African lions could completely disappear within the next decade if no measures are taken to protect this species…
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African lions could disappear in the next decade |
The South African newspaper The Sunday Times reports that experts involved in a recent study indicated that due to conflicts with humans and livestock, habitat loss from human economic development, and a disease (caused by a virus similar to feline immunodeficiency virus), the population of this lion species has drastically decreased from 200,000 in the 1980s to just 30,000 today.
The study, recently published at the Conservation Strategy for Lions in South and East Africa Conference, revealed a rapid decline in the number of African lions in Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana.
According to the researchers, while lions in South Africa’s Kruger National Park are considered to be in good living conditions, the Okavango Delta in Botswana has seen only 103 lion cubs born in the last six years, with just 10 surviving.
Lions play a crucial role in South Africa’s tourism industry.
TUONG VY
