AFRICA NEEDS LIONS

July 2012

ALERT facilitates the creation of a national lion action plan for Malawi A workshop for the southern and eastern regions of Africa, organized by the IUCN in 2006, produced a strategy for lion conservation in the region. Six strategic objectives were identified: (1) Management: To ensure effective conservation management of lions, their habitats, and their wild prey; (2) Mitigation: To minimize, and where possible, eliminate human-lion related conflicts; (3) Socio-economics: To equitably distribute the costs and benefits of long-term lion management; (4) Policy and land use: To develop and implement harmonious, comprehensive legal and institutional frameworks that provide for the expansion of wildlife – integrated land use, lion conservation and associated socio-economic benefits in current and potential lion range; (5) Politics: To ensure that global policies better reflect the will and intent of regional and national sustainable use policies and practices; (6) Trade: To prevent illegal trade in lions and lion products while promoting and safeguarding sustainable legal trade.

The regional lion conservation strategy urged lion range states to domesticate it by developing national lion conservation strategies. Many countries within the region are yet to produce national strategies, including Malawi. Following a preliminary meeting with the Malawian Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW) in October last year, ALERT started working with DNPW to create a national lion action plan for lion conservation in the country. The plan is being developed based on commonly used frameworks and drawing from the experience of other lion range states that have already developed such plans. At the beginning of June ALERT Chief Operating Officer David Youldon facilitated a workshop in Lilongwe to review the draft document. A final draft has now been produced and will be distributed for final comment to stakeholders that were identified by DNPW during the workshop. The broad goals of the plan are to:

(1) Ensure that ecologically functional lion and prey populations are conserved inside protected areas within Malawi; (2) Institute targeted lethal control of problem animals by DNPW as a replacement to indiscriminate retaliatory killing of lions by communities; (3) Encourage new mechanisms for the Malawian people to benefit from lion populations within Malawi; (4) Continually evaluate the policy’s performance based upon a system of adaptive management, by monitoring lion and prey numbers and distribution, and conflicts with local people; (5) Build the logistical and technical capacity within Malawi to achieve the above.

In 2010 Mésochina et al. estimated a total current lion range of 12,652km2 (13% of terrestrial surface) in Malawi of which 6,903km2 (55% of lion range) was considered to have permanent presence of lions, and 5,749 km2 (45%) considered temporary presence. 6,955 km2 (55% of lion range) is within protected areas and 5,697 km2 (45%) is in non-gazetted areas. The total estimated population of lions within Malawi is just 35 individuals, although recent workshop delegates considered that this was almost certainly an over-estimate of current numbers. For more information on lions within Malawi see our country by country analysis; for Malawi specifically, click here or to browse through all countries, click here. We hope that the process of forming the national lion strategy for Malawi will be complete soon and will guide conservation of the species in the country for the next 5 years. ALERT has been asked by DNPW to be integral to the implementation of the plan once complete.

Kela

“A kill has a most disruptive influence on lion society”; Schaller, 1972

Zulu managed to disrupt the Dambwa society quite spectacularly on the 8th June. Lionesses may be predisposed to be more efficient and inconspicuous hunters than males, but the boys can still respond to an opportunity when presented with one.

Making our way through the site that afternoon a collection of vultures in a tree close to water pan 3 attracted our attention. Their focus was fixed firmly on the ground. Getting a little closer we found Zulu under the same tree, agitated and breathless, and clearly guarding something. As Zulu charged one vulture that chanced its luck something suspiciously impala-shaped rolled over in the tall grass. Returning, Zulu snatched the carcass up by the neck and hurried to a more concealed location about 20 metres away.

None of the six females were in the area, confirmed through telemetry, which meant that despite the typical view of male lions being lazy hunters, or only getting involved when assistance is needed to help bring down large prey, Dambwa’s pride male is more than capable of hunting solo, thank you very much indeed. But he didn’t stay solo for long…

As we sat listening to him tearing the impala apart the signals from the girls’ collars began to get louder and louder, and a few minutes later six wide and wild-eyed lionesses came racing along the road to water pan 3. They were easily able to track the scent first to the kill site and then to the spot where Zulu had moved the carcass.

It was at this point that Dambwa society was comprehensively disrupted.

Whilst we could only listen to the almighty uproar taking place in the grass it didn’t take a genius to work out that with around 40kg of animal between seven lions table manners were always going to be in short supply.

The cooler weather in the region at this time of year has also seen a rise in activity in general from the lions, but more specifically play behaviours. Whilst frequency of play behaviour drops as they age, lionesses specifically are noted to take part in play behaviours into adulthood. The pride have been engaging in the month on long morning walks through the site, and inevitably the procession ends up turning into a game of chase. Rusha’s been seen putting some moves on Zulu, practicing her wrestling skills most notably on his face and in turn we’ve even seen a slightly mischievous side to Zulu. During one of the pride’s walkabouts we watched as Zulu scaled part of a tree which had split and broken during last month’s fire. He watched on as the ladies passed below before dropping from the air and wrestling Kwandi to the ground.

Amongst other functions, play serves to strengthen bonds between group members… after the scrap over the impala, perhaps the pride needed to reinforce amicable relations!

Read Lion Depiction across Ancient

& Modern Religions here

The Daily Pride The 4Cs start Night Encounters!

A marathon effort

The team at Lion Encounter Zimbabwe undertake conservation education classes with kids from Vic Falls Primary School, Monde School, Zambezi Lions football team, Monde village kids and Chamabondo school.

The Zambezi Lions team will be putting what they’ve learnt to good use in classes with their opponents.

Jackie Abell’s (right) second marathon of the year took place in Lancaster on the 24th June in support of

ALERT. Completing the mostly uphill course in 4 hours and 40 minutes, not only has she raised over £1,500 for us, spread much-needed awareness about lion conservation but finished as 12th woman in the marathon. “It was brutal, but I ran every step – even the hills. It’s my favourite marathon so far, but was definitely the hardest”. We send a big thank you and massive congratulations to Jackie.

Livingstone’s 2Ds, Dendi and Damara, faced off against some serious competition. A herd of over 30 buffalo was the target on the 17th June which saw the sisters work for over an hour in an effort to separate the calves away from the herd. Despite the excellent display of cooperation between the young lions, they were squaring off against some pretty hardy and no-nonsense adults who at last managed to see the Ds’ challenge off.

AFRICA NEEDS LIONS…IN LEEDS?!?!

This exclusive event has been organised to raise lion conservation awareness, as well as much needed funding for ALERT’s conservation projects, and will take place on the 6th August in the Victoria Quarter of Leeds City centre, UK.

Tickets are free, but only available by request. For more information about the event, ticket availability and event sponsorship please contact rae@lionalert.org

We look forward to seeing you there.

The WORLD’S FIRST Interactive Charity App.

ALERT is extremely proud to announce the launch of this application for those of you with i-devices (pad, phone, touch etc) through iTunes.

The App uses cutting edge technology to bring you a fully interactive experience, including almost 1 hour of rich video, interviews, lion facts, extensive extras and multiple subtitle streams (this APP is over 1GB in size – but worth every MB).

o Full DVD Style Motion Menus o Pride – 3 min music video o ALERT - 7 min video outlining the plight of lions and the programme that is helping to address that plight. o Interviews – 20 min with the founder and ALERT COO o Meet the Lions – 4 min video introducing you to the real cast of the videos o A day in the life of an eco-tourist – 9 min video insight into being a volunteer at their African base, including walking with lions and feeding the cubs. o A comprehensive guide to the African Lion

Huge thanks go to Andy Evans and The Pavement Studios for producing the app. for ALERT.

Order your copy for just USD 1.99 from iTunes here.

The 2L group (currently walking at Antelope Park) went on their first day encounter over the month as they near walking retirement age. It may have been their first time being accompanied by a vehicle, but the girls didn’t let that put them off and went onto hunt and kill an impala!

The kill seemed to give the Ls a revived sense of purpose and they’ve gallantly started hunting everything in sight. The most notable of which saw the duo go toe to toe with a zebra stallion. The initial stalk was quite sloppy and allowed the herd of zebra to pick up on their presence. As usual, the stallion stayed behind to defend his herd and as Laili continued her pursuit he charged at full speed. As she only just managed to outrun the furious stallion, the baton passed to Lewa who was inches away from jumping on his back – which enraged the zebra further. The Ls will surely never underestimate this formidable prey again!

The zebra may now have the girls’ respect, but the wildebeest sure don’t. A walk towards the end of the month saw the dynamic duo this time get close enough to jump on one’s back. But Laili just didn’t have the power to overwhelm the wildebeest, and was thrown clear before Lewa could reach her to assist.

The MK group of Moyo, Mara, Meeka and Kali were on the prowl for a night encounter on the 5th and successfully hunted and killed a white tailed mongoose. These are the largest in the mongoose family; - over a metre in length and weighing in at more than 4kg.

Two nights later and they killed a male juvenile impala. Mara and Moyo led the chase with Moyo making the important kill. It’s thought that the impala was a sick one seen prior to the hunt, lagging behind the herd. Lions will often seek out and kill those herd members which are sick and lame reducing the potential for a disease host population.

Give as you live… If you shop online (and let’s face it, we all do) most of the shops you order from will donate a portion of their income from each sale to a charity at NO COST TO YOU. Simply sign up to Give as You Live and download the app (here).

When you shop online Give as you Live will remind you to turn its tracking system on and will then send ALERT a portion of the sale, at no cost to you. And when you sign up and spend £10 online ALERT gets an extra £5 for promoting the system.

We have over 1,700 supporters in the UK – if each of you signed up and were collecting funds or us simply by going about your normal online shopping, the lions would get nearly £9,000 – PLUS the donation from the shop, which is ongoing. It’s quick, it’s easy and it is at no cost to you. There really is no excuse not to do it.

(Only available in the UK at the moment)

The 4Cs arrived at Antelope Park on the 3rd June from Victoria Falls. After a few weeks to settle in they went out for the their first encounter mid-month with Chobe and Chete heading straight for a herd of impala before moving onto some giraffe and zebra.

A second encounter for the group saw Chete leading, and the lions once more homed in on impala. After a warm up stalk on these, Chundu spearheaded a stalk on a wildebeest mother and calf, backed up by buffalo killers Chobe and Chisa. But the game was up when the mother spotted them, and despite a spirited chase there was no way the lions were going to get to her calf this time.

Dinner was on the 2Zs in Zambia on the 27th June. An unseen hunt in dense vegetation resulted in the sisters catching and killing an adult male impala. By the time the handlers caught up to the pair, their prey was already dead. But if the Zs thought they were going to get to enjoy the fruits of their labour in peace, the 2MZ group had other ideas. While Madoda obliviously walked straight past the kill and home to the enclosures, Munali and Zambezi went straight in and the temporary group of the 4MZs made short work of the meal. Perhaps looking to make up for the embarrassment, on the 29th Madoda, Munali and Zambezi encountered a mother and calf white rhino on their morning walk. The calf, about four months old, had to endure a 20 minute game of cat and mouse with the lions as they circled and separated it from its mother. Madoda was able to jump on the calf but he was no match for the rhino mother who threw him from its back back. A lucky escape for the calf and Madoda!

Lion Encounter Zambia’s head lion handler, Cephas Maingaila, and guide, Zick Kolala, completed their 100km sponsored bike ride on the 16th June. The guys started out at 9.30am from Kalomo, and – after a couple of punctured tires – reached Livingstone just before 6.30pm the same day.

Waiting to greet them in Livingstone town centre were Lion Encounter volunteers, staff and a film crew from a local TV station. Zick and Cephas raised £1,265 for ALERT.

Volunteer in Botswana

We have a new volunteering option now available. The project is based in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve – a huge, unfenced 70,000ha group of privately-owned properties in the Tuli Block of South Eastern Botswama – and hope to the largest population of elephants on private property in Africa (over 1,800).

Volunteers venture out daily either on foot or vehicle to record information on two of the project’s main focuses, elephants and large predators

For further details about the project and how to get involved please click here:

Having thrown herself out of a plane and held the Party with the Pride, Mickey Channings is now planning to abseil the Spinnaker Tower, in Portsmouth to raise money for ALERT.

“All those who know me well know how passionate I am about lions, and admire the work being undertaken by ALERT. The Spinnaker Tower is 170m high (taller than the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye) – and I’m not especially keen on heights! I think this may be even scarier than the sky dive I did last year!”

If you can show your support for Mickey, please visit her justgiving page here or even cheer her along on the day at the Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth, on the 30th July at 2pm.

Kerry Martin and friends helped spread the word on lion conservation issues and the work of ALERT to the people of Norwich this month having set up an information area at the Millennium Library at the Norwich Forum.

Mkoba Boys’ Orphanage update The boys’ orphanage was opened in 1996 by a gentleman named Question, and initially provided a safe haven for 22 boys aged between 6-14 years old, each with their own story which led them to the orphanage. Many of the boys’ parents are dead which forced the boys into poverty, and their only option was to live on the streets and to fend for themselves – some as young as six-years old.

Webster… That was 16 years ago, and now one of the boys in Question’s charge is Webster. Now 14-years old, he came to the orphanage in 2010 when his parents were unable to provide for him. At first Webster was rude to the staff and would bully the other boys. As well as behaviour issues, Webster couldn’t read or write. Over the last two years his behaviour has improved considerably and he’s made great advancements in his reading and writing too. Webster now loves playing soccer with the other boys at the orphanage and attends school every day.

Siphosenkosi… Another resident at the orphanage whose name literally means “a gift from God”. Siphosenkosi was 13 when he came to stay at the orphanage in 2009, and was unable to count to 10. Three years later and after a lot of help from his teachers he is in Grade Six and enjoys reading stories from the Bible.

Education… Today the orphanage provides a refuge for 19 boys, who all attend school during the week. There are 14 boys in primary education and five in secondary school. All are making great progress and some of the secondary learners are about to take exams to qualify for advanced level courses.

Improvements to the orphanage… The boys now receive three meals a day due to donations. The boys used to have to go to school without any lunch but now the boys are sent to school with bread and juice. As well as school, the boys attend the Church of God in Christ every Sunday. A more recent improvement to the orphanage is a new fridge.

While there have been many improvements the orphanage still needs a lot of help. Happiness, Question’s wife, explained some of the things they would like to do with more funding. These included a tutor at the orphanage, as many of the boys struggle when they first arrive having been out of education for so long and their confidence to return is low. They would also like to afford to be able to purchase new school uniforms for the boys, as the ones currently being used are old and worn and make them a target for bullies.

For details of how to support this program, please click here

Like father, like son Having been surrounded by female company for much of his release in the Ngamo site, it seems Milo is relishing a bit of boys’ time with son, AS5. And the feeling appears to be more than mutual from the pride’s only male cub.

AS5 revels in his father’s attention and appears to be in sheer bliss when lucky enough to receive a rare lick or two from the alpha male. Despite Milo’s infamous temper, he shows remarkable patience and tolerance when AS5 wakes him to play. And it seems all this time hanging out with dad is starting to rub off as the young lad is beginning to show his dominance amongst his sisters, initiating rough play bouts with them.

However, he’s still got a thing or two to learn as yet. At eight months old, most of the other cubs are starting to wean, but this daddy’s boy also appears to be a mummy’s boy too, and AS5 is often heard whining in an attempt to suckle from Ashanti.

Meanwhile former daddy’s girl AT1 has been showing lately not just how grown up she’s become, but also an encouraging behaviour of a truly wild lion. Regular boundary patrols are carried out of the release site to ensure there is no disturbance in the fence line. As staff carried out this inspection at waterpan 3 (on foot from outside of the site) Phyre and Kwali ignored the human presence. However, AT1 also heard the footsteps and instantly fled at the sight of this strange looking form.

The guard was advised to walk out of sight, yet the brief encounter highlighted that despite being raised by lions which were raised by humans, AT1’s natural human avoidance behaviours have developed just the same as any cubs born wild. Wherever possible we ensure that the pride does not see people on foot to avoid the cubs becoming used to people. Studies upon wild lions have shown in areas where lions and people live alongside one another due to the ever-increasing human population in Africa, lions will try and avoid people. Research has also shown that when wild prides are forced to pass through or close to human settlements lions will move at a much faster pace.

Mara project update ALERT was pleased to be able to supply our partners at the African Impact Mara Project with four camera traps this month. We hope that these will prove extremely beneficial in the on-going monitoring process of the Conservancy’s lion population.

On the 18th June the lion monitoring team encountered two unfamiliar female lions (picture left), thought to be from the rarely seen Elki Sieu Sieu pride. They looked in good shape and for the first time staff were finally able to profile members of this elusive pride.

The 3 Enoolera boys are back. After almost a year the team caught up with Leshaan, Simiren and Osidai on the 19th June. Staff had feared the boys were dead after such a long absence, so the sighting was a big relief for all involved with the project. They looked to be in excellent shape and were seen in the company of three Enesikiria females. One of which is Dada who has four cubs, as well as Naimina (who also hasn’t been sighted for a year) and also a young adult, Simaloi. Could Dada’s cubs be the offspring of the Enoolera boys?

If any of these stories have piqued your interest in Kenya’s Naboisho Conservancy, then why not make a visit to this extraordinary corner of Africa. Through our associates we are able to bring you an amazing opportunity to spend time at the Encounter Mara Camp at specially discounted rates.

For more details contact encountermara@africanencounter.org making sure you advise them that you heard about this promotion through ALERT to receive the discounted rates.

We want to build the biggest online gallery of lion iconography from around the world as a testament to just how ingrained this iconic species is in every culture and country on the planet.

So far you’ve sent us images from Australia, UK, Russia, Cambodia, Italy, Czech Republic, Austria, Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Namibia, Belgium, Egypt, France, Iraq, Bulgaria, South Africa, Spain, India, Nepal, Denmark, Singapore, Rwanda and the Netherlands… But we want more… lots more! If you can help us reach our target of 5,000 images please email your contributions to info@lionalert.org To see what others have already submitted, you can view the gallery here!

VOLUNTEER FOR FREE! Yes, you read that correctly. We are offering FREE PLACES to volunteer at any of our Antelope Park, Lion Encounter Livingstone or Lion Encounter Victoria Falls projects. If you successfully raise funds for ALERT your program fee to join us in Africa will be covered as follows: - If you raise GBP 5,000 (or equivalent in another currency) for ALERT you get 2 weeks of a 4 week volunteer placement free - If you raise GBP 7,500 (or equivalent in another currency) for ALERT you get 3 weeks of a 4 week volunteer placement free - If you raise GBP 10,000 (or equivalent in another currency) for ALERT you get a 4 week volunteer placement free Need help? You can chat with each other on the forum (http://lionalert.org/alert/post/view/thread-id/40) about ideas to reach your target. Here are the terms of this incredible deal:

1. Free placements exclude airfares, insurance and visa costs 2. Free placements are only offered at our Antelope Park, Lion

Encounter Livingstone or Lion Encounter Victoria Falls projects, subject to availability.

3. Only funds raised, received by ALERT, after 7th June 2012 will be counted in assessing whether a free place has been earned

4. Paid portions of any of any placement shall be at the published rate as set by African Impact for the period of travel.

5. All placements under this promotion must be booked with ALERT directly

6. ALERT retains all authority to determine what funds raised count towards an individual’s total funds raised in respect to this promotion.

ALERT would like to thank the following individuals and organisations who have contributed financially or in-kind, or who have encouraged others to support our programs over this past month:

Jackie Abell Siobhan Adeusi Rachel Balasuriya Michaela Channings Miss K Cooper Sarah Crowther Linda Davidson Karla Devine S Diederichs Karen Everest Louise Fiennes Ali Fleming Vicki Geddes Eric Grant Marian Hall Ben Healy Ane Hole Louise Homan-Lake Paul Ireland F Jamieson Emma Jenkinson Natasha Kennedy Sarah King Elena Klipitch Kirsten Leiren Lisa Luscombe Byron Mankin Sylvia Mankin Steve Marshall Midlands Children Project (Norway) Helen Miller Liyasu Mohammed Neil Munroe Claire O’Neill Digs Pascoe Ms Richards Issiah Sakhabuth Nikki Sherwood T Szpiro Carl Undery Margaret Undery Laura Valentine Dr & Mrs A.M. Chara Wanamuttu Derek Watts Michael Watts Helen Wilderspin Justine Williams Tony Willison