Re-release programmes the answer for Africa's dwindling lion population
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 beast.