IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| White, P.A. | |
| Genetics as a Conservation Tool for the African Lion, _Panthera leo_, in Zambia | |
| 2007 Conference Proceeding | |
The African lion, _Panthera leo_, is a key feature in Zambia's tourism industry, with both non-consumptive (photo-tourism) and consumptive (trophy hunting) tourism vital to the national economy. Zambia's Luangwa Valley is a prime area supporting both of these activities. However, the dense vegetation and sparse road network in much of the region make it difficult to accurately assess the lion population. As a result, the long-term sustainability of current levels of trophy hunting is unknown. Working in partnership with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), I utilized genetic data in conjunction with field surveys and operator interviews to estimate population size and determine movements of lions between fully protected areas (National Parks) and adjacent non-protected areas (hunting blocks). Mitochondrial DNA was used in assigning trophy male lions taken in hunting blocks to their natal prides. Microsatellite data were used to identify individual lions and estimate population size. The goal of this study was to provide empirical data on lion populations in Zambia from which sound lion management policies, including sustainable hunting quotas, can be developed. Future research, including additional sampling of resident prides within the hunting blocks and radio-tracking of adolescent and adult males, will further refine these results. |
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