The West African lion is on the verge of extinction, according to experts after a marked decline in recent years.

It is estimated that there are just 645 genetically distinct wild lions left in western and central Africa, with as few as 34 remaining in the whole of Nigeria.

Now experts from conservation group LionAid say they are ‘in real danger of extinction’.

According to the group, there are no lions left in 25 African countries and populations are barely surviving in ten.

Clusters of lions remain in Burkina Faso, Niger, the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Chad but are already extinct in countries such as Ghana, The Ivory Coast and Togo.

Thirty years ago there were 200,000 lions roaming wild across the continent – but now there are only between 15,000 and 32,000 left.

West African lions have been largely forgotten due to political apathy to conservation.

Dr Pieter Kat, trustee of LionAid, told The Guardian: ‘There has been a catastrophic decline in the populations of lions in Africa, and particularly west Africa.

‘These lions have been neglected for a very long time and do not have adequate protection programs.’

He said the west of the continent is often ignored in favour of eastern Africa, leading to a decline in species.

The lion is threatened by a range of factors, including loss of habitat, loss of natural prey due to poaching, ‘unsustainable levels of trophy hunting’ and human conflict.

A new threat is also on the rise as lion bones are being used to supply the demands of Asian traditional medicine and tiger bones become scarce.

In Nigeria, a government wildlife official told The Guardian that the number of lions in the country had dropped from 44 in 2009 to a meager of 34.

Yohanna Saidu from Nigeria’s interior ministry told the newspaper, they are trying to protect the lions but admitted to being ‘very concerned’.

Dr Kat said it would now be impossible to build up a population of lions in Nigeria and therefore the species should be classed as extinct as well.

The picture is similar in other countries. In Senegal, the LionAid said there are just 40 lions left.

The charity said there are only five ‘viable’ populations – those of 1,000 or more – lions left in the continent.

Three of those are found in Tanzania and Kenya, with the remaining populations surviving in South Africa and Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Recent studies on African lion populations’ show that about three-quarters of Africa’s savannah has disappeared over the past 50 years.

Conservationists say it is not possible to individually count every lion in the continent, so estimates on remaining population numbers vary.

However experts do agree the plight of the African lion is ‘very serious’ and want the animal to be included on the convention on international trade in endangered species list.

Inclusion would mean tight protection on hunting and trade, especially important as more than 5,600 wild African lions were hunted and exported as trophies between 1999 and 2008.

However, conservationists say they face strong opposition from the pro-hunting lobby.

Dr Kat said: ‘We are currently paying lip service to the conservation needs of a specie which is so greatly important to our cultures, history, and indeed the health of wildlife biodiversity in Africa.

‘Lions are not only an iconic species important to very many people all over the world, but they are also a vital component of African ecosystems.’

Culled from Dailymail.co.uk

source: http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/01/10/just-34-lions-are-left-in-nigeria-as-west-african-lion-population-declines/

34 in naija

I think this story is really sad and the reality that little or nothing is being done to support conservation by the Nigerian govt those not give so much hope.

34!!! thts too much now

It would be great if we could locate and put transponders/trackers on them.

34? Re u kidding? The last tyme i checked we have 36 states so that mean 2 states dont have a lion. Hmmmm i suspect enugu and kogi

Our govt really needs to do something about conserving our wild life.

Pastor Kun: Our govt really needs to do something about conserving our wild life.

I agree, the problem is that in Nigeria, human life isn't even valued not to talk of animal life, our elephants are also endangered too.

runzlord: 34? Re u kidding? The last tyme i checked we have 36 states so that mean 2 states dont have a lion. Hmmmm i suspect enugu and kogi

Sarcasm or retardation?

runzlord: 34? Re u kidding? The last tyme i checked we have 36 states so that mean 2 states dont have a lion. Hmmmm i suspect enugu and kogi

falls from palm tree laughing hysterically

Ok

we have never been animal lover so i guess they won't be missed if they finally go into extinct. for the few that love animal, they can take a trip to east africa to see dem

runzlord: 34? Re u kidding? The last tyme i checked we have 36 states so that mean 2 states dont have a lion. Hmmmm i suspect enugu and kogi

Lawdy Lawd

we don chop dem finish

Meaning what! Na Lion we go chop!

Lol... African Hunters don kill them finish... Maybe we should blame GEJ again.

I hope they counted the ones in the University Of Ibadan zoo? I saw about 4-6 of them two weeks ago when I went sight-seeing, and oh boy, I almost wet my trousies with my urine
Those faces are not just mean, they are MEAN

NA LIE ! GO ASK AREA BOYS,DEN KNOW BETTER......36 KINIUN NI

I knw there aint less dan eight lions inside the university of ibadan's Zoo........

Nah...

We don't even value human life here, never mind lions.

Who cares whether or not lion exist? We have more pressing issues 2 think about in Nigeria. D existence of too much lions in 9ja only endangers d life of Nigerians

Dats sad!.... Buh how did dey cum out wit dis fig 34 is it jux d ones in game reserves n zoo alone?

Dats sad!.... Buh how did dey cum up wit dis fig 34 is it jux d ones in game reserves n zoo alone?

Government should do something about this and fast too ,if they are serious and track this lions carefully,their numbers could increase , they should inject more funds into the various games reserves in the north.hopefully this should create some employment opportunities.

No way!

runzlord: 34? Re u kidding? The last tyme i checked we have 36 states so that mean 2 states dont have a lion. Hmmmm i suspect enugu and kogi

Now, this is funny. Lmao...

@topic, the lions should be forced to mate so we can have more

This is sad.
The ministry of tourism and culture should rise up to its responsibilities.
With proper care and breeding,those 34 lions can multiply to millions.

Snakes should go extinct not lions

runzlord: 34? Re u kidding? The last tyme i checked we have 36 states so that mean 2 states dont have a lion. Hmmmm i suspect enugu and kogi

LMAO.
FCT included to the two states.

Quite pathetic