{"id":587,"date":"2021-10-25T06:30:55","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T04:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/africa-on-air.com\/?p=587"},"modified":"2022-04-06T16:51:35","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T14:51:35","slug":"why-are-africas-big-cats-on-the-brink","status":"publish","type":[9],"link":"https:\/\/africa-on-air.com\/en\/environment\/2021\/10\/why-are-africas-big-cats-on-the-brink\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are Africa’s Big Cats on the Brink?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

When the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) unveiled its much-awaited Red List<\/a> in September, the ranking of Africa’s dwindling big cat populations as \u201cvulnerable\u201d instead of \u201cendangered\u201d was met with a roar of protest<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

A Downward Slide<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n

Among those disappointed was Dr. Paul Funston, Lion Program Senior Director for Panthera<\/a>, the global wild cat conservation organization. While acknowledging that geographic variations and insufficient monitoring make it difficult to draw accurate general conclusions, \u201cin recent decades, all big cat populations have been sliding downwards in African landscapes.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Funston compares the precipitous decline taking place in West and Central Africa, where lions are a critically endangered subspecies, to East Africa, where populations spread over large areas have witnessed steep declines in recent decades. Then there\u2019s South Africa, home to many well-funded, protected reserves where more accurate data suggests that populations are stable or even enjoying a slight upturn.

For Funston, South Africa\u2019s bright spots are dimmed by the fact that only 22,000 wild lions still roam the African continent. \u201cIn my heart I don\u2019t feel that\u2019s where we should be. A higher ICLU conservation status would potentially increase the attention and conservation efforts that the species deserves.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Bushmeat and Body Parts<\/strong><\/h1>\r\n

Contrary to popular belief, trophy hunting and human encroachment aren\u2019t the largest threats to big cats\u2019 survival. According to Funston, the primary danger stems from underfunding of protected areas, the consequences of which have facilitated bushmeat poaching. Funston insists that bushmeat poaching<\/a> is the number one threat to lions throughout Africa. Eating the meat of wild animals \u2013 cut from the carcass, then smoked, dried, and transported for sale \u2013 is a cultural norm. However, due to humans\u2019 reorganization of the landscape, big cats have lost 95 percent of their habitat. Even when they\u2019re not the primary target of hunters, injury due to traps and snares coupled with increasing competition over diminishing prey, takes a great toll.

Meanwhile, new threats abound. Social media has facilitated an increase in illegal wildlife trafficking<\/a> while providing a platform for influencers flaunting selfies<\/a> with cute lion and cheetah cubs. More lethal has been the growing market for animals\u2019 body parts. Of particular concern is surging demand for lion bones, teeth, and claws<\/a> in Southeast Asia and China. As Asia\u2019s tiger population has plummeted, elixirs made from crushed lion bones have replaced traditional tiger wine as a masculinity booster while claws and teeth are popular symbols of virility. As demand continues to escalate, Funston fears that smaller, more isolated and underfunded populations will be pushed to the brink.<\/p>\r\n

A Firm Stand<\/h1>\r\n

Against this backdrop, in May, 2021, the South African government took the landmark decision<\/a> to end the country\u2019s controversial captive lion industry, which permitted the legal killing of lions bred on private reserves and the selling of their parts. While conceding that the ban may lead to increased poaching of wild species, Funston argues that it shouldn\u2019t deter the shutting down of an inhumane industry \u201cthat\u2019s awful in all aspects.\u201d Instead he advocates doubling down on conservation efforts while waiting for reduced supply and increased awareness to puncture demand. Until then, says Funston, \u201cit\u2019s one of those situations where you just have to take a firm stand.\u201d<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) unveiled its much-awaited Red List in September, the ranking of Africa’s dwindling big cat populations as \u201cvulnerable\u201d instead of \u201cendangered\u201d was met with a roar of protest. \u00a0 A Downward Slide Among those disappointed was Dr. Paul Funston, Lion Program Senior Director for Panthera, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy are Africa's Big Cats on the Brink?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"African Big Cats: lions, cheetahs, and leopards are increasingly endangered due to bushmeat hunting to poaching for body 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