Six animals in Senegal park fitted with GPS collars to collect data

Senegal’s Division of Nationwide Parks (DPN) and US-based wild cat conservation organisation Panthera, have collectively fitted six critically endangered West African lions with collars fitted with World Positioning Techniques (GPS) within the nation’s Niokolo Koba Nationwide Park (NKNP), in response to an announcement.

The GPS collars have been fitted to offer essential information concerning the species, which is down to simply 250 within the wild, though NKNP’s lion inhabitants has doubled within the final decade.

A workforce made up of members from either side labored nightly over three months in 2021 and 2022 to trace, lure and efficiently collar the six lions within the 9,000 sq km park.

Learn: ‘Barbary lion reintroduction in north Africa is feasible however wants long-term plans’

The collared people additionally embody a ‘coalition’ of three male lions. This, in response to the assertion, is a really encouraging signal since male lions type such teams solely when numbers are excessive sufficient to warrant competitors.

The workforce additionally collared a wholesome lioness in her prime.

Additionally they encountered a lioness who was too younger to collar however was wounded attributable to porcupine quills caught in her face that had prevented feeding for possible a month and would have resulted in her imminent demise. The feminine was captured and the quills had been eliminated.

The GPS has begun to disclose vital data. As an illustration, it has proven that the lions frequent a selected area of the park. Anti-poaching measures can now be directed to this area.

It has additionally been revealed that lions within the park desire massive ungulates (hooved animals) as prey, which suggests these too want safety.

The assertion added that stringent safety efforts had helped herbivore populations of Roan antelope and African buffalo rebound within the park, which signalled hope for the lions.

However the GPS has highlighted worrying elements too. It has revealed a low dispersal drive, indicating that competitors amongst male lions is stunted and suggesting that lion densities within the park are nonetheless far under their potential.

Lions had been not too long ago labeled into two subspecies: Panthera leo leo or ‘northern lion’ of west Africa, north Africa, West Asia and India and Panthera leo melanochaita the ‘southern lion’, that inhabits japanese and southern Africa.

The West African or Senegalese lion is genetically distinct from the lions of southern and japanese Africa and a part of the Northern lion subspecies. It has a skinny mane and a lanky physique, in response to the Panthera assertion

The lion is the official image of Senegal and the nationwide soccer workforce mascot, together with being highlighted within the nation’s anthem.

 Nevertheless, West African lions have suffered notably dramatic inhabitants declines attributable to unlawful searching of the species’ prey, poaching for the unlawful wildlife commerce, direct killing over livestock depredation and lack of habitat.

Lions now inhabit only one per cent of their historic vary in West Africa.

NKNP, a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, can also be dwelling to one of many largest remaining leopard populations in addition to the final surviving African Looking Canine populations in west Africa. Different wild cats present in NKNP embody the serval, caracal and African wild cat.

Philipp Henschel, an professional on the West African lion, who can also be Panthera’s West and Central Africa regional director, was quoted as saying that NKNP had the potential to harbour a whole bunch of lions and turn out to be the ‘Serengeti of West Africa,’ benefitting each individuals and wildlife.

In the meantime, the workforce plans to suit GPS collars onto one other six lions within the present dry season.