Safari hunting in Africa has serious impact on social structure and population density of lions
October 2011. Recent PhD research at Leiden University by the Beninese researcher Etotépé Sogbohossou has demonstrated that safari hunting may have serious impact on lion social structure and lion densities.
Etotépé did four years of field research in the Pendjari Biosphere reserve (North Benin) under the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Leiden University.
Impact on sex ratio
Her research showed that lion densities inside hunting zones were significantly lower (1.3 lions per 100 sq km) than the densities in the national park (2 lions per 100 sq km). Also the average group size of lions in the hunting zones was significantly lower (2.2) compared with the lion group size inside the national park ( 2.7) en the sex ration inside hunting zones ( one male to 0.8 females) was also significantly different compared with the national park (one male 1.4 females).
The results of this research confirm that safari hunting in Africa may have a serious impact on lion populations.
Cameroon
A recent article in the Journal of Biological Conservation, written by Barbara Croes and colleagues from Leiden university, covering the impact of safari hunting in Cameroon, demonstrated that lion densities inside hunting zones were also significantly lower compared with national parks . In this research the densities' of other predators like leopard and hyena and of large herbivores did not differ significantly.
The researchers from Leiden University concluded that a combination of indiscriminate shooting of often young male and female lions by safari hunters (Benin) in combination with the high quota and take of lions (Cameroon) have caused these significant differences.
Recommendations for governments - Moratorium on lion hunts
A recommendation has been prepared to the Ministers responsible for fauna management to consider a moratorium on lion hunting.
West African lions in danger of extinction
Lions in West and Central Africa are genetically different from lions of East and Southern Africa and are threatened with extinction according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/west-african-lions.html#cr
Showing posts with label lions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lions. Show all posts
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Train affected by lion 'sighting'
6 November 2011
A police helicopter was scrambled and passengers were stopped from leaving a train after police received a report of a lion on the loose.
West Yorkshire Police received a call at 3.30pm on Sunday from a woman who thought she saw a lion as she was driving in the village of Shepley near Huddersfield.
The search lasted almost two hours as officers tried to locate the lion and passengers were forced to remain onboard trains at Shepley station.
But at 5.15pm the inquiry was ended as no lions were found and there were no additional sightings.
Inspector Carlton Young, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We've had unconfirmed reports of a lion or a lion cub in the area. We've had officers looking around. At the moment we've had nothing confirmed and we've not located anyone who is claiming to have lost an animal."
Officers believe the woman - who claimed to have seen a lion on Penistone Road, Shepley - was a genuine caller. Around 12 officers were dispatched to look for a lion along with a police helicopter.
Insp Young added that the search would be resumed on Monday if there were any more reports.
National Rail Enquiries wrote on its Twitter feed: "Passengers are currently unable to alight from trains at Shepley due to reports by police of a lion in the area." It later issued an update that normal service had been resumed.
In May a police helicopter was scrambled and a golf course cleared after a white tiger was spotted in a field in Hampshire by members of the public - only to turn out to be a stuffed toy. Police received several calls reporting sightings of the tiger in a field near Hedge End, Southampton.
Specialist staff from nearby Marwell Zoo were called in to advise and potentially tranquillise the wild animal and a local golf course was evacuated. But as police officers carefully approached the dangerous animal they realised it was not moving and the helicopter crew, using thermal imaging equipment, realised there was no heat source coming from it.
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/uk-world-news/2011/11/06/train-affected-by-lion-sighting-92534-29731105/
A police helicopter was scrambled and passengers were stopped from leaving a train after police received a report of a lion on the loose.
West Yorkshire Police received a call at 3.30pm on Sunday from a woman who thought she saw a lion as she was driving in the village of Shepley near Huddersfield.
The search lasted almost two hours as officers tried to locate the lion and passengers were forced to remain onboard trains at Shepley station.
But at 5.15pm the inquiry was ended as no lions were found and there were no additional sightings.
Inspector Carlton Young, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We've had unconfirmed reports of a lion or a lion cub in the area. We've had officers looking around. At the moment we've had nothing confirmed and we've not located anyone who is claiming to have lost an animal."
Officers believe the woman - who claimed to have seen a lion on Penistone Road, Shepley - was a genuine caller. Around 12 officers were dispatched to look for a lion along with a police helicopter.
Insp Young added that the search would be resumed on Monday if there were any more reports.
National Rail Enquiries wrote on its Twitter feed: "Passengers are currently unable to alight from trains at Shepley due to reports by police of a lion in the area." It later issued an update that normal service had been resumed.
In May a police helicopter was scrambled and a golf course cleared after a white tiger was spotted in a field in Hampshire by members of the public - only to turn out to be a stuffed toy. Police received several calls reporting sightings of the tiger in a field near Hedge End, Southampton.
Specialist staff from nearby Marwell Zoo were called in to advise and potentially tranquillise the wild animal and a local golf course was evacuated. But as police officers carefully approached the dangerous animal they realised it was not moving and the helicopter crew, using thermal imaging equipment, realised there was no heat source coming from it.
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/uk-world-news/2011/11/06/train-affected-by-lion-sighting-92534-29731105/
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Lions 'more likely to eat people after a full moon'
Other predators, such as wolves, may also be at their most dangerous when the moon starts to wane.
The discovery, from an African study of 500 lion attacks, could explain the full moon's place in folklore as a harbinger of evil or disaster, and its association with werewolves and vampires.
Scientists studied records of nearly 500 lion attacks on Tanzanian villagers between 1988 and 2009.
In more than two thirds of cases, the victims were killed and eaten. The vast majority of attacks occurred between dusk and 10pm on nights when the moon was waning and providing relatively little light.
Lions hunt most successfully when darkness allows them to surprise their prey, but on bright moonlit nights they might have to go hungry.
The period immediately following a full moon provides a lion with a welcome opportunity to catch up on missed meals.
As the moon wanes, it does not appear until well after dusk, which near the equator occurs early even in summer.
Peak danger times for humans are therefore the active hours after sunset, especially the day after a full moon.
The pattern emerged clearly when the researchers compared attack rates with moon phases. Attacks were a third more frequent during the second half of the cycle, when there was little or no moonlight.
Chief investigator Dr Craig Packer, a lion expert based at the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences in the US, said: ''People start out at moderate danger during days 0-4, when the moon is only a sliver and sets shortly after sunset.
''Danger then declines as the moon gets brighter each evening, with very few attacks in the nights just before the full moon. Then, wham, danger spikes as those hungry lions can now operate in darkness for the rest of the lunar cycle.
''The post-full-moon spike is restricted to relatively few hours of full darkness before the largish moon rises later in the evening.''
Lion attacks also increased during the rainy season, when the moon was more likely to be obscured by clouds.
The study, published today in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE, involved checking measurements of lion belly size logged regularly since 1978, and records of lion attacks kept by Tanzanian government authorities.
The researchers wrote: ''These findings provide novel insights into human attitudes towards the moon.''
They pointed out that humans have lived close to large nocturnal carnivores for many thousands of years.
Lions were once the most widely distributed mammal in the world, and jaguars, tigers and leopards have co-existed with people in Asia, Africa and tropical America. Human ancestors painted lifelike pictures of lions on cave walls 36,000 years ago.
''Thus we have always been exposed to risks of predation that cycled with the waxing and waning of the moon,'' said the scientists.
Between sunset and sunrise, humans were most active in the evening and at greatest risk from predators.
The researchers added: ''The darkest hours in the early evening are restricted to the weeks following the full moon, and lions are hungriest immediately after the bright evenings of the second quarter.
''Although we are safest from lion attacks during well-lit nights, the full moon accurately indicates that the risks of lion predation will increase dramatically in the coming days. Thus the full moon is not dangerous in itself but is instead a portent of the darkness to come.''
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8650299/Lions-more-likely-to-eat-people-after-a-full-moon.html
The discovery, from an African study of 500 lion attacks, could explain the full moon's place in folklore as a harbinger of evil or disaster, and its association with werewolves and vampires.
Scientists studied records of nearly 500 lion attacks on Tanzanian villagers between 1988 and 2009.
In more than two thirds of cases, the victims were killed and eaten. The vast majority of attacks occurred between dusk and 10pm on nights when the moon was waning and providing relatively little light.
Lions hunt most successfully when darkness allows them to surprise their prey, but on bright moonlit nights they might have to go hungry.
The period immediately following a full moon provides a lion with a welcome opportunity to catch up on missed meals.
As the moon wanes, it does not appear until well after dusk, which near the equator occurs early even in summer.
Peak danger times for humans are therefore the active hours after sunset, especially the day after a full moon.
The pattern emerged clearly when the researchers compared attack rates with moon phases. Attacks were a third more frequent during the second half of the cycle, when there was little or no moonlight.
Chief investigator Dr Craig Packer, a lion expert based at the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences in the US, said: ''People start out at moderate danger during days 0-4, when the moon is only a sliver and sets shortly after sunset.
''Danger then declines as the moon gets brighter each evening, with very few attacks in the nights just before the full moon. Then, wham, danger spikes as those hungry lions can now operate in darkness for the rest of the lunar cycle.
''The post-full-moon spike is restricted to relatively few hours of full darkness before the largish moon rises later in the evening.''
Lion attacks also increased during the rainy season, when the moon was more likely to be obscured by clouds.
The study, published today in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE, involved checking measurements of lion belly size logged regularly since 1978, and records of lion attacks kept by Tanzanian government authorities.
The researchers wrote: ''These findings provide novel insights into human attitudes towards the moon.''
They pointed out that humans have lived close to large nocturnal carnivores for many thousands of years.
Lions were once the most widely distributed mammal in the world, and jaguars, tigers and leopards have co-existed with people in Asia, Africa and tropical America. Human ancestors painted lifelike pictures of lions on cave walls 36,000 years ago.
''Thus we have always been exposed to risks of predation that cycled with the waxing and waning of the moon,'' said the scientists.
Between sunset and sunrise, humans were most active in the evening and at greatest risk from predators.
The researchers added: ''The darkest hours in the early evening are restricted to the weeks following the full moon, and lions are hungriest immediately after the bright evenings of the second quarter.
''Although we are safest from lion attacks during well-lit nights, the full moon accurately indicates that the risks of lion predation will increase dramatically in the coming days. Thus the full moon is not dangerous in itself but is instead a portent of the darkness to come.''
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8650299/Lions-more-likely-to-eat-people-after-a-full-moon.html
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Zoo owner moves into cage
Visitors to a Ukrainian zoo will get the chance to see a new attraction after the zoo's owner decided to move into a cage - with a pride of lions.
Aleksandr Pylyshenko will be fed through the bars at the same time as the lions and says he will remain there - sleeping in the cage and playing with the big cats for five weeks.
Pylyshenko explained: "One of the lions is pregnant - I plan to see the cubs being born and spend some time with them but then I will move out."
The 40-year-old added: "The living conditions will be absolutely the same for the lions and me. We will sleep on wooden floorboards and have food given to us through bars."
There will be four webcams planted in the cage. They will provide both experimental integrity and broadcast the 'reality show' on the internet.
During the experiment at the zoo in the city of Vasilyevka in south-eastern Ukraine, Aleksandr, a keen artist, is going to continue his art work.
The paintings created will be sold to raise money for the zoo.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Ukraine_lion_man
Aleksandr Pylyshenko will be fed through the bars at the same time as the lions and says he will remain there - sleeping in the cage and playing with the big cats for five weeks.
Pylyshenko explained: "One of the lions is pregnant - I plan to see the cubs being born and spend some time with them but then I will move out."
The 40-year-old added: "The living conditions will be absolutely the same for the lions and me. We will sleep on wooden floorboards and have food given to us through bars."
There will be four webcams planted in the cage. They will provide both experimental integrity and broadcast the 'reality show' on the internet.
During the experiment at the zoo in the city of Vasilyevka in south-eastern Ukraine, Aleksandr, a keen artist, is going to continue his art work.
The paintings created will be sold to raise money for the zoo.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Ukraine_lion_man
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Entire pride of desert lions wiped out by hunting and poison
Entire pride wiped out by hunting and poisoning
July 2011. In April 2001 four lions came walking into the Hoarusib River valley on Namibia's Skeleton Coast. The three adult males and one adult female came walking all the way in from the upper Barab River, two hundred and fifty kilometres to the south. It was the first time in thirteen years that lions had taken up residence in the Hoarusib River valley.
Mixed feelings
The human population received them with mixed emotions. Local tour operators were happy to have them back while the pastoral residents of Purros were up in arms. The lions got into trouble from the outset. Their first meal in the Hoarusib was the prized stud bull belonging to Headman Daniel Karotjaiva's, followed by several cows and donkeys.
Compensation scheme
Wilderness Safaris and other operators started a compensation scheme in order to ensure the survival of the lions. This was the start of an uneasy relationship between man and lion in the Hoarusib River.
The lions soon moved down river into the Skeleton Coast Park. Shortly after their arrival the female gave birth to two female cubs at the fresh water spring at the mouth of the Hoarusib River. These were the first cubs to be born in sight of the sea in the Park for more than a decade.
Oryx diet
During the dry season the lion remained within the boundaries of the Park. Large herds of oryx concentrated on the banks of the river where they were ambushed by the lions. The lions were safe within the boundaries of the Park.
The trouble started during the rainy season when the oryx dispersed to feed on the plains where the rain had fallen. It was difficult for the lions to hunt. They would then leave the Park and kill live stock around Purros village.
2002 - More cubs
In 2002 another two female cubs were born at the mouth of the river. These two females became the regular residents of the Hoarusib River for the next decade. They were often seen on safari.
These lionesses were closely monitored by Dr. Flip Stander of the Desert Lion Conservation Fund. They became known as Tawney and Morada; they were often visited by Leonardo, the dominant male.
Living in close proximity to humans
The lions became bolder as they grew older. They started frequenting the settled areas. Dr. Stander and Wilderness Safaris addressed the problem by creating a lion task force from local community members. A 4x4 vehicle was bought. The members were trained by Dr. Stander in the use of and given radio telemetry equipment. Now the local community could monitor the lions. If the lions came close to Purros the cattle could be herded out of the river. The telemetry equipment was also used by local guides to take tourists to the lions.
One of the main threats to the lions was that the community has got so used to living without lions for more than a decade, that they have stopped herding their cattle. Now with the lions back, they were reluctant to resume herding.
Problem lions
In the course of time the lions reared cubs. In 2009 things came to a head when Leonardo, Tawney and Morada and three sub adult cubs stayed at the villages of Purros and Okongombe Themba, killing donkeys and scaring people.
Translocation
In November 2009 Dr. Stander recruited the help of Wilderness Safaris again. Wilderness staff, vehicles, fuel and equipment was used to remove the lions from Purros. All six lions were translocated to Sarusas spring in the Skeleton Coast Park. When they returned eight days later, they were physically prevented from re-entering the village by Wilderness staff and the lion task force. However one of the females slipped through the lines to kill another donkey. She was immobilized again and taken to the Hoarusib mouth.
Hunting safari
After three weeks the lions left the vicinity of Purros and moved down river. The community thanked Dr. Stander and the Wilderness Safaris staff, saying that they acknowledge that people are concerned about their plight. Dr. Stander pleaded with them not to kill Leonardo, the breeding male. He asked that they rather shoot one of the younger males for compensation for their stock losses. This was done a few months later in a legal hunt.
Everyone felt that a breakthrough was made. It was a good example of cooperation by all parties, buying time for the lions. Dr. Stander estimated that the operation had cost Wilderness Safaris close to 100,000 Nam dollars.
Leonardo killed by hunter
All of this was made undone shortly afterwards when Leonardo the breeding male was killed by an independent hunter in controversial circumstances that created a media outcry. The other male was also later shot by herders when it wandered into a different conservancy.
Rest of the pride poisoned
That left only the two sisters, Tawney and Morada and a young female, Maya in the Hoarusib River. Their lives came to an end on Saturday 10 July 2011. They were killed by strychnine poisoning fifteen kilometres north of Purros. Strychnine is often used by stock owners to poison predators. One can only wonder who killed the lions.
Benefits and losses
For a decade a lot of people worked together to try and find a compromise between humans and lions in the Hoarusib River. For a decade the lions caused losses, but also brought benefits to the people in the valley.
Was their death inevitable? Could a solution be reached? Are we any closer to sustainable lion tourism in the Kunene Region? Are their still too many rogue elements around? Be as it may-the lions of the Hoarusib River are dead.
Leonardo's death
The shooting of Leonardo is surrounded by controversy. He was apparently shot by a hunter, Keith Wright, and his client, who only had a permit to shoot a female lion on a different conservancy.
Furthermore, Leonardo was carrying a large collar which marked him out as a ‘research' lion. We believe that the collar has never been recovered and that the hunter has been charged by the authorities over this incident.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/desert-lions.html#cr
July 2011. In April 2001 four lions came walking into the Hoarusib River valley on Namibia's Skeleton Coast. The three adult males and one adult female came walking all the way in from the upper Barab River, two hundred and fifty kilometres to the south. It was the first time in thirteen years that lions had taken up residence in the Hoarusib River valley.
Mixed feelings
The human population received them with mixed emotions. Local tour operators were happy to have them back while the pastoral residents of Purros were up in arms. The lions got into trouble from the outset. Their first meal in the Hoarusib was the prized stud bull belonging to Headman Daniel Karotjaiva's, followed by several cows and donkeys.
Compensation scheme
Wilderness Safaris and other operators started a compensation scheme in order to ensure the survival of the lions. This was the start of an uneasy relationship between man and lion in the Hoarusib River.
The lions soon moved down river into the Skeleton Coast Park. Shortly after their arrival the female gave birth to two female cubs at the fresh water spring at the mouth of the Hoarusib River. These were the first cubs to be born in sight of the sea in the Park for more than a decade.
Oryx diet
During the dry season the lion remained within the boundaries of the Park. Large herds of oryx concentrated on the banks of the river where they were ambushed by the lions. The lions were safe within the boundaries of the Park.
The trouble started during the rainy season when the oryx dispersed to feed on the plains where the rain had fallen. It was difficult for the lions to hunt. They would then leave the Park and kill live stock around Purros village.
2002 - More cubs
In 2002 another two female cubs were born at the mouth of the river. These two females became the regular residents of the Hoarusib River for the next decade. They were often seen on safari.
These lionesses were closely monitored by Dr. Flip Stander of the Desert Lion Conservation Fund. They became known as Tawney and Morada; they were often visited by Leonardo, the dominant male.
Living in close proximity to humans
The lions became bolder as they grew older. They started frequenting the settled areas. Dr. Stander and Wilderness Safaris addressed the problem by creating a lion task force from local community members. A 4x4 vehicle was bought. The members were trained by Dr. Stander in the use of and given radio telemetry equipment. Now the local community could monitor the lions. If the lions came close to Purros the cattle could be herded out of the river. The telemetry equipment was also used by local guides to take tourists to the lions.
One of the main threats to the lions was that the community has got so used to living without lions for more than a decade, that they have stopped herding their cattle. Now with the lions back, they were reluctant to resume herding.
Problem lions
In the course of time the lions reared cubs. In 2009 things came to a head when Leonardo, Tawney and Morada and three sub adult cubs stayed at the villages of Purros and Okongombe Themba, killing donkeys and scaring people.
Translocation
In November 2009 Dr. Stander recruited the help of Wilderness Safaris again. Wilderness staff, vehicles, fuel and equipment was used to remove the lions from Purros. All six lions were translocated to Sarusas spring in the Skeleton Coast Park. When they returned eight days later, they were physically prevented from re-entering the village by Wilderness staff and the lion task force. However one of the females slipped through the lines to kill another donkey. She was immobilized again and taken to the Hoarusib mouth.
Hunting safari
After three weeks the lions left the vicinity of Purros and moved down river. The community thanked Dr. Stander and the Wilderness Safaris staff, saying that they acknowledge that people are concerned about their plight. Dr. Stander pleaded with them not to kill Leonardo, the breeding male. He asked that they rather shoot one of the younger males for compensation for their stock losses. This was done a few months later in a legal hunt.
Everyone felt that a breakthrough was made. It was a good example of cooperation by all parties, buying time for the lions. Dr. Stander estimated that the operation had cost Wilderness Safaris close to 100,000 Nam dollars.
Leonardo killed by hunter
All of this was made undone shortly afterwards when Leonardo the breeding male was killed by an independent hunter in controversial circumstances that created a media outcry. The other male was also later shot by herders when it wandered into a different conservancy.
Rest of the pride poisoned
That left only the two sisters, Tawney and Morada and a young female, Maya in the Hoarusib River. Their lives came to an end on Saturday 10 July 2011. They were killed by strychnine poisoning fifteen kilometres north of Purros. Strychnine is often used by stock owners to poison predators. One can only wonder who killed the lions.
Benefits and losses
For a decade a lot of people worked together to try and find a compromise between humans and lions in the Hoarusib River. For a decade the lions caused losses, but also brought benefits to the people in the valley.
Was their death inevitable? Could a solution be reached? Are we any closer to sustainable lion tourism in the Kunene Region? Are their still too many rogue elements around? Be as it may-the lions of the Hoarusib River are dead.
Leonardo's death
The shooting of Leonardo is surrounded by controversy. He was apparently shot by a hunter, Keith Wright, and his client, who only had a permit to shoot a female lion on a different conservancy.
Furthermore, Leonardo was carrying a large collar which marked him out as a ‘research' lion. We believe that the collar has never been recovered and that the hunter has been charged by the authorities over this incident.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/desert-lions.html#cr
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Al-Sayed al-Essawy, Egyptian 'Gladiator,' Fights Lion In Effort To Boost Country's Waning Tourism Trade
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/27/al-sayed-al-essawy-egyptian-gladiator-fights-lion-boost-tourism-_n_885416.html?ir=Weird+News
A self-styled Egyptian "gladiator" lived up to his vow of fighting a lion in a much-hyped effort to lift his country out of its post-revolution downturn, but whether his feat had any significant impact remains questionable.
Read on...
A self-styled Egyptian "gladiator" lived up to his vow of fighting a lion in a much-hyped effort to lift his country out of its post-revolution downturn, but whether his feat had any significant impact remains questionable.
Read on...
Saturday, April 9, 2011
West and Central African Lions Are Genetically Different from Those in East and Southern Africa (via Chad Arment)
Via Kevin Stewart:
ScienceDaily (Apr. 4, 2011) — Researchers from the Institute of Environmental Sciences and the Leiden Institute of Biology in the Netherlands have recently published the findings of their genetic research on lions, which reveals a remarkable difference between lions in West and Central Africa and lions in East and southern Africa.
The study, from which the results were published in the Journal of Biogeography, was conducted by a consortium of researchers from a number of different universities.
Genetically different
The outcome of their research suggests that lions from West and Central Africa are genetically different from lions in East and southern Africa. The researchers analysed a region on the mitochondrial DNA of lions from all over Africa and from India, including sequences from extinct lions such as the Atlas lions in Morocco. Surprisingly, lions from West and Central Africa seemed to be more related to lions from the Asiatic subspecies than to their counterparts in East and southern Africa.
Previous research has already suggested that lions in West and Central Africa are smaller in size and weight, have smaller manes, live in smaller groups, eat smaller prey and may also differ in the shape of their skull, compared to their counterparts in East and southern Africa. However, this research was not backed by conclusive scientific evidence. The present research findings show that the difference is also reflected in the genetic makeup of the lions.
Barriers for dispersal
The distinction between lions from West and Central Africa and individuals from East and southern Africa can partially be explained by the location of natural structures that may form barriers for lion dispersal. These structures include the Central African rain forest and the Rift Valley, which stretches from Ethiopia to Tanzania and from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Mozambique. Another aspect explaining the unique genetic position of the West and Central African lion is the climatological history of this part of the continent.
It is hypothesised that a local extinction occurred, following periods of severe drought 40,000 to 8,000 years ago. During this period, lions continuously ranged deep into Asia and it is likely that conditions in the Middle East were still sufficiently favourable to sustain lion populations. The data published in the Journal of Biogeography suggest that West and Central Africa was recolonised by lions from areas close to India, which explains the close genetic relationship between lions from these two areas.
Declining population
There are thought to be some 1,700 lions left in West and Central Africa, which is less than 10% of the total estimated lion population in Africa. Lions in West and Central Africa are declining and are under severe threat due to the fragmentation or even destruction of their natural savannah habitat, the depletion of prey and retaliatory killing by livestock owners. The West and Central African lion is currently categorised as 'Regionally Endangered', according to IUCN criteria. Recent surveys in a large number of Lion Conservation Units in this region were, in fact, not able to confirm the presence of lions.
Other carnivore species, such as the wild dog and the cheetah, have become almost extinct in the region, with small populations surviving in Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso. These populations also appears to be struggling, suffering primarily from habitat loss and degradation, and conflict with local people.
Conservation
To save the last remaining large carnivores in this region, a new initiative has been launched: the 'Large Carnivore Initiative for West and Central Africa'. This initiative is supported by a large number of conservation organisations. Insights into the geographic pattern of genetic variation within a species can contribute significantly to the field of wildlife conservation. The patterns described in this publication should have consequences not only for in situ wildlife management, but also for management of zoo populations and captive breeding programmes.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110401085113.htm
ScienceDaily (Apr. 4, 2011) — Researchers from the Institute of Environmental Sciences and the Leiden Institute of Biology in the Netherlands have recently published the findings of their genetic research on lions, which reveals a remarkable difference between lions in West and Central Africa and lions in East and southern Africa.
The study, from which the results were published in the Journal of Biogeography, was conducted by a consortium of researchers from a number of different universities.
Genetically different
The outcome of their research suggests that lions from West and Central Africa are genetically different from lions in East and southern Africa. The researchers analysed a region on the mitochondrial DNA of lions from all over Africa and from India, including sequences from extinct lions such as the Atlas lions in Morocco. Surprisingly, lions from West and Central Africa seemed to be more related to lions from the Asiatic subspecies than to their counterparts in East and southern Africa.
Previous research has already suggested that lions in West and Central Africa are smaller in size and weight, have smaller manes, live in smaller groups, eat smaller prey and may also differ in the shape of their skull, compared to their counterparts in East and southern Africa. However, this research was not backed by conclusive scientific evidence. The present research findings show that the difference is also reflected in the genetic makeup of the lions.
Barriers for dispersal
The distinction between lions from West and Central Africa and individuals from East and southern Africa can partially be explained by the location of natural structures that may form barriers for lion dispersal. These structures include the Central African rain forest and the Rift Valley, which stretches from Ethiopia to Tanzania and from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Mozambique. Another aspect explaining the unique genetic position of the West and Central African lion is the climatological history of this part of the continent.
It is hypothesised that a local extinction occurred, following periods of severe drought 40,000 to 8,000 years ago. During this period, lions continuously ranged deep into Asia and it is likely that conditions in the Middle East were still sufficiently favourable to sustain lion populations. The data published in the Journal of Biogeography suggest that West and Central Africa was recolonised by lions from areas close to India, which explains the close genetic relationship between lions from these two areas.
Declining population
There are thought to be some 1,700 lions left in West and Central Africa, which is less than 10% of the total estimated lion population in Africa. Lions in West and Central Africa are declining and are under severe threat due to the fragmentation or even destruction of their natural savannah habitat, the depletion of prey and retaliatory killing by livestock owners. The West and Central African lion is currently categorised as 'Regionally Endangered', according to IUCN criteria. Recent surveys in a large number of Lion Conservation Units in this region were, in fact, not able to confirm the presence of lions.
Other carnivore species, such as the wild dog and the cheetah, have become almost extinct in the region, with small populations surviving in Niger, Benin and Burkina Faso. These populations also appears to be struggling, suffering primarily from habitat loss and degradation, and conflict with local people.
Conservation
To save the last remaining large carnivores in this region, a new initiative has been launched: the 'Large Carnivore Initiative for West and Central Africa'. This initiative is supported by a large number of conservation organisations. Insights into the geographic pattern of genetic variation within a species can contribute significantly to the field of wildlife conservation. The patterns described in this publication should have consequences not only for in situ wildlife management, but also for management of zoo populations and captive breeding programmes.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110401085113.htm
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Big cat Kamien the newest addition to Pride in Bournemouth
 |
| Big cat Kamien the newest addition to Pride in Bournemouth |
ARTIST Adam Klodzinski is the latest to make his mark on the Pride in Bournemouth public art event.
Known as Soap, Adam was commissioned by Westbourne gallery Metropolis Art to paint Kamien, its life-size lion statue.
Kamien will be one of at least 50 large lion statues to be displayed across Bournemouth this summer.
All will be auctioned off at the end of the event and the proceeds split between charities Julia’s House and the Born Free Foundation.
“As soon as we learned what the project was about, we signed up,” said gallery co-owner Vicki Angus.
“Adam has captured the majesty of the beast beautifully.
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/8924022.Big_cat_Kamien_the_newest_addition_to_Pride_in_Bournemouth/
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Tiger kills lion in Turkish zoo
7 March 2011 Last updated at 19:46
A Bengal tiger has killed a lion at Ankara Zoo after finding a gap in the fence separating their cages, say zoo officials in the Turkish capital.
The tiger severed the lion's jugular vein in a single stroke with its paw, leaving the animal dying in a pool of blood, officials said.
They denied local media reports that the tiger had broken down the fence during the incident last September.
The zoo says it is safe for visitors, despite the incident.
Six tigers and two lions remain at the zoo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12669308
A Bengal tiger has killed a lion at Ankara Zoo after finding a gap in the fence separating their cages, say zoo officials in the Turkish capital.
The tiger severed the lion's jugular vein in a single stroke with its paw, leaving the animal dying in a pool of blood, officials said.
They denied local media reports that the tiger had broken down the fence during the incident last September.
The zoo says it is safe for visitors, despite the incident.
Six tigers and two lions remain at the zoo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12669308
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
If we cannot save the lion, no other species stands a chance
Posted by Will Travers
Wednesday 2 March 2011 12.02 GMTguardian.co.uk
Our understanding of the lion, the symbolic heart of Africa, has improved greatly – but we have given it a desperate future
As the tiger is to India, the lion is to Africa.
Nothing encapsulates all that is wild and free like the magnificent lion. The huge natural spaces they require, abundant prey species, the eternal struggle with their main competitor and nemesis, mankind.
And yet, lions, portrayed as vicious blood-thirsty killers in literature and in early films, gained greater understanding and respect thanks to the pioneering work of George and Joy. Elsa was not just a lioness, she was a character. She displayed many of the traits that we ascribe to our companion animals – affection, remorse, pleasure – but she was no 'pet'. She was a wild lion. And the subsequent efforts of George Adamson, Tony Fitzjohn, my parents and others, have enhanced and increased our understanding of lions as individuals.
No one who has seen The Reunion on YouTube, where a lion called Christian is reunited with the two young Australians who bought him from Harrods' pet department as a cub, can fail to appreciate Christian's personality. A fourth generation zoo-bred lion, he was rehabilitated by George Adamson and spent nearly a year successfully competing in the wild before his former owners paid him a visit. Christian remembered them and demonstrated his affection with a great embrace filmed by my father, and which has now been seen by more than 100 million people around the world.
Yet, for all its iconic status, and for all our greater understanding, the wild lion faces a desperate future. Its wild lands are being consumed by a tide of humanity, as are the prey species on which it needs to survive. It is poisoned, speared, and infected with deadly diseases that have arrived along with people, their livestock and their dogs. And, extraordinarily, it is still shot by the hundred to be mounted on a wall in someone's 'den' as a trophy.
Evidence provided to the US government this week overwhelmingly concludes that unless urgent action is taken now a species that is symbolic with the heart of Africa will be lost from most of its current range. Numbers are in rapid decline across much of Africa – down from nearly 76,000 in 1980 to less than 40,000 today. In some countries, populations are so rare they may be counted on the fingers of two hands. Lions have become extinct in three of their former range states since 2008.
But does it matter? Why not let them go? Why not continue to persecute lions, convert their wilderness for agriculture, poison them with cheap insecticides or cut off their magnificent heads to hang above the door. Would we really miss them? Isn't the lion in the zoo a safe, secure, viable alternative? We are not going to lose lions as a species, they breed far too well in the miserable confines of captivity – but we may be about to lose 'wild' lions and with them the wilderness areas of Africa.
Unlike the lion, which waits for our omnipotent will to be known, we have a choice. To destroy or to protect, to squander or to save. If we cannot conserve with compassion, make room for and appreciate the wild lion, then no other species stands a chance. If wild lions go, then, for the rest, it's only a matter of time.
• Will Travers is the CEO of UK charity the Born Free Foundation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/mar/02/save-the-lion-endangered-africa
African lion may be added to U.S. endangered species list to curb American trophy hunters
A coalition of conservation groups filed a petition Tuesday to list the African lion (Panthera leo) as a protected species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), citing the American appetite for sports hunting and lion products—such as lion-skin rugs—as major factors in the big cat's decline.
The petition was filed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Humane Society International (HSI), Born Free USA, Born Free Foundation and Defenders of Wildlife.
"The king of the jungle is heading toward extinction, and yet Americans continue to kill lions for sport," Jeff Flocken, IFAW's Washington, D.C., office director, said in a prepared statement. "Our nation is responsible for importing over half of all lions brought home by trophy hunters each year. The African lion is in real trouble, and it is time for this senseless killing and unsustainable practice to stop."
Although lions are difficult to count, populations are estimated to have dropped nearly 50 percent in the past three decades, mainly due to unsustainable hunting. Other threats include habitat loss, disease, the bushmeat trade, use of lion parts in traditional African medicine, and retaliatory killings for livestock killed by lions. Current estimates range from 23,000 to 40,000 lions left in Africa, down from an estimated 75,800 in 1980.
According to the groups' petition (pdf), at least 5,663 wild lions were traded internationally for recreational trophy hunting purposes between 1998 and 2008, with 64 percent of those trophies being imported into the U.S.
"Because of their evolutionary and biological behaviors, trophy hunting is particularly bad for lions," Flocken said at a press conference on Tuesday. Among the cats, trophy hunters tend to target the large, visually striking male pack leaders. The death of a leader leaves a pack unstable, resulting in younger males fighting and often killing each other for dominance. The new top male often also ends up killing all of the pack's cubs to preserve his genetic dominance, and some females may die trying to protect their offspring. "The countries that allow hunting have the worst drops in lion populations," Flocken said.
Adding lions to the list of species protected by the ESA would create a ban on the import of hunting trophies. This would "hopefully reduce the threat to lions by eliminating the incentive of bringing back a trophy," Flocken said. Listing the species would also prohibit the sale of commercially traded lion parts such as skins, claws and skulls, which can sell for thousands of dollars each.
ESA protection would further help lions by raising awareness of their plight, said Bob Irvin, senior vice president for conservation programs at Defenders of Wildlife. "Without the Endangered Species Act, the very symbol of African wildlife could disappear forever," he said.
Americans are hardly the only factor pushing lions toward extinction. Africa's human population is growing quickly, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where it could hit 1.75 billion by 2050. This puts enormous pressure on lions' habitat, which has already shrunk to less than a quarter of its historic range. It will also fuel further human–lion conflicts, with lions perceived as dangers to safety and prosperity, much the same way wolves are often seen in the U.S.
The U.S. Secretary of the Interior now has 90 days to assess whether listing lions under the ESA may be warranted, 12 months to decide whether to propose listing, and then another 12 months to make a final decision.
Asiatic lions (P. l. persica) are already protected under the ESA. Only about 400 of that particular subspecies remain the wild, all living in a single forest in India.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=african-lion-may-be-added-to-us-end-2011-03-01
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Lions Maul Man To Death In Safari Shower
Peter Evershed was dragged from the bathroom by five lions at a bush camp on Zimbabwe's border with Zambia.The 59-year-old businessman had been on a fishing trip at the Chitake Camping site in northern Zimbabwe with his wife Jane.
According to Mashonaland West provincial police spokesman Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara, Mr Evershed was taking a shower under a tree near the campsite when he was surrounded by the pride.
"He screamed for help from other tourists who quickly drove to the scene flashing their lights in a bid to scare away the marauding lions," he said.
But the attack continued until safari operator Steven Pop fired shots in the air to scare off the lions.
However, by that time Mr Evershed had suffered a fatal throat wound, according to Zimbabwe's Herald Online.
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force head Johnny Rodrigues said that a surge in poaching and illegal hunting has helped made the wild animals more aggressive.
Last month an elephant killed a visitor in a nearby area, and soon after a conservation activist died in a charge by a wounded buffalo.
Safaris have become an important revenue source for Zimbabwe, which has suffered from hyper-inflation in recent years.
According to Mashonaland West provincial police spokesman Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara, Mr Evershed was taking a shower under a tree near the campsite when he was surrounded by the pride.
"He screamed for help from other tourists who quickly drove to the scene flashing their lights in a bid to scare away the marauding lions," he said.
But the attack continued until safari operator Steven Pop fired shots in the air to scare off the lions.
However, by that time Mr Evershed had suffered a fatal throat wound, according to Zimbabwe's Herald Online.
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force head Johnny Rodrigues said that a surge in poaching and illegal hunting has helped made the wild animals more aggressive.
Last month an elephant killed a visitor in a nearby area, and soon after a conservation activist died in a charge by a wounded buffalo.
Safaris have become an important revenue source for Zimbabwe, which has suffered from hyper-inflation in recent years.
Lions Maul Man To Death In Safari Shower
Peter Evershed was dragged from the bathroom by five lions at a bush camp on Zimbabwe's border with Zambia.The 59-year-old businessman had been on a fishing trip at the Chitake Camping site in northern Zimbabwe with his wife Jane.
According to Mashonaland West provincial police spokesman Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara, Mr Evershed was taking a shower under a tree near the campsite when he was surrounded by the pride.
"He screamed for help from other tourists who quickly drove to the scene flashing their lights in a bid to scare away the marauding lions," he said.
But the attack continued until safari operator Steven Pop fired shots in the air to scare off the lions.
However, by that time Mr Evershed had suffered a fatal throat wound, according to Zimbabwe's Herald Online.
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force head Johnny Rodrigues said that a surge in poaching and illegal hunting has helped made the wild animals more aggressive.
Last month an elephant killed a visitor in a nearby area, and soon after a conservation activist died in a charge by a wounded buffalo.
Safaris have become an important revenue source for Zimbabwe, which has suffered from hyper-inflation in recent years.
According to Mashonaland West provincial police spokesman Inspector Clemence Mabgweazara, Mr Evershed was taking a shower under a tree near the campsite when he was surrounded by the pride.
"He screamed for help from other tourists who quickly drove to the scene flashing their lights in a bid to scare away the marauding lions," he said.
But the attack continued until safari operator Steven Pop fired shots in the air to scare off the lions.
However, by that time Mr Evershed had suffered a fatal throat wound, according to Zimbabwe's Herald Online.
Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force head Johnny Rodrigues said that a surge in poaching and illegal hunting has helped made the wild animals more aggressive.
Last month an elephant killed a visitor in a nearby area, and soon after a conservation activist died in a charge by a wounded buffalo.
Safaris have become an important revenue source for Zimbabwe, which has suffered from hyper-inflation in recent years.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Indian officials to investigate spate of big cat deaths
21 September 2010
The deaths of three tigers and two lions in less than a week has prompted an investigation by national park authorities in India.
Two tigers have died of "bacterial infection", while a third tiger and two lions died of old age at Bennerghatta national park, a wildlife official said.
The park has been disinfected and staff asked to maintain hygiene, he said.
There are over 1,400 tigers and several hundred lions in the wild in India.
Two lions and a Siberian tiger died first at the 25,000-acre park located near the southern city of Bangalore. Wildlife officials attributed their deaths to old age.
But the deaths of a four-year-old tigress and a three-month-old cub were caused by food and water-borne bacteria, officials said.
The park, a popular tourist destination, has 47 tigers and nine lions.
It is home to many endangered animals and considered an important corridor for elephants in southern India.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11379209
The deaths of three tigers and two lions in less than a week has prompted an investigation by national park authorities in India.
Two tigers have died of "bacterial infection", while a third tiger and two lions died of old age at Bennerghatta national park, a wildlife official said.
The park has been disinfected and staff asked to maintain hygiene, he said.
There are over 1,400 tigers and several hundred lions in the wild in India.
Two lions and a Siberian tiger died first at the 25,000-acre park located near the southern city of Bangalore. Wildlife officials attributed their deaths to old age.
But the deaths of a four-year-old tigress and a three-month-old cub were caused by food and water-borne bacteria, officials said.
The park, a popular tourist destination, has 47 tigers and nine lions.
It is home to many endangered animals and considered an important corridor for elephants in southern India.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11379209
Indian officials to investigate spate of big cat deaths
21 September 2010
The deaths of three tigers and two lions in less than a week has prompted an investigation by national park authorities in India.
Two tigers have died of "bacterial infection", while a third tiger and two lions died of old age at Bennerghatta national park, a wildlife official said.
The park has been disinfected and staff asked to maintain hygiene, he said.
There are over 1,400 tigers and several hundred lions in the wild in India.
Two lions and a Siberian tiger died first at the 25,000-acre park located near the southern city of Bangalore. Wildlife officials attributed their deaths to old age.
But the deaths of a four-year-old tigress and a three-month-old cub were caused by food and water-borne bacteria, officials said.
The park, a popular tourist destination, has 47 tigers and nine lions.
It is home to many endangered animals and considered an important corridor for elephants in southern India.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11379209
The deaths of three tigers and two lions in less than a week has prompted an investigation by national park authorities in India.
Two tigers have died of "bacterial infection", while a third tiger and two lions died of old age at Bennerghatta national park, a wildlife official said.
The park has been disinfected and staff asked to maintain hygiene, he said.
There are over 1,400 tigers and several hundred lions in the wild in India.
Two lions and a Siberian tiger died first at the 25,000-acre park located near the southern city of Bangalore. Wildlife officials attributed their deaths to old age.
But the deaths of a four-year-old tigress and a three-month-old cub were caused by food and water-borne bacteria, officials said.
The park, a popular tourist destination, has 47 tigers and nine lions.
It is home to many endangered animals and considered an important corridor for elephants in southern India.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11379209
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Lion Slaughter
More than 1000 captive lions a year are killed for trophies in SouthAfrica, according to a shock report issued yesterday by aJohannesburg-based animal-rights group.The 92-page Animal Rights Africa report depicts a huntingfree-for-all, and claims the government still has no clear idea howmany animals are hunted."The government supports this killing, arguing hunting in South Africais in line with the concept of 'sustainable utilisation of naturalresources'. Ethics and scientific justification appear not to comeinto it," the group said yesterday.--
full story:http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article536840.ece/Group-exposes-slaughter-of-lions
full story:http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article536840.ece/Group-exposes-slaughter-of-lions
Monday, June 28, 2010
MORE ON THE LION BURGER SCANDAL
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A small Arizona restaurant found itself at the center of a nationwide backlash that included a bomb threat after it announced plans to offer lion burgers this week as part of a World Cup promotion.But following the supply chain back to the mom-and-pop butcher that processed the alleged lion meat turns up an even more bizarre tale. http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/23/smallbusiness/world_cup_lion_burger/index.htm
Saturday, June 26, 2010
MORE ON THE LION BURGER SCANDAL
PHOENIX — A restaurant owner who put lion burgers on the menu in honor of the World Cup has felt a roar of anger from outraged animal rights activists. Cameron Selogie, owner of the Il Vinaio restaurant in Mesa, served burgers made with African lion this week as a nod to the tournament in South Africa. Reservations sold out, with a waiting list 100 long. But the burgers also attracted international attention and the scorn of animal rights activists, who picketed outside the restaurant. Selogie has even received some death threats. And now Selogie himself is questioning whether the meat was fair game.
-- full story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5je5uSiXkvVCGXxXUQRfHt0N9TyegD9GIHC900
-- full story:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5je5uSiXkvVCGXxXUQRfHt0N9TyegD9GIHC900
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Is it legal to eat lions? (Via D R Shoop)
http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/23/smallbusiness/world_cup_lion_burger/index.htm?hpt=C2
A small Arizona restaurant found itself at the center of a nationwide backlash that included a bomb threat after it announced plans to offer lion burgers this week as part of a World Cup promotion. But following the supply chain back to the mom-and-pop butcher that processed the alleged lion meat turns up an even more bizarre tale.
The story started when Cameron Selogie, owner of Il Vinaio restaurant in Mesa, Ariz., bought about 10 pounds of so-called African lion meat, planning to mix it with ground beef to make burgers honoring the FIFA World Cup's South African location. Selogie sent an e-mail newsletter to his restaurant's patrons advertising the special.
That newsletter -- which was the sole publicity Selogie had planned -- exploded into a media blitz when one of the e-mail recipients turned out to be an animal activist.
She spread word to a local TV station, and the news has since circled the globe, even garnering a brief write-up in the online version of London's Daily Telegraph. Lion burgers are an attention-grabbing idea, but it raises the question: How, exactly, does an Arizona restaurant manage to get its hands on African lion meat?
Welcome to the mysterious world of back-alley exotic meat purveyance.
Selogie said he bought the meat through a Phoenix distributor, Gourmet Imports-Wild Game -- a one-man operation owned by Rick Worrilow. Selogie says he did his research, and was told that the meat came from a free-range farm in Illinois that is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Meanwhile, Worrilow, who essentially serves as a middleman between farms, meat processors and restaurants, also said the meat came from a completely legal plant in Illinois. And even though he didn't know the name of that plant, Worrilow said he was confident that the meat was inspected by federal regulators. So where's this supposed African lion farm in Illinois?
Well, here's one clue: When the meat arrived at Il Vinaio on Tuesday evening, Selogie said it came in packaging with the name "Czimer's Game & Sea Foods." Czimer isn't a free-range farm. It's a butcher shop located just outside of Chicago in Homer Glen, Ill.
Lions, ligers and bears ...
Czimer's website advertises standard wild game: pheasants, quail, ducks, venison, buffalo and so on. But then, sprinkled through the product list, some wilder offerings pop up. Like llama leg roasts. Or camel cutlets.
And African lion meat. You can snag it in shoulder roast, steak, tenderloin or burger form -- or, for a bargain, try the ribs at $10 a pound.
So where does Richard Czimer, the company's owner, get these lions?
The meat is the byproduct of a skinning operation owned by another man, Czimer said in an interview with CNNMoney.com. He declined to name that gentleman. "This man buys and sells animals for the skin, and when I need something and he has ability to get it, I will bargain for the meat. It's a byproduct," he said. And where does that mystery man get the lions? "I wouldn't have any idea," said Czimer, who operates a small retail store in addition to his wholesale business. "He has his sources, and I do not infringe on his business, just as he does not infringe on mine."
He's willing to take a hands-off approach: "Do you question where chickens come from when you go to Brown's Chicken or Boston Market?" he asked. Czimer's exotic-meat dealings have landed him in hot water before. Back in 2003, Chicago newspapers covered his conviction and six-month prison sentence for selling meat from federally protected tigers and leopards. Czimer admitted to purchasing the carcasses of 16 tigers, four lions, two mountain lions and one liger -- a tiger-lion hybrid -- which were skinned, butchered and sold as "lion meat," for a profit of more than $38,000.
His supply chain may be murky, but like the Arizona restaurateur and the meat salesman, he expressed total certainty that his lion meat is USDA-approved and thoroughly inspected by regulators before it reaches his processing plant.
But here's a twist: The USDA says it doesn't inspect lions bred for meat. That's the job of the Food and Drug Administration. Is it legal to eat lions? Yes, according to the FDA's communications team. The African lion isn't currently a federally protected endangered species and it qualifies as a game meat, FDA spokesman Michael Herndon said in an e-mail.
While the African lion is not considered endangered by U.S. regulators, it is classified as "threatened" by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, an international protection agreement.
As for Czimer, his shop is officially registered with the FDA and has been inspected by state regulators, Heardon said. Meanwhile, back in Arizona, Selogie is taking the protests in stride. He plans to have bins of ice water outside for picketers who brave Arizona's 100-degree heat to protest as he serves up the burgers on Wednesday and Thursday night.
"I do feel bad that people are so concerned about this. But for most people, this is the king of the jungle and that's the only reason they can give me for their concern," he said. "We're not doing anything to endanger the species."
A small Arizona restaurant found itself at the center of a nationwide backlash that included a bomb threat after it announced plans to offer lion burgers this week as part of a World Cup promotion. But following the supply chain back to the mom-and-pop butcher that processed the alleged lion meat turns up an even more bizarre tale.
The story started when Cameron Selogie, owner of Il Vinaio restaurant in Mesa, Ariz., bought about 10 pounds of so-called African lion meat, planning to mix it with ground beef to make burgers honoring the FIFA World Cup's South African location. Selogie sent an e-mail newsletter to his restaurant's patrons advertising the special.
That newsletter -- which was the sole publicity Selogie had planned -- exploded into a media blitz when one of the e-mail recipients turned out to be an animal activist.
She spread word to a local TV station, and the news has since circled the globe, even garnering a brief write-up in the online version of London's Daily Telegraph. Lion burgers are an attention-grabbing idea, but it raises the question: How, exactly, does an Arizona restaurant manage to get its hands on African lion meat?
Welcome to the mysterious world of back-alley exotic meat purveyance.
Selogie said he bought the meat through a Phoenix distributor, Gourmet Imports-Wild Game -- a one-man operation owned by Rick Worrilow. Selogie says he did his research, and was told that the meat came from a free-range farm in Illinois that is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Meanwhile, Worrilow, who essentially serves as a middleman between farms, meat processors and restaurants, also said the meat came from a completely legal plant in Illinois. And even though he didn't know the name of that plant, Worrilow said he was confident that the meat was inspected by federal regulators. So where's this supposed African lion farm in Illinois?
Well, here's one clue: When the meat arrived at Il Vinaio on Tuesday evening, Selogie said it came in packaging with the name "Czimer's Game & Sea Foods." Czimer isn't a free-range farm. It's a butcher shop located just outside of Chicago in Homer Glen, Ill.
Lions, ligers and bears ...
Czimer's website advertises standard wild game: pheasants, quail, ducks, venison, buffalo and so on. But then, sprinkled through the product list, some wilder offerings pop up. Like llama leg roasts. Or camel cutlets.
And African lion meat. You can snag it in shoulder roast, steak, tenderloin or burger form -- or, for a bargain, try the ribs at $10 a pound.
So where does Richard Czimer, the company's owner, get these lions?
The meat is the byproduct of a skinning operation owned by another man, Czimer said in an interview with CNNMoney.com. He declined to name that gentleman. "This man buys and sells animals for the skin, and when I need something and he has ability to get it, I will bargain for the meat. It's a byproduct," he said. And where does that mystery man get the lions? "I wouldn't have any idea," said Czimer, who operates a small retail store in addition to his wholesale business. "He has his sources, and I do not infringe on his business, just as he does not infringe on mine."
He's willing to take a hands-off approach: "Do you question where chickens come from when you go to Brown's Chicken or Boston Market?" he asked. Czimer's exotic-meat dealings have landed him in hot water before. Back in 2003, Chicago newspapers covered his conviction and six-month prison sentence for selling meat from federally protected tigers and leopards. Czimer admitted to purchasing the carcasses of 16 tigers, four lions, two mountain lions and one liger -- a tiger-lion hybrid -- which were skinned, butchered and sold as "lion meat," for a profit of more than $38,000.
His supply chain may be murky, but like the Arizona restaurateur and the meat salesman, he expressed total certainty that his lion meat is USDA-approved and thoroughly inspected by regulators before it reaches his processing plant.
But here's a twist: The USDA says it doesn't inspect lions bred for meat. That's the job of the Food and Drug Administration. Is it legal to eat lions? Yes, according to the FDA's communications team. The African lion isn't currently a federally protected endangered species and it qualifies as a game meat, FDA spokesman Michael Herndon said in an e-mail.
While the African lion is not considered endangered by U.S. regulators, it is classified as "threatened" by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, an international protection agreement.
As for Czimer, his shop is officially registered with the FDA and has been inspected by state regulators, Heardon said. Meanwhile, back in Arizona, Selogie is taking the protests in stride. He plans to have bins of ice water outside for picketers who brave Arizona's 100-degree heat to protest as he serves up the burgers on Wednesday and Thursday night.
"I do feel bad that people are so concerned about this. But for most people, this is the king of the jungle and that's the only reason they can give me for their concern," he said. "We're not doing anything to endanger the species."
Friday, June 18, 2010
The owl and the pussycat
18 June 2010A baby owl had an amazing escape after it fell from its nest in a Devon zoo - almost landing on top of an adult lioness.
The tiny tawny owl chick landed beside Indu, a seven year old Asiatic lion, in the lion enclosure at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park.
Keeper Lucy Manning said: "The tawny owls nest in a lime tree in the lion enclosure. One day the chick just turned up on the ground.
"Indu peered at it for a while but then lost interest. I think it was too small to eat. We believe it got away - if she had eaten it there would have been fluff and feathers.
"It probably flew off - the bird keepers said it was nearly ready to fledge. An adult tawny owl was seen nearby."
Zoo staff and visitors were keen to rescue the chick, but no one could go in while the lions were in the paddock.
Ms Manning added: "The wonderful thing about the photo is the look on the owlet's face - it seems to be demanding food!"
The picture was taken by a visitor to the zoo.
http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/The_owl_and_the_pussycat
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