Natural History Wanderings

The BBC  reported on a study in the journal Science that 75% of large carnivores including lions, wolves and bears are experiencing a worldwide population decline. A majority of the large predators now inhabit less than half of their former ranges. The loss of habitat and human persecution are the biggest factors in population decline.

A good part of the problem comes from the belief that these large predators are a threat to other wildlife. However, when the large predator population decreases there is an increase of other species that disrupt wildlife and habitat balance. The example given is as a result of there being fewer cougars and wolves in Yellowstone there is an increase in browsing animals such as elk and deer. The browsing animals increase in population and consume increasing amount of vegetation which is disruptive to birds and small animals.

Read more at:  BBC News – More than three quarters of large carnivores now in decline.

West African lions are already facing an extinction threat. A press release by Panther reported

A report published today concludes that the African lion is facing extinction across the entire West African region. The West African lion once ranged continuously from Senegal to Nigeria, but the new paper reveals there are now only an estimated 250 adult lions restricted to four isolated and severely imperiled populations. Only one of those populations contains more than 50 lions.

Read full article at: Press Release: Lions are Critically Endangered in West Africa | Panthera.