Population Increases - African Wildlife

Shocking Decline of African
Lion Population Reported
Recent headlines
tell a sad story:
“Lions Close to
Extinction,” “Africa’s
Shocking Lion Loss,”
“Declining Lion Pride
Threaten Botswana
Eco-Tourism.”
The decline in numbers
is being reported in both
East and Southern Africa –
from studies in South Africa
and Botswana to Tanzania
and Kenya.
According to current
news stories, African lions
number between 18,000
and 23,000 today. Twenty
years ago they numbered
200,000. The greatest
threats to these big cats
are sport hunting and
conflict with farmers over
livestock.
Another killer that
could become a very
serious problem is feline
immunodeficiency virus
Lions appear to be declining in the Four Corners Heartland,
according to recent research by AWF staff members.
(FIV). It’s the animal
equivalent of HIV. For the
first time FIV is being
blamed for the death of
lions. It is one of the
deadliest viruses in cats
and can wipe out an entire
pride.
A strong predator
population suggests a
habitat that presents a
healthy environment for all
wildlife. In addition, the lion
is one of Africa’s “big five.”
Along with the elephant,
buffalo, rhinoceros, and
Cardo Kleberg
leopard, the lion is one of
the most popular animals to
view and photograph. It
therefore plays a critical
role in attracting tourists to
the continent.
Your support helps
protect Africa’s lions and
other threatened wildlife.
Through AWF, you help
fund critical research,
provide education for local
communities, and better
equip park rangers to
protect the animals and
their habitat.
African Wildlife News 3
News in Brief
New Radio
System Helps
Protect Wildlife
A new VHF radio network makes it
possible to have complete coverage of
Manyara Ranch. The network has a base
station in a secure radio room, mobile
radio stations in support vehicles, and six
hand-held radios. Everything is powered
by a solar array buffered by high-capacity
batteries. This ensures 24-hour
communication with no ongoing costs to
run the network.
This communication system has
already made a big difference in the
efficiency and cost of doing work on the
ranch. Game scouts can communicate
with each other from any area of the
ranch. This creates a better network for
surveying and protecting the wildlife and
their habitat.
New Cultural
Boma Opens
GIS Takes Wildlife Conservation
to the Next Level
By David Williams, AWF GIS Specialist, Kenya
After the sweaty
labor of digging
his Land Cruiser
out of the deep sand of a
dry river bottom in Samburu
Heartland, Dr. Paul Muoria
understands the
importance of water. Dr.
Muoria is the lead
researcher for AWF’s
Grevy’s zebra program.
He speculates that the
seasonal rainfall
fluctuations that diminish a
coursing river in May to a
bone-dry stretch of sand in
March impact the
movements of the
endangered Grevy’s zebra.
To test this hypothesis, Dr.
Muoria sought to
measure the distance
from zebra observations
to water sources to
determine if it varies by
season.
Previously, making
numerous distance
measurements was a
demanding task involving a
compass and topographic
map. It yielded only rough
estimates. With the help of
Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) and Global
Positioning Systems (GPS),
hundreds of measurements
can be calculated to the
meter with the press of a
button. GIS is a system of
GIS map of Grevy’s zebra distribution
in southern Samburu, Kenya.
hardware and software
used for storage, retrieval,
mapping, and analysis of
geographic data.
Through training
provided by AWF GIS
specialists, Dr. Muoria
learned how to use GPS to
precisely locate his zebra
observations. These
continued on page 7
Hassan Sachedina
Maasai children celebrate at the opening ceremony of
the Esilalei Cultural Boma.
The new Esilalei Cultural Boma is the
most recent conservation business
venture completed in the Maasai Steppe
Heartland. A boma is a Maasai
homestead with several homes (bandas)
in one round compound. The boma is
operated by the Naisho Women’s Group of
Esilalei village and emphasizes the
people’s connection to the wildlife.
It will house Maasai handicrafts for
sale, as well as photos and brief
interpretive displays. This new modern
banda was built by AWF with USAID funds
to benefit the local community.