Why the birth of three lion cubs is a beacon of hope in Africa

The bone the Lions of West Africa They are among the species that have suffered the most from climate change, poaching and the illegal species trade. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is estimated that there are currently between 120 and 374 specimens in the wildwhich represents a historic range for the species.

Florence a lioness who lives in the national park Niokolo-Koba in Senegal gave birth to three puppies which represent a halo of hope to prevent this critically endangered big cat from being saved from extinction. The new images of this herd were captured in February this year, which calmed local scientists down as their GPS collar had stopped working.

The researchers feared that Florence would have been the victim of poaching or illegal trade, but these new images estimate that the cat population in Nikolo Koba It is on the rise, since from 10 to 15 specimens they had identified in 2011 and they estimate that by 2025 they will have at least 50 specimens living on site.

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Researchers from the Senegalese park explained that this population of lions is closely related to their Asian relatives living in the India. These results were described as positive, after the authorities of the African country and the world organization for the conservation of wild cats, Panthera, has joined forces to preserve cats.

During the weeks when Florence was not captured by the venue’s camera traps and her geolocator stopped working, the matriarch cared for her cub in a wooded area of ​​the venue. It is estimated that it was the third litter that gave birth.

The bone animal protectors in Senegalin addition to the objective set By 2025, they hope that by the start of the next decade they will have around 100 lions. in the park. According to information from the British newspaper The Guardianconservationists have assured that these images are a sample of the efforts and operations that have been carried out to try to stop poaching.

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Another of the actions that the workers of the place have donewas the recent rescue of a lioness who had been injured by the quills of a porcupine.

The African sanctuary is characterized by all the ecosystems that exist in the region, it has a remarkable plant diversity that contributes to the sustainability of a rich fauna. Animals such as eland derby, chimpanzees, lions, leopards, elephants, birds, amphibians and birds are found here.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), this park spans a million acres there is under the supervision of the Ministry of the Environment and Nature Protection and National Parks Directorate of Senegal.

From 2002 to date, a development plan has been used which aims to strengthen the conservation of species and provide the necessary resources for the administration of the place,

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According to figures collected by The Guardian, global lion populations worldwide number less than 25,000 individualsand specifically in Africa, specimens have halved over the past 20 years.

The Panthera organization was founded in 2006 and is dedicated exclusively to the preservation of feral cats. The team is made up of eminent biologists and legal experts. It seeks to develop the best strategies to protect cheetahs, jaguars, leopards, lions, pumas, tigers, among other felines, and it is present in 39 countries around the world.