjoys its wildebeest early in the morning in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Narok County, Kenya, September 19, 2020 (Photo: Xinhua)

The African lion faces multiple threats, hence the need to strengthen its protection, an activist said on World Lion Day on Tuesday.

Edith Kabesiime, head of wildlife campaigns at the Africa Office of World Animal Protection, said human-induced and climate-induced threats to the iconic carnivore have intensified in the recent past.

“The lion is valued by many African cultures but its survival is at stake due to poaching, habitat loss and fragmentation, declining prey populations and retaliatory attacks by herders,” said said Kabesiime.

Statistics from World Animal Protection indicate that the African lion population is currently estimated at 20,000, down from around 2 million a century ago, while their declining numbers could upset the balance of the ecosystem.

Kabesiime said this year’s World Lion Day should serve as a wake-up call to governments, industry and local communities to revitalize action against the threat to majestic species in Africa.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has classified the African lion as vulnerable amid illegal hunting, habitat encroachment and climatic shocks.

West African lions are already critically endangered, according to Kabesiime, while poaching has increased in the eastern and southern Africa region.

“High incidences of lion poisoning have also been reported in East Africa as nomadic communities retaliate after attacks on their livestock,” Kabesiime said.

She noted that the demand for lion products like bones and teeth in the rapidly growing herbal medicine industry has also fueled their poaching in the African wilderness.

Kabesiime said other threats to the African lion include captive breeding and trophy hunting, adding that enacting new policies, regulations and strengthened campaigns are essential to save the carnivore and maintain resilient habitats. of the continent.