Prey protection linked to lion survival in Africa, study reveals

A recent study has found that African lion populations are declining alongside their herbivore prey, highlighting the need to protect prey species to reverse the trend.

According to the study, published in the 'Conservation Science and Practice Journal', preventing prey depletion can improve lion reproduction and population growth in ecosystems affected by poaching for bushmeat.

The study is titled 'Changes in African Lion Demography and Population Growth with Increased Protection in a Large, Prey-Depleted Ecosystem'.

Researchers discovered that large carnivore species are declining across Africa, in part because their large herbivore prey is declining.

“There is consensus that increased protection from prey depletion will be necessary to reverse the decline of lion populations, but few studies have tested whether increased protection is sufficient to reverse the decline, particularly in the large, open ecosystems where most lions remain," the study notes.

The study lists prey depletion alongside trafficking of skins and parts, habitat loss and conflict with humans and livestock as reasons for the decline of the apex carnivores.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies the African lion as vulnerable, with an estimated 36% decline in the species over the last 21 years, according to a February 2023 assessment.

The study pointed out that poaching for bushmeat is among the key drivers of prey decline as communities near protected areas seek to address food insecurity, poverty and unemployment.

Linked species

Lion population densities are directly linked to prey availability.

Researchers in the study set out to determine whether improved protection of large herbivore prey is sufficient to turn around the collapse of the big cats’ population even in large, open habitats.

The study was conducted in the Greater Kafue Ecosystem, a 66 000-square-kilometre ecosystem that is home to Zambia’s second-largest population of lions, wild dogs, leopards and spotted hyenas. It also hosts the country’s largest number of cheetahs.

Using GPS and very high-frequency collared lions, the researchers monitored 358 cats across 8 000 km2 in the northern and central sections of the ecosystem between 2013 and 2021.

The data collected proved that the lion population was low because of low prey availability and direct killing by snares.

It was also found that female lions residing in regions with stringent protective measures had greater productivity than their counterparts in areas where bushmeat poaching was prevalent.

Additionally, it was observed that lions in well-protected zones experienced a significantly higher survival rate compared with those in less protected environments.

According to the study, in areas with high protection, the annual probability of population growth was 89.3%, but in areas with low protection, the probability of growth was only 30.2%.

“Recovery from prey depletion can rise rapidly in areas with concentrated protection with the potential to double within 10 years. In vast, unfenced areas, recovery can be slow with a doubling time of 50 years, unless investment is increased and protection accelerated,” the researchers said.