Lions - king of the savannah in danger

Veterinary fences in the National Park are not only for the African lion insurmountable obstacles. Photo: Christophe Courteau

Lions - hunted, driven out, poisoned. Increasingly rare is it to hear his powerful, bloodcurdling roar through the savannah. Formerly widespread across much of Africa, according to a recent study, there remain only 23,000 lions. The former king of the jungle is endangered for many reasons: Trophy hunting, persecution by farmers, destruction and fragmentation of habitat. One billion people now live in Africa, with that number growing daily and every bit of space occupied reduces whatever remaining habitat is left for wildlife.

More information about African lions:

African_Lion_2012_English.pdf.

The farmer-predator conflict

Time and again, predators leave protected areas to neighboring cattle ranches and tear apart the cattle. For many farmers they face an an existential dilemma, because the cattle often secures the livelihood of an entire family. Many farmers do not want to kill the predators, but they lack the support and knowledge on how to catch the predators and carry them away alive. So they resort to the shooting or poisoning the animals, because they see no other solution. More

Research for conservation

The study of animals and their habitats is the basis to develop solutions and strategies that can stabilize long-term populations once again. Many different factors and relationships play a role in the lives of animals that SAVE will collect in specific research studies. More

These are the measures of SAVE

  • Field research of animals in their ecosystem, such as migration patterns, food selection, social behavior, population size and spread, on the other hand, potential hazards such as diseases, bushfires and poaching (GPS data via satellite collars, traces, observation, monitoring, surveillance and subsequent documentation of lions re-introduced to the wild)
  • The capture of lions on farms taking care to protect them before they are shot.
  • Capacity development with the promotion of cooperation, education and training of local peoples
  • Monitoring and research at the veterinary fences, and development of solutions
  • Development of long term remedy’s to conflicts between humans and animals
  • Awareness and alertness training (especially with Farmers at their locations)

SAVE needs your donations for

  • Technical equipment: radio collars, GPS units and binoculars, computers (hardware & software)
  • Communications: Satellite telephone and wireless devices, Internet
  • Off-road vehicles: fuel, purchase of new vehicles and their repair / maintenance
  • Use of leading field researchers, experienced assistants, and local trackers
  • Stun guns and medicine, veterinary medical care of the animals, traps and safety boxes
  • Tuition for African students wanting to complete their studys
  • Laboratory Tests
  • Educational materials, e.g. Flyers, brochures, etc.
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Press-News:

02.02.2012 The conflict between farmers and predators is threatening African WILDIFE

Currently our lion researcher Keitumetse, urgently needed 4 radio collars - each costing around 5,000 € / $ 6.400 - please help us with a donation so he can continue his work!