IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Withman, K.; Packer, C. | |
| The effect of sport hunting on the social organisation of the African lion (_Panthera leo_) | |
| 1997 Conference Proceeding | |
Rising human populations in East Africa and a growing need for alternative economic development strategies (such as sport hunting) have recently increased the importance and exploitation of many species of game animals. If this trend continues, it will be necessary to evaluate using both theoretical and empirical studies, the impact of annual harvesting on the behavioural ecology of theses species in order to ensure sustainable yields, healthy breeding populations, and reliably good trophies into the future. Effective management of a harvested species necessitates reliable information regarding the species' response to human disturbance in terms of its effect on social behaviour, reproduction and recruitment. The African lion (_Panthera leo_) is managed extensively throughout Africa, either for profit as a trophy animal, or for population density control. As one of the "Big Five" it is highly sought after by sport hunters, and therefore, sales of trophies generate considerable revenue for the hunting safari industry. It is also one of the most intensively studied mammals, and while much is known about lion behaviour and its reproductive biology, by comparison information regarding a population's response to the selective removal of males is scarce. The annual removal of adult male lions from a population may have advantageous or deleterious effects on a given population. Depending upon whether resident or non-resident males are removed: harvesting non-resident males may advantageously affect the population by reducing male-male competition and subsequently increasing tenure lengths and cub production for resident males, on the other hand, harvesting resident males may potentially disrupt the social system and result in social instability increased rates of infanticide, selection of immature males and reduction in suitable mates or suppressed fertility for females. Field studies have only recently examined the sustainability of quotas and the effect of annual lion harvesting on social and reproductive behaviour and population demography. While hunting seasons are firmly established, lions are non-seasonal breeders unlike many game species and highly infanticidal, thereby inherently complicating management strategies. Thus, given the current level of understanding, predicating a population's response to the annual harvesting of males is inherently difficult and poses problems in quota setting and risk assessment for the game manager or conservationist. Clearly, more studies are needed to address these problems adequately and are broadly applicable to other harvested, potentially infanticidal, carnivores such as leopards, grizzly bears and wolves. Here, we will review what is known or suspected about the effect of selectively removing adult males through sport hunting on the social behaviour and reproductive potential of the African lion. We will combine information gained from the few field studies of hunted populations with long-term research conducted on non-hunted populations. In addition, because of the insight that they provide, we include a brief summary of population models that have attempted to evaluate different management strategies. Further, we will suggest strategies by which to integrate management needs with behavioural studies to monitor lion populations effectively for the future. |
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