By Henry Umahi
In the beginning, lions were regarded as kings of the jungle. This is because of their raw power and strength. So, they fear no other animal. In fact, for other animals, the fear of lions is the beginning of wisdom.
In some climes, lions are synonymous with courage, authourity and success. Men of valour proudly wear the sobriquet, Lion. Some bear it as a proper name. And those who manage to kill a lion are revered and affectionately called ‘lion killers.’
The people are, however, the enemies of lions. Lions are being killed by poachers because of their beautiful fur, which is very valuable in the black market and for consumption. For these reasons, lions have become endangered species.
And because of the vulnerability of lions, some conservationist groups set aside August 10 as the day of the iconic animal.
According to National Today, “World Lion Day on August 10 aims to raise awareness about the plight faced by lions. Scientifically known as Panthero Leo, lions are one of the most well-known and popular animal species out there. They are called the ‘kings of the jungle’ due to their arresting and fearsome personalities created by their great bodies and heavy, shiny manes. A lion’s powerful roar is second to none, and it can be heard even five miles away. Owing to the pop culture icons like Simba, from ‘The Lion King’, lions are also loved by children. However, while lions existed in large populations 100 years ago, today, their numbers are just below 50,000 worldwide as a result of poaching and hunting. World Lion Day, therefore, brings attention to this endangered species by raising funds and ramping up protective measures.
“The first World Lion Day came into being in 2013. It was headed by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, a couple who were passionate about preservation and wild cats. After realising that lion populations had drastically decreased worldwide, the Jouberts approached “National Geographic” for the brand’s help.
“Forming a partnership with them, the couple came up with the Big Cat Initiative (B.C.I.) in 2009. The B.C.I.’s main goal would be to protect and preserve the remaining lion species in the world. While aspects like deforestation, climate change and human intervention may have impacted lion populations, studies have shown that their extremely low numbers may also have to do with ice ages and natural environmental disasters that have led them to becoming secluded in only a few countries of the world, namely, India and South Africa. To date, the B.C.I. has made substantial leaps, from getting 150+ grant awards to reducing almost 3,000 threats to 3,000 wild cats to removing 13,000 life-threatening snares.
“The lion comes from the ‘Felidae’ family of cats, and it is considered to be an apex predator. It is the second-largest cat, weighing around 300 to 600 pounds, with the first being its cousin, the tiger. An average lion’s body is muscular with a short round head and ears, and a tufty tail. Its sex can be identified through its heavy and luscious mane, which is absent on lionesses. Lions also happen to be the only cats who roam around in large groups known as prides. Scientists believe that lions do so because it is easier to catch prey in the wild. Their natural habitats are savannas and grasslands. You will most likely find a pride of lions near water bodies as they strategically wait for prey to come there for a drink and then pounce on them.”
Mr. Peter Knights, founder and president of WildAid, offered perspectives on the World Lion Day and the threat lions face. He said: “Every year on world lions’ day, we celebrate the most iconic animal on the planet. They are a symbol all over the world and not just in Africa. All over the world, they use their logos. They are iconic animals. Their only problem is that there are not that many of them left. Globally, there are about 20,000 lions left in the world. Tanzania has 8,000 lions, which is incredible. In Nigeria, unfortunately, we have only 30 to 50 lions left in the wild.
“A lot of the lion reduction is because of human-wildlife conflict and loss of habitat. As more lands are taken for agriculture, people have sheep and goats then lions are pushed out. Very often, they are killed if they ever catch cattle. Human-wildlife conflict and loss of habitat are the major threats but there is also a problem of illegal bushmeat trade, because people go into the parks where lions are still left and put snares down to catch other animals. As a result, lions are also caught in those traps. They not only lose their food but they are also caught in traps set up for other animals in the illegal bushmeat trade.”
Knights further disclosed that “some other organisations like Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) are working with the government to improve anti-poaching around the parks and working with communities around the park to be sympathetic with lions. So, one thing is to continue those processes. We also must let the people know that they should stop consuming bushmeat and stop putting snares and traps because those could hurt lions.
“We hope that the lion population in Nigeria can recover because if you can’t have a healthy lion population, you can’t make money from it. East African countries like Tanzania with 8,000 lions make an estimated a million dollars from tourism revenue. People love to see lions in the wild. The hope here in Nigeria is that we can protect the lion population, rebuild them and eventually people can go see wild lions here in Nigeria in parks like Yankari Game Reserve.
“We are doing a big campaign not just in Africa but all over the world about the plight of the lion and how few they are. We are also working in some cases on projects with carbon offsets, where carbon offset companies in America and Europe pay to store carbon because they have a carbon footprint. That money can be used to protect forest and carbon habitat. And to help local people as well. That’s how we feel we can help rebuild lion population in Africa.
“Nigerians are shocked that only less than 50 lions are left in the wild and they are scared they would disappear completely. There is a lot of sympathy about lions internationally and people in other African countries believe that keeping the lions is actually better than losing them because they make money from wildlife tourism and they understand the cultural significance of them.”
Similarly, Dr. Mark Ofua, WildAid Nigeria representative, said: “World Lion Day is a day set aside to celebrate lions we have among us, but it has also become a medium to call attention to the plights of lions in Africa, especially here in Nigeria. Lions worldwide are facing extinction. They are in danger. We have less than 50 lions left, and we are fast losing them.”
According to the veterinary doctor, “Lions in Nigeria are going into extinction first because of habitat loss, agricultural activities, forest encroachment, illegal logging and illegal bushmeat.
“All these deplete the forest, which is their natural habitat. Also, pet trade is a challenge. People want the cubs, and they kill the lions. Also, hunters that go into the bush to set snares for antelopes and other types of animals, these snares also injure and kill the lions.”
Meanwhile, WildAid launched a weeklong campaign to raise awareness about the threats facing Nigeria’s lions on Wednesday and called on Nigerians to protect the iconic species as the world celebrates World Lion Day.
In a statement, the organisation said, in the last 50 years, the number of wild lions across Africa has plummeted from 200,000 to roughly 20,000. The organisation said “the crisis is most acute in West Africa, where there are only about 400 lions left, surviving in a few small, isolated clusters. In Nigeria, lions are on the verge of extinction, with scientists estimating that there may be fewer than 50 adult lions left in the wild.
“In the past, lions roamed northern Nigeria in large numbers, primarily residing in the Kainji Lake National Park and the Yankari Game Reserve in northern Nigeria.”
Simon Denyer, senior Africa representative for WildAid, said: “Hunting for bushmeat has seriously depleted lions’ natural prey base, while population growth and the expansion of agricultural land has badly eaten into their habitats. Lions in Nigeria and across West Africa need urgent help to prevent them from disappearing forever.”
The intense pressures on lions’ natural prey caused by the bushmeat trade and the depletion of their habitats often force them to kill cattle for food. That in turn brings lions into conflict with humans, who kill lions in retaliation, sometimes using poison. Snares and traps set by bushmeat hunters also often inadvertently catch lions and other predators.
Lion populations in East and Southern Africa are feeling the same pressures – even in Tanzania, which is considered the stronghold of Africa’s remaining lions. Tanzania has the largest population of lions in Africa with about 8,000 animals left in the wild. They provide an important draw for Tanzania’s tourism industry, which generates around 1.5 million jobs and contributes around 17 per cent to the nation’s gross domestic product.
However, WildAid’s Nigerian pepresentative, Kelechukwu Iruoma, said: “It is not too late to save Nigeria’s lions, but we need to act now to protect them. We urge the Nigerian government to update its wildlife laws to combat the threats facing lions and other wildlife.
“It is also important to improve enforcement and anti-poaching patrols around national parks, including working with communities around the parks to stop the illegal bushmeat trade.
“Other stakeholders also need to collaborate to raise awareness of the need to protect the country’s remaining lions, and to promote wildlife conservation and tourism, creating jobs and revenue.”
WildAid is also calling on all Nigerians to “say no to illegal bushmeat,” as a way to ease some of those pressures on lions and other important species in the country.
In January, WildAid launched a public awareness conservation campaign in Nigeria to highlight the illegal bushmeat trade and support enforcement activities to tackle illegal wildlife trade.
As part of the campaign, WildAid is committed to helping Nigeria strengthen the enforcement of its wildlife laws and has formed partnerships with government agencies involved in enforcing local and international wildlife regulations to create a unified approach to tackling the bushmeat problem. WildAid is working with the Lagos State government to update its wildlife protection laws, as well as with the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to support efforts to tackle illegal wildlife trade and prevent the use of Nigerian ports and airports as transit hubs for wildlife trafficking.
While most wildlife conservation groups focus on protecting animals from poaching, WildAid primarily works to reduce global consumption of wildlife products such as elephant ivory, rhino horn and shark fin soup. With an unrivalled portfolio of celebrity ambassadors and a global network of media partners, WildAid leverages more than $218 million in annual pro-bono media support with a simple message: When the buying stops, the killing can too.