The status of African Lions March 2019 The Parliament of South Africa

Definitions Below is the definitions of the three categories of lions as per South Africa’s Lion Biodiversity Management Plan 1. Wild lions completely fulfil their role in biodiversity processes and are largely unmanaged, and exist only in formally proclaimed national parks and game reserves. Conservationists do not actively manipulate vital rates and lion demographics. 2. Managed wild lions include all lions that have been re-introduced into smaller fenced reserves (managed to limit population growth and maintain genetic diversity). Managers actively manipulate some vital rates and demographics. 3. Captive lions are bred exclusively to generate money. Managers actively manipulate all vital rates and demographics.

The status of African mammal populations Charlene Bisset Craige et al 2010. Large mammal population declines in Africa’s protected areas. Biological Conservation 143: 2221–2228. 3

The home range of African Lions Continentally, lions have a vulnerable status, are declining in fragmented small populations, but do well when they live in large areas 4

The status of African Lions South Africa’s Lion Population In Southern Africa, the population grew by 8%, while in sharp contrast, the populations declined by 59% in Eastern Africa and 66% in West and Central Africa. Bauer, H., Packer, C., Funston, P.F., Henschel, P. & Nowell, K. 2016. Panthera leo. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T15951A97162455.

The status of African Lions Wild Lions in Unfenced Populations in Central, East and West Africa (n = 23) IUCN Red List

The status of African Lions Wild Lions in Unfenced Populations in Southern Africa (n = 6) IUCN Red List

The status of African Lions Managed Lions in Fenced Populations (n = 16) IUCN Red List

Other global populations IUCN Red List

The status of South Africa’s lions Wild lions Kruger National Park 1700 Associated Private Nature Reserves 300 Kalahari Gemsbok National Park 246 Greater Mapungubwe 10 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 120 Managed wild lions Private reserves 500 Captive lions Breeding facilities 6000 Miller S, Riggio J, Funston P, Power RJ, Williams V, Child MF. 2016. A conservation assessment of Panthera leo. In Child MF, Roxburgh L, Do Linh San E, Raimondo D, Davies-Mostert HT, editors. The Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. South African National Biodiversity Institute and Endangered Wildlife Trust, South Africa. SANParks is not involved in captive lion breeding or management of captive bred lions

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