Extent of human threat to lion populations

Two new studies led by scientists at Oxford University have highlighted the threat posed to lions by human activity - including trophy hunting. The first paper, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology , analysed the deaths of 206 lions in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe - home of Cecil the lion - between 1999 and 2012. Researchers found that human activities caused 88% of male and 67% of female mortalities. Male deaths were dominated by trophy hunting, while the human sources of female mortality were more varied and included causes such as unintentional snaring by bushmeat hunters and retaliatory killing by herders for livestock loss. Analysis showed that lions tended to avoid risky areas - such as farmland with high incidence of retaliatory killings - suggesting they may make behavioural decisions based on perceptions of risk. However, experienced adults visited risky areas less often than young individuals, suggesting that the latter may either be naive or forced into peripheral habitats by older lions. The research highlights the risks that lions face - not only when they leave the protection of national parks and enter farmland or hunting areas, but also from poachers within protected areas themselves.