- Lion populations in six protected areas across Uganda have declined markedly over the past decade, a recent survey shows.
- The researchers attribute this decline, in some cases of nearly 50%, to poisoning of the big cats by livestock farmers, snaring by poachers, and habitat loss.
- They’ve called for greater community engagement in conservation efforts, including monitoring lion populations; for their survey, they trained more than 100 lodge guides, trophy hunters, university students and government rangers to help with monitoring.
- Another potential solution could be the adoption of AI to boost monitoring, not just of lions but also other large African carnivores, and understanding of the challenges faced by animals and people across a landscape.
NAIROBI ― Poisoning, poaching and loss of habitat have significantly reduced populations of lion prides in Uganda, signaling the need for long-term commitments to conservation action, researchers write in a recent study.
In the first study of its kind conducted in nearly two decades, the researchers surveyed lions (Panthera leo), leopards (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in six protected areas across Uganda. They found a nearly 50% decline in some of Uganda’s most iconic lion populations over the past decade, including the famous tree-climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
That population, and one in Kidepo Valley National Park, have hit critical lows, according to the study. Queen Elizabeth National Park now has about 40 lions, while Kidepo has about 22. Murchison Falls National Park remains Uganda’s lion center, with about 240 of the big cats, according to the study. It also has one of the highest densities of leopards in Africa, at about 14 individuals per 100 square kilometers.
Study lead author Alex Braczkowski, a research fellow at Griffith University in Australia, said Uganda has emerged as a prominent tourism destination for lion viewing, with Queen Elizabeth National Park a key draw because of the tree-climbing cats.
“This is a sighting that one will never forget as long as they live. Eight lions wedged in a euphorbia tree is simply incredible! Apart from the conservation ramifications, lions are a key part of the tourism economy,” he said.
But increased conflict between lions and cattle farmers has led to the poisoning of some of the most prominent prides over the past decade, Braczkowski said. There’s also the problem of high levels of bushmeat snaring, intended for other animals but which also catch lions. “In Kidepo, our survey garnered evidence that lions were being poached and numerous lion carcasses were recovered with the [Uganda] Wildlife Authority during our survey in 2022,” he added.
In an earlier study, Braczkowski and colleagues said the high density of lions in Murchison Falls highlights the importance of the park’s rich and biodiverse wetland ecosystem, describing its resident big cats as a “critical lion population of conservation concern in Uganda.”
For their latest study, they worked with more than 100 l