Andres Manuel Olivares Miranda on the decline of African lions. Find out why the lion population is declining and what can be done to save it!

1. The Decline of
AFRICAN
LIONS
b y : A n d r e s M a n u e l O l i v a r e s
M i r a n d a

2. African lions, who were once seen as “kings” of the
wild, are almost endangered. In fact, the
International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) classifies lions as “vulnerable to extinction.”
If the problem worsens, lions may be officially
identified as an endangered species in the near
future.
Over the past 21 years, the lion population has
declined 42 percent. It is estimated that there are
now less than 25,000 African lions left in the wild.
Furthermore, the lions left only inhabit about 6
percent of the space where they once roamed.

3. What is Causing the Decline?
Poaching is a big contributor to the decline of the
lion population. African lions are killed and their
claws, teeth, skin, and paws are sold in Africa and
Asia. Lion parts are also considered by some to
have magical or medicinal powers. Moreover, some
poachers kill lions to keep as trophies.

4. Human encroachment is
another problem for lions.
People have built roads
and settlements in areas
where lions once roamed
freely, and that has
caused lions to live closely
with humans in many
areas. Lions will often kill
livestock and be killed in
retaliation, usually by
poisoning.

5. Lastly, the bushmeat trade
in Africa has made it more
difficult for lions to hunt
and find prey. People are
hunting and selling the
same animals that lions
prey on, so lions are unable
to find enough food to eat.
This is another reason that
lions frequently attack
livestock.

6. What do we need to do to save the lions?
In order to save the existing population of lions and possibly
increase their numbers, more funding will be required. It has
been estimated that it will cost more than one billion dollars
per year to save the lion population, but only about $381
million dollars is currently funding efforts. The lack of money
has halted many projects in the past.

7. The good news is that there is still hope for
lions. If the proper funds are secured and the
protected areas in Africa can be managed as
they should be, then some experts believe the
African lion population could triple in the
future.