Saving the Last Lions
Just 50 years ago there were close to a half-million lions in Africa — about 450,000 in all. Today there are between 16,000 and 23,000. And yet, unlike elephants (a far more numerous species), lions have no protection under the international accord governing such matters.
Big cats are in trouble everywhere. The number of tigers has dipped below 3,000. Indeed, as we look at the lion population today, it’s the shadow of the tiger’s history that scares me the most. Tiger bones are used extensively in the East for medicines and mythological (read nonsense) cures for ailments or limp libidos and the demand is increasing. A growing demand and a disappearing supply is a formula for disaster.
Male lion coalition - Copyright © James Weis.
The solution we are seeing play out is a switch from tiger bones to lion bones, which can be easily sold off as tiger bones. It’s ironic that the most famous animal in Africa, perhaps in the world, can’t even be poached on its own value, but only as a “mock tiger.”
Lioness and her cub - Copyright © James Weis.
Last week the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) met to decide whether lions, whose numbers have declined by 50 percent in the past 20 years, are worthy of protection under Appendix I to the convention: the listing of the most endangered animals. The problem is that the safari hunting industry and buyers in Asia are opposing it, because such a decree would limit what they can do with the trophies.
Majestic male lion - Copyright © James Weis.
Fact: Appendix I does not mean you cannot shoot a lion — it means you can’t import the skin to hang on the wall. And the answer to the question we are asked a thousand times is: Yes, you can still go to Africa to kill a lion.
[JW note: the vote did not pass and lions will remain a CITES Appendix II species... for now].
CITES needs a country to sponsor the motion for lion protection. We can’t, so far, get one to put its hand up first, to take on the issue and save lions. No one will risk offending big safari hunting lobbies. It would seem that many are just not thinking this through. Extinction threatens by the year 2020. Then there will be no lions to hunt or to protect.
Endangered lions - Copyright © James Weis.
We don’t have much time. The biggest threat isn’t hunters, poachers or poison makers — it is our own complacency, the lazy hope that someone else is taking care of the great beasts of Africa.
Meanwhile another ominous development poses a further threat to wildlife. A pesticide is being used by poachers to kill lions and many other animals. Sprinkled on meat, it kills lions, hyenas, vultures and other creatures in minutes.
Male lion - Copyright © James Weis.
Lions and other large predators are disappearing even as we learn more about the collapse of entire ecosystems. The $200 billion a year reaped from ecotourism will be lost, causing suffering among communities all over Africa that rely on this trade.
Dereck and Beverly Joubert are helping save the last of the big cats.
As explorers in residence at National Geographic, Dereck and Beverly Joubert are calling on everyone with even a remote interest in big cats, or in Africa, to make sure that these wild systems keep working well. Scientists, conservationists — everyone — must come together, work together and support this effort now: the Big Cats Initiative. It’s a movement that doesn’t want to exclude a single soul or leave out any idea on how to reduce the conflict. We have a short window of time in which we can remedy this. It is closing very rapidly.
Wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert.
Dereck Joubert and his wife, Beverly Joubert, are National Geographic explorers in residence. They have spent years making films and writing about the big cats of Africa.
Dereck and Beverly Joubert at work in Botswana.
To view some of the Joubert’s photos and films, visit their website.
For more information, visit the visit Big Cat Initiative website.
11 Responses to “ Saving the Last Lions ”
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Good read,and great shots James
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It is very impressive article. It is a nonsense that lion-bone is used as tiger- born. Good read and good shot.
Great article bud!! Will link it to my facebook page and blog!!
I love lions …let me help
Very interesting and very sad! Awesome photographs!
Great work to you both! Poaching, hunting and killing of animals for the so called trophy is really starting to annoy me. I met a English bloke months back who goes around the world shooting the most beautiful animals for these ‘trophies’ and tells me how he has no space for them anymore so they are kept in storage. what is the point!? Protection of these animals brings much more reward for the individual and generations to come. Some people never seem to learn from the past. aaaarrrgggg!!!
Great article and photographs!
the pics are lovely as much as the article itself.I am a regular watcher of national geographic channel and really like the way you people interpretate the language of animals.you speak their minds and its really hard to digest that these wonderful ceatures are on the verge of extinction not only in africa but all over the world.I hope if and whenever i plan to visit africa i am lucky enough to see these animals.Above all,I just loved the pic where a cub is playing on mother’s back.”SO CUUUUTE”
Hi James
Great article, really touched on a few important points and hopefully highlighted the desperate situation that I think not everyone fully realizes? Great photography as well which always adds to the impact of an article.
Regards
Lee