Re-introduction important to save lions

In the past two years 18 of Africa's lion sub-populations were declared lost out of 86 identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2006. It is arguable that some of these may have already been lost and were only assumed to exist at the IUCN lion workshops of 2005/6.

However, many of the remaining lion populations have shown continued declines and drastic measures may have to be taken in the next decade to ensure their survival. Re-introduction programmes will become increasingly important in the fight to save Africa's most potent animal.

"Lion populations are becoming increasingly fragmented within reserves that are closed to natural migration. Natural re-colonisation was previously possible but the opportunities for this are now greatly reduced or non-existent," says David Youldon of Lion Encounter.

Methods also used in other countries

Re-introduction is becoming increasingly used as an intervention for lion conservation and has well-practiced techniques which have been used at over thirty South African sites where the lions have been re-introduced. Methods used in South Africa have also been adopted in other countries.

Lion Encounter operates the African Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Programme on behalf of the African Lion & Environmental Research Trust. This programme incorporates the Lion Walk which allows guests to walk with the animals and learn about them in the safety of experienced guides and lion handlers.