Protecting Lions

This spring, we are proud to share the latest updates from our lion conservation programmes in Tanzania and Zambia, where your support is helping to protect one of Africa’s most iconic and threatened species.

 Tanzania

In Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), our partners continue to foster peaceful coexistence between lions and the traditional pastoralist communities who share the landscape. At the heart of this work is the Ilchokuti programme, which employs young warriors from Maasai and Tatoga communities to help mitigate conflict and promote tolerance for lions. These 30 Ilchokuti work across 15 villages, supporting a population of over 60,000 people. This year, DSWF’s support will cover their salaries and provide essential training in livestock health and wound treatment, ensuring they are equipped to respond quickly and effectively when conflict arises. We will also provide medical supplies to treat injured livestock, with the project aiming for a 95% survival rate of wounded animals.

Zambia

In Zambia, our support is enabling the expansion of lion monitoring and protection efforts in and around Kafue National Park (KNP), particularly in the Musekese-Lumbeya region and the adjacent Mumbwa Game Management Area (GMA), where threats from poaching and habitat loss remain acute. With DSWF’s help, three new team members will join the project this year - one Zambian trainee field ecologist and two research interns - each of whom will receive training in survey techniques, data collection and analysis. DSWF’s support will also cover field essentials including SMART devices, fuel, rations, and modifications to a new field vehicle which will enhance the team’s capacity to reach remote areas more frequently.

Monitoring efforts continue to focus on vehicle and camera trap surveys, prey counts, and satellite collar tracking. Six lion prides, made up of 42 individuals, are currently being monitored via GPS collars, helping researchers to track movements, social dynamics, and breeding success. Encouragingly, the known lion population in the Musekese-Lumbeya region has grown from just seven individuals in 2017 to at least 51 in 2024. Despite this progress, densities remain low, and the continued presence of lions in this landscape depends on sustained efforts to reduce poaching, snaring, and prey loss.

Thank you for standing with us to ensure a future for lions in the wild your support continues to make a meaningful difference.