african lion, Perhaps one of the most iconic and iconic species on the planet, it can only become a memory of the past if not acted upon quickly. Its population is declining rapidly due to poaching, illegal smuggling and habitat destruction, among other factors. 90 percent of African lions were lost in a century and became extinct in 26 countries.In celebration of World Lion Day on Thursday, August 10, the environmental organization is alerting the WWF and alerting to the vulnerable situation this big cat finds itself in.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), The number of African lions has halved in the last 25 yearsstay between 20,000 and 30,000 in the wildAccording to the statement made by this NGO, which has various projects to stop this situation, only one-tenth of its historical land has been distributed.
This big cat is listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, a step prior to its inclusion in the ‘endangered’ category.
Many factors threaten him
But why does the lion disappear so fast? WWF is among the biggest threats to these animals habitat loss, illegal trade and trade, lack of food, and competition with humans for wild game and poaching or conflicts with local farmers.
It’s not just a matter of losing a beautiful painting, because that kind of important ecological function. The African lion has a fundamental role in the balance of biodiversity as one of the largest predators maintaining healthy populations of herbivores such as zebras or giraffes.
According to the WWF, as control over trafficking of other animals such as tigers or elephants increases, The lion has emerged as a new victim of poaching and illegal trade.
Illegal trade and trade in species, of which Spain is one of the European players as it is a key point in the international transit for flora and fauna, has led WWF to launch the ‘Stop Traffic’ of the species since 2017. , to publicize the situation and involve citizens in the fight against this crime against nature.
They warn from the NGO that these cats “They are persecuted, poisoned, deceived, hunted for sale in secret markets. for the commercialization of their skulls, skins, teeth or oils as well as claws as jewellery.
They also highlight: in some Asian countries “wine is made from lion bones” as a symbol of social status.
A multi-million dollar business
they remember thisThe smuggling of the species is “equivalent” to the trafficking of drugs and weapons and “can move between 10,000 and 20,000 euros per year”but it is “far less risky and persecuted,” they say, despite having a similar social and economic impact in addition to the corresponding impact on biodiversity.
WWF seeks to conserve biodiversity by creating reserves and protected areas for lions and all the wildlife they live with, as in their Soknot (southern Kenya and northern Tanzania). started a project to reverse the situation and double the number of copies by 2050.
In addition, WWF noted that in conservation areas in Namibia, together with various partners, they have developed different programs focused on the freedom of African lions, working with local communities to promote feline life among farmers, forest guards and researchers.
Likewise, the conservation NGO fighting poachers and different awareness projects were initiated, which led to some becoming park rangers.
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Contact address of the environment department: [email protected]