Lions To Return To Rwanda after Twenty Year Absence
After an absence of over two decades lions are set to return to Rwanda according to wildlife officials. The country’s population of the endangered species was completely wiped out following the genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994. The first intake of lions will include five females and two males which are being transported from South Africa to the Eastern Akagera National Park.
Lions lost after the genocide
The park is located on the border with Tanzania and measures 27,680 acres and officials say the reintroduction of lions represents a ground breaking conservation effort. Rwanda lost its lion population after the genocide in 1994 where an estimated 800,000 people were killed. Refugees fleeing the violence occupied a portion of the park which led to lions being displaced and killed as people sought to protect their livestock.
The lions that are being reintroduced come from parks South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. The parks from which they are being taken are relatively confined which means it is occasionally necessary for surplus lions to be removed. The seven lions making the move were chosen based on their future potential for reproduction and include a mix of genetic make-up and ages.
Conservation milestone
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, at the global level, the lion is considered a vulnerable species. In Eastern Africa, lion numbers have fallen rapidly despite historically being a stronghold for the species. The IUCN has warned that the trade in body parts which are used in traditional medicine in Asia and Africa is the main threat to the species. In Western Africa, lions are listed as critically endangered as a result of dwindling prey and over-hunting.
Whilst Akagera National Park is fenced the lions will still be fitted with satellite collars to ensure the animals do not wander into inhabited areas. The park says the collars have a two year life, at which point the park will have learned about the dynamics of the pride and will re-collar the dominant individuals. The park has plenty of wildlife diversity and potential prey for the lions and serves as home to many species of antelopes, buffaloes, zebras and giraffes as well as elephants and leopards.
