subject: The Problems Lions Face in Africa [print this page] The Problems Lions Face in Africa The Problems Lions Face in Africa
In the years past, the lions roamed freely in Africa. Today, most have died and their population has greatly decreased to about 21000. They can only be found in the Sub-Sahara desert and some parts of South and East Africa. Drought was the main reason for their decrease. In 1994 and 2001 they died in large numbers from a disease known as distemper which is caused by drought. Today, global warming is also affecting them. During the drought, the lion's prey weakened because of malnutrition. They were also heavily infested by ticks that carried a blood parasite that made them not to be able to cope with the canine distemper virus. Human encroachment into forest land is interfering with its population. Hunting, poisoning and poaching by farmers is also affecting there survival. In Kenya, the Masai kill them as a show of bravery and courage. This is hampering their population growth. Increase in human population has also affected their growth. The Major conflict with humans is when they prey on the livestock at night. Farmers therefore have a reason to hunt them down. The male lion constantly fights with the other males for dominance in a pride. This can cause injuries that can be life threatening. While the females can live for up to fourteen years, the males only make it to ten when in the wild as the fights take a toll on them. The cubs on the other hand are very vulnerable after birth. They are mostly hunted by leopards, hyenas and jackals. The male lions have been known to kill them so as they can be able to mate with the mothers. They are therefore hid from the group for some months after birth.
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