Big Cats

lion ecology of fear

Ecology of fear in a South African savanna

South African ungulates, or hooved mammals, react differently to different species of predators. Experiments by a research team have demonstrated that the behavioural responses of ungulates to large predators can shape ecosystem structure and function. Most such studies have concentrated on the impacts of either just one large carnivore, or all as a whole, rather…

Lions are less likely to attack cattle with eyes painted on their backsides

Lions are less likely to attack cattle with eyes painted on their backsides

The predation of livestock by carnivores, and the retaliatory killing of carnivores as a result, is a major global conservation challenge. Such human-wildlife conflicts are a key driver of large carnivore declines and the costs of coexistence are often disproportionately borne by rural communities in the global south. While current approaches tend to focus on…

The number of lions in Africa may be lower than we thought

Lion conservation strategies start with good counts

New research published this month indicates that lion populations in Africa may be lower than current estimates suggest. The research, a collaboration involving University of Queensland and Griffith University, published in Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution,and Ecological Solutions and Evidence, found that current lion counting methods for research/conservation purposes may be overestimating lion numbers and densities. Lead author…

Exploitation changes leopard behaviour with long-term genetic costs

Exploitation changes leopard behaviour with long-term genetic costs

Throughout their range leopards are in rapid decline, having disappeared from North Africa, much of the Middle East and Asia. Declines have been so severe that the species is now considered vulnerable to extinction. No comprehensive estimates of the number of leopards remaining in the wild exist. In southern Africa, 62% of leopard distribution falls…

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Cecil the Lion’s Death and Blood Lions Movie Spark Global Outrage and Debate over Trophy Hunts

Cecil the lion is dead, killed illegally in Zimbabwe by Walter Palmer, an American dentist and recreational big-game hunter who paid about $55,000 for the privilege. The details of Cecil’s killing are disturbing — and they’re important for understanding why this has become such a controversy. The majestic lion was lured out of a national…