Tanzania will relocate a group of 36 lions present in the vicinity of Serengeti National Park (north), after several attacks on humans and livestock by felines, whose habitat is increasingly affected by human activities, an environmental official announced on Saturday.
Eleven of these lions have already been captured and will be taken to Burigi Chato National Park in the northwest of the country, Simon Mduma, director of the Tanzanian Institute for Wildlife Research, told AFP. wild, according to which 20 of the 36 lions in total will be relocated in this park. The location of the remaining 16 lions has yet to be determined.
"More areas devoted to human activities"
"We used to kill a lion when it attacked people, but it's a huge group, and we can't do the same," said Simon Mduma. In addition, "lions are becoming vulnerable, and we want to take action to support them."
According to Dennis Ikanda, researcher at the same institute, "more areas have been devoted to human activities, and this has really affected the lives of lions."
In September 2019, the Tanzanian government withdrew their status from 12 protected areas and seven reserves as part of a solution to territorial disputes. These more than 700,000 hectares are now used for animal husbandry, agriculture and to accommodate homes.
More than 20,000 specimens today
Globally, the lion population has fallen by 43% over the past twenty years to reach some 20,000 specimens today, estimates the International Union for the Protection of Nature (IUCN), which has classified the predator in the category of vulnerable species.
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