Zimbabwe (Chizarira National Park)
African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (ALERT)
Story
Lions are currently listed as “Vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. In West Africa, the species is now classified as “Critically Endangered”. Just over one hundred years ago, there were once more than 200,000 wild lions living in Africa. Today, there are only about 20,000 wild lions taking the plains of Africa. Lions are now extinct in 26 different African countries and 95 per cent of their historic range has disappeared. Neither lions nor humans can survive in isolation; both are reliant on functional ecosystems. As such, we seek to engage in activities that conserve all of Africa’s wild species, as well as the ecosystems within which they live and on which we rely. The last few decades have seen the increasing human population having to compete with wild animals for land due to settlement and agriculture. The existence of such pressures has led people having to live in close proximity to animals. Human settlements lie in the park buffer areas and some in known wildlife corridors which results in a number of human-wildlife conflict incidents. To prevent the persecution of animals in such areas, there is a need for awareness and education of people on wildlife and the conservation of habitats for co-existence. To mitigate this problem certain areas in the park, which are close to the human population, need to be fenced in order to prevent potential conflicts between lions and the local population.
Reports
ALERT recognizes that programs directed towards protecting habitat for the remaining wild lions must continue to be the mainstay of conservation efforts and that new multidisciplinary and collaborative approaches are necessary to achieve this. Given the speed of decline in lion populations (43% between 1993 and 2014) and the IUCN’s Red List classification assessment that “… the reduction or its causes may not have ceased OR may not be understood OR may not be reversible”, we also recognize that ex-situ management can compliment those efforts. IUCN technical guidelines include that ex-situ management “may be critical in preventing species extinction when wild population decline is steep and the chance of sufficiently rapid reduction of primary threats is slim or uncertain or has been inadequately successful to date”. With the lion population facing a threat that now exceeds those of rhino and elephant (in terms of the percentage of the population disappearing), the criteria that the IUCN technical guidelines provide may now be applicable and the model that ALERT has worked on to put lions back into the wild may apply. There are several reasons that have been put forward to explain why past predator releases have had limited success: the animals were not given pre-release training, their dependence on humans was not curtailed, they were released as individuals with no natural social system, and that they had no experience of predatory or competitive species. The African Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Program seeks to find a solution to these problems by using a staged program.
FAQ
Why do male lions have manes?
The mane has often been viewed as a shield that protects a male's neck during fights against other males, but lions mostly attack each other on the back and hips. Instead, the size and coloration of the mane serves as a signal to other lions about the male's fitness, similar to the showiness of the peacock's tail.
How high can a lion jump?
A lion can run for short distances at 50 mph and leap as far as 36 feet. Even though the lion is sometimes referred to as the “king of the jungle,” it actually only lives in grasslands and plains.
How many cubs can a lion give birth to?
The gestation period is about 108 days, and the litter size varies from one to six cubs, two to four being usual. Newborn cubs are helpless and blind and have a thick coat with dark spots that usually disappear with maturity.
Progress
1m² of 3 meter high wire fence with 40cm high barbed wire topping= 2.5$ - 3.0$
So far: Donated $158000 or 58,518m² wire fence. Still need: $790000 or 292,592m²
African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (Project wall of hope)
ALERT needs to fence off a perimeter of 500 Acres, for the training of lions that will be reintroduced into the wilderness.
Zimbabwe
- As of December 30. 2024. 40,000 hektars will have benefit from improved water and/or sanitation services.
- As of December 30. 2024. region will have interventions attained more than 120% of final prticipation objectives.
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