Lions primarily killed in retaliatory killings
Assessment found a unified population
A recent environment ministry assessment of lions in Namibia's north-west has found that the lions that have maintained home ranges that lie further west are in poor, though not dire, condition.
Even with ongoing interventions, ten out of 80 to 100 lions, excluding cubs less than one year old, were killed in the north-west of Namibia, primarily as retaliatory killings following conflict incidents.
According to the environment ministry spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, law enforcement has investigated these incidents and arrests have been made in some cases.
He said that the ministry has conducted a body-condition assessment of lions in the north-west of Namibia, following concerns raised regarding the population's well-being.
Lions in north-west Namibia have historically been considered to form two subpopulations; those west of Etosha along the escarpment, and lions further west.
Muyunda said research undertaken by the ministry and its partners has, however, clearly indicated a unified population, interacting and moving across the landscape.
Home range
He said that the assessment found that lions that have maintained home ranges that lie further west are in poor, though not dire, condition.
"These lions have persisted throughout the recent drought and intermittent rains."
Muyunda said that prey species have since slowly returned to their home ranges.
"As is to be expected, lion movements across the area have been incredibly dynamic as individuals and groups search for available, high-mobile prey."
He said that lions maintaining home ranges further east, along the escarpment and in the communal regions west of Etosha, are thriving, are in good condition and are reproducing in strong numbers.
Team effort
According to him, the ministry, with the assistance of lion rangers, will continue to monitor lion movements and their conditions in these areas.
The monitoring includes work by the more than 50 lion rangers who undertake foot- and vehicle-based patrols; monitoring GPS-satellite collars; deploying early-warning towers at human-wildlife conflict hotspots; and conducting intensive research on lion spatial ecology, which is conducted by the ministry and its partners.
Following the assessment, the ministry has overseen the collaring of more than 35 lions across the north-west.
These collars are fitted to study lion behaviour via movement patterns, while also providing farmers, ministry staff and lion rangers with notifications to prevent and mitigate human-lion conflict.
Respond to conflict
Muyunda said the ministry rejects insinuations that nothing is being done to monitor lions or to address and manage human-lion conflict.
"To maximise monitoring and communication effectiveness across the landscape, the ministry stations at Opuwo, Sesfontein, Grootberg and Khorixas recently received early-warning system rovers fitted to their vehicles."
He said that these rovers enable ministry staff to communicate in real-time across the landscape to monitor collared lion movements and respond to potential human-conflict incidents.
Muyunda added that the ministry is conducting the first north-west lion population survey this year.
According to the environment ministry spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, law enforcement has investigated these incidents and arrests have been made in some cases.
He said that the ministry has conducted a body-condition assessment of lions in the north-west of Namibia, following concerns raised regarding the population's well-being.
Lions in north-west Namibia have historically been considered to form two subpopulations; those west of Etosha along the escarpment, and lions further west.
Muyunda said research undertaken by the ministry and its partners has, however, clearly indicated a unified population, interacting and moving across the landscape.
Home range
He said that the assessment found that lions that have maintained home ranges that lie further west are in poor, though not dire, condition.
"These lions have persisted throughout the recent drought and intermittent rains."
Muyunda said that prey species have since slowly returned to their home ranges.
"As is to be expected, lion movements across the area have been incredibly dynamic as individuals and groups search for available, high-mobile prey."
He said that lions maintaining home ranges further east, along the escarpment and in the communal regions west of Etosha, are thriving, are in good condition and are reproducing in strong numbers.
Team effort
According to him, the ministry, with the assistance of lion rangers, will continue to monitor lion movements and their conditions in these areas.
The monitoring includes work by the more than 50 lion rangers who undertake foot- and vehicle-based patrols; monitoring GPS-satellite collars; deploying early-warning towers at human-wildlife conflict hotspots; and conducting intensive research on lion spatial ecology, which is conducted by the ministry and its partners.
Following the assessment, the ministry has overseen the collaring of more than 35 lions across the north-west.
These collars are fitted to study lion behaviour via movement patterns, while also providing farmers, ministry staff and lion rangers with notifications to prevent and mitigate human-lion conflict.
Respond to conflict
Muyunda said the ministry rejects insinuations that nothing is being done to monitor lions or to address and manage human-lion conflict.
"To maximise monitoring and communication effectiveness across the landscape, the ministry stations at Opuwo, Sesfontein, Grootberg and Khorixas recently received early-warning system rovers fitted to their vehicles."
He said that these rovers enable ministry staff to communicate in real-time across the landscape to monitor collared lion movements and respond to potential human-conflict incidents.
Muyunda added that the ministry is conducting the first north-west lion population survey this year.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article