IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Born Free Foundation, | |
| Too much pressure to handle? Lion derivates used in traditional medicine in Nigeria, West Africa | |
| 2008 Full Book | |
We carried out a questionnaire-based survey examining the use of African lion derivatives in traditional medicine in the communities surrounding Yankari Game Reserve, a protected area in Nigeria, which harbours one of West Africa's few surviving lion populations. Over 230 semi-structured interviews were held in 20 communities, and field surveys were carried out in nearby markets to validate interviewee responses. Results indicate the use of lion body parts in traditional medicine is practiced widely amongst the local communities: 73% of respondents had some beliefs about the use of lion derivatives as traditional medicine, describing a total of 22 lion body parts with either believed therapeutic or preventative properties. Nearly half of the respondents interviewed (n=107) had personally used lion body parts in the last 3 years for medicinal purposes, reflective of a high consumer demand. Fat was the most common body part utilised, with both genuine lion fat and fake lion fat available to buy in two of the markets surveyed. Poor health related to "spiritual attack" was a common concern amongst the communities, with 17 body parts reported to have some involvement in spiritual protection for good health. The future of lions in this region depends on the capacity of the Yankari GR management to create alternative health options and economic activities for the communities to deter from impacting the resident lion population in Yankari and reduce any potential cross-border trade that may fulfil demand. We recommend effective protection of all wild lion populations that provide animal products for medicine by increasing their global level of protection from trade. |
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