Tag: Chad

1. Tragelaphini – spiral-horned antelope

1. Tragelaphini - spiral-horned antelope

Bushbuck

Bushbuck

The Cape bushbuck , also  known as imbabala is a common, medium-sized and a widespread species of antelope in sub-Saharan Africa. It is found in a wide range of habitats, such as rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaic, savanna, bushveld, and woodland. Its stands around 90 cm at the shoulder and weigh from 45 to 80 kg. They are generally solitary, territorial browsers.

Although rarely seen, as it spends most of its time deep in the thick bush, there are around 1 million in Africa

Common Eland

 The common eland (southern eland or eland antelope) is a large-sized savannah and plains antelope from East and Southern Africa. An adult male is around 1.6 m  tall at the shoulder (females are 20 cm  shorter) and can weigh up to 942 kg with a typical range of 500–600 kg. Only the giant eland is (on average bigger). It was described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1766. Population of 136,000, can form herds of 500

Common Eland

Giant Eland

Giant Eland

The giant eland, (also known as Lord Derby’s eland and greater eland) is an open-forest and savanna antelope.

 It was described in 1847 by John Edward Gray. The giant eland is the largest species of antelope, with a body length ranging from 220–290 cm (87–114 in). There are two subspecies: T. d. derbianus and T. d. gigas.

The giant eland is a herbivore, living in small mixed gender herds consisting of 15–25 members. Giant elands have large home ranges. They can run at up to 70 km/h.  They mostly inhabit broad-leafed savannas and woodlands and are listed as vulnerable and have a wild population of 12,000-14,000

Greater Kudu

The greater kudu  is a large woodland antelope, you can see its distribution on the map. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching. 

The spiral horns are impressive, and grow at one curl every 3 years – they are fully grown at 7 and a half years with 2 and a half turns. Three subspecies have been agreed (one described has been rejected) :

 

  • T. s. strepsiceros – southern parts of the range from southern Kenya to Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa
  • T. s. chora – northeastern Africa from northern Kenya through Ethiopia to eastern Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea
  • T. s. cottoni – Chad and western Sudan
They are listed as near threatened with 118,000 in the wild
Greater Kudu

Lesser Kudu

Lesser Kudu

The lesser kudu  is a medium-sized bushland antelope found in East Africa.  It was first scientifically described by English zoologist Edward Blyth (1869).It stands around 90 cm at the shoulder and weigh from 45 to 80 kg. They are generally solitary, territorial browsers.

While currently rated not threatened, its population is decreasing. It currently stands at 100,000, but it is loosing territory to humans

Common Bongo (and mountain Bongo)

The bongo  is a large, mostly nocturnal, forest-dwelling antelope, native to sub-Saharan Africa. Bongos are characterised by a striking reddish-brown coat, black and white markings, white-yellow stripes, and long slightly spiralled horns. It is the only member of its family in which both sexes have horns. Bongos have a complex social interaction and are found in African dense forest mosaics. They are the third-largest antelope in the world.

The Common (western or lowland bongo), faces an ongoing population decline, and the IUCN considers it to be Near Threatened.

The mountain bongo (or eastern) of Kenya, has a coat even more vibrant than the common version. The mountain bongo is only found in the wild in a few mountain regions of central Kenya. This bongo is classified by the IUCN  as Critically Endangered (where it breeds readily). (this is not on the map above). Only 100 live wild, split between 4 areas of Kenya

Common Bongo

Nyala

Nyala

The Nyala is a spiral horned species

 found in Southern Africa. The nyala is mainly active in the early morning and the late afternoon. It generally browses during the day if temperatures are 20–30 °C  and during the night in the rainy season. The nyala feeds upon foliage, fruits and grasses, and requires sufficient fresh water. It is a very shy animal, and prefers water holes to the river bank. Not territorial, they are very cautious creatures. They live in single-sex or mixed family groups of up to 10 individuals, but old males live alone. They inhabit thickets within dense and dry savanna woodlands. The main predators of the nyala are lion, leopard and African wild dog, while baboons and raptorial birds prey on juveniles. Males and females are sexually mature at 18 and 11–12 months of age respectively, though they are socially immature until five years old. They have one calf after 7 months of gestation. Its population is stable, with the greatest threat coming from habitat loss as humans expand. There are thought to be 36500 and the population is stable.

Mountain Nyala

 The mountain Nyala (also known as the Balbok) is a large antelope found in high altitude woodlands in just a small part of central Ethiopia. The coat is grey to brown, marked with two to five poorly defined white strips extending from the back to the underside, and a row of six to ten white spots. White markings are present on the face, throat and legs as well. Males have a short dark erect crest, about 10 cm (3.9 in) high, running along the middle of the back. Only males possess horns.

The mountain nyala are shy and elusive towards human beings. They form small temporary herds. Males are not territorial. Primarily a browser. They will grazing occasionally. Males and females are sexually mature at 2 years old.. Gestation lasts for eight to nine months, after which a single calf is born. The lifespan of a mountain nyala is around 15 to 20 years.

Found in mountain woodland -between 3000m and 4000m. Human settlement and large livestock population have forced the animal to occupy heath forests at an altitude of above 3,400 m (11,200 ft). Mountain nyala are endemic to the Ethiopian highlands east of the Rift Valley. As much as half of the population live within 200 square km (77 sq mi) area of Gaysay, in the northern part of the Bale Mountains National Park. The mountain nyala has been classified under the Endangered category of the  (IUCN). Their influence on Ethiopian culture is notable, with the mountain nyala being featured on the obverse of Ethiopian ten cents coins.

Mountain Nyala

Situnga Antelope

Situnga

The sitatunga  (or marshbuck)is a swamp-dwelling medium-sized antelope found throughout central Africa (see the map to the right. The sitatunga is mostly confined to swampy and marshy habitats. Here they occur in tall and dense vegetation as well as seasonal swamps, marshy clearings in forests, riparian thickets and mangrove swamps.

The scientific name of the sitatunga is Tragelaphus spekii. The species was first described by the English explorer John Hanning Speke in 1863.

It is listed as least concern with 170,000-200,000, and are found in 25 countries. However 40% live outside reserves, so the situation could get worse fast.

Note: these animals have been dealt with in less detail than others. Should you be interested in finding out if I have written on these animals or what exactly I said, you can find a list of articles about each below its information.

Ostrich

Both ostrich species Combined PaleoNeolithic photo credit Diego Delso&Ninara

Both ostrich species Combined PaleoNeolithic photo credit Diego Delso&Ninara

Ostrich

Common Ostrich 

Somali Ostrich

The common ostrich is found across a large part of the African Continent. Until 1919 there was a fourth subspecies of the common ostrich which was found across much of the Arabian Peninsular. It was completely extinct in the wild by 1972. They have now been reintroduced to Israel, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and United Arab Emirates – though it is hard to find accurate figures for how many are found there now. (Do get in touch if you operate a reserve with these birds present, we would love to help people find you).

As you can see, the other African subspecies  are still going.

The Somali Ostrich was only recognized as a separate species back in 2014, having been thought to be a subspecies until them.

A report to the IUCN in 2006 believed that this ostrich was common in central and southern Somalia until 1970-80. However, following the breakdown in the country, it is not surprising that conservation took back-stage, and it is questionable as to whether any remain (in the horn of africa).

In Kenya it is farmed for meat, feathers and eggs.

This is a map of the different Ostrich species and subspecies range

  • The yellow area, shows the range of the Somali Ostrich – Now recognized as a separate species.
  • The green area shows the range of the Massai Ostrich – while this population is listed as least concern, its numbers are in decline
  • The red is the South African Ostrich, this is generally secure, though only found within reserves.
  • The Orange is the range of the North African Ostrich: classed as critically endangered, it is only found in 6 of the 18 countries it originally roamed. It is the largest and heaviest subspecies. The countries it is still found in include fragmented pockets of Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic and Senegal. They have also been reintroduced into Chad, Morocco and in 2014 (127 years after being lost) Tunisia. They were reintroduced to Saudi Arabia in the Mahazat as-Sayd Protected Area in 1994 and this population has done well with around 90-100 now living within this reserve

There is thought to be approximately 150,000 ostrich left in the wild. Having said this, like other large species, they are prone to local extinction. The best way to see these in the wild are to head to reserves where they still exist. 

Unfortunately, they are not easy to look after – in smaller reserves with large predators, they can be hunted and face local extinction. As such, while there are other reserves where they hang on, the majority of their remaining population are split between big reserves like the Kruger and the Serengeti, and small reserves like the Cape point national park in South Africa (this reserve is only 77.5 square km, or around 30 square miles and was in the past a big 5 nature reserve. Now, only the cape leopard is present and this is very rarely seen.

If you wish to see the Ostrich look in our list of wild places. Kruger, Okavango  and the Serengeti all have ostrich (in Kruger you need to look in the more sparsely area in the north of the park).

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Reversing extinction: Marwell zoo and the scimitar-horned oryx

Declared extinct in the wild back in 2000, this species is now not only re-established in the wild, but has a big enough population to now only be listed as endangered (down from critically endangered).

Apart from supplying individuals for the reintroduction, Marwell zoo also helped with strategy.

The video below is just 2 minutes long. While it talks about Marwells other work as well, it shows a number of these animals living wild back in Africa.

This has got to become the reason for zoos. What ever else they do, there are many species at risk of extinction in the wild, these need to have enough captive individuals to re-establish wild populations, should the current conservation fail.

Of course, zoos have many other roles, from education, to fostering a love of wildlife in the next generation.

One thing that they should not be, is a curio house- many zoos are far to worried about displaying albino or melanistic individuals. Now while these individuals are fascinating and can be used as ambassadors for the species, their genetic health should be looked after (all white tigers are descended from one female, and closely related individuals are regularly bred togerther to ensure this trait is passed down. Indeed, as a result of this, white tigers are often not of good health.

The majority of zoos are now like Marwell – while like many, it started as the private zoo of wealthy owners it has turned into an important place of conservation and science. Another of their successes, is the cooperative breeding that occurs as standard in current times, across Europe. Regular loaning of animals is essential, so that we can treat all of the zoo animals in Europe as one single population, thereby  making sure that all animals in the system are healthy.

There are many hundreds of zoos across Europe (some claim as many as 2000, though around 1500 is the estimated worldwide number suggesting that this is a rather large exaggeration. It is likely that around half of the worlds zoos are in Europe, and by cooperative breeding, we can make sure that healthy populations remain in captivity, so that should a population be lost from the wild, it can be returned, when the wild situation improves.

Almost all predictions about human population are expected to peak in the coming decades, and then decline after that. If this pattern is followed, it should be expected that we will need to re-establish wilderness in the future. 

Scimitar-horned oryx have been returned to the wild in Tunisia, and Chad and there are plans to return them to the wild in Niger, in the near future.

Extinction was caused by a variety of features, but the primary one was over-hunting. This has virtually been eliminated, after a ban on hunting of this species was put into effect in 2013. Should this species be allowed to fully recover. In 1985, there was a population of at least 500 of this species living in the wild, so it took only 15 years for it to disappear, as such what is clearly essential is a regular assessment on how this species is faring, allowing earlier interventions.

Saving the natural world, may require this kind of success to be a regular feature.

Aardvark

Aardvark

The Aardvark is an incredibly rarely seen animal. It is found on the savannahs of Africa, and generally lives well in and out of protected areas. It is quite a sizable aniimals, and has relatively high densities throughout its range (roughly 1 per square km in habitats that it is best suited to).

So why is it so rare to see this animal? They are one of the most exclusively nocturnal species that you can find. These are animals for which wildlife guides get excited.

The name, translated from Afrikaans means earth-pig. They are incredible diggers, and many of the burrows in the savannah are dug by them, who ever ends up using them.

The are insect eaters, and are well suited. Their claws are strong, allowing them to dig into the incredibly hard termite mounds, it has a long tongue of around 30cm, which they can direct down ant holes to get hold of their food. They have an incredible sense of smell and hearing to allow them to find the animals, and can shut their eyes and nose so as to avoid being attacked back.

Although rarely seen, there are places which have learnt how to watch them, giving you a great chance to see an animal few know about. Over recent decades, they have started appearing in zoos, with Colchester in the UK (should you visit, it is a species that needs patience, otherwise you are likely to just see a pile of aardvarks sleeping in their burrow.

It is at the top of animals I would like to see in the wild. Given, their range both in and out of reserves, I am hoping over time to build up plenty of places to see them out in the human world. Please get in touch if you are a farmer, who has these on your land.

Any of the savannah ecosystems on our wild places list will host these animals, however a great deal of luck will be needed to see them in the wild. However, we will add an special places we find where your odds are higher. For now, click here, if you want to visit a savannah ecosystem in the near future.

1. Tragelaphini – spiral-horned antelope

1. Tragelaphini - spiral-horned antelope

Bushbuck

Bushbuck

The Cape bushbuck , also  known as imbabala is a common, medium-sized and a widespread species of antelope in sub-Saharan Africa. It is found in a wide range of habitats, such as rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaic, savanna, bushveld, and woodland. Its stands around 90 cm at the shoulder and weigh from 45 to 80 kg. They are generally solitary, territorial browsers.

Although rarely seen, as it spends most of its time deep in the thick bush, there are around 1 million in Africa

Select a shortcode

Common Eland

 The common eland (southern eland or eland antelope) is a large-sized savannah and plains antelope from East and Southern Africa. An adult male is around 1.6 m  tall at the shoulder (females are 20 cm  shorter) and can weigh up to 942 kg with a typical range of 500–600 kg. Only the giant eland is (on average bigger). It was described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1766. Population of 136,000, can form herds of 500

Common Eland

Giant Eland

Giant Eland

The giant eland, (also known as Lord Derby’s eland and greater eland) is an open-forest and savanna antelope.

 It was described in 1847 by John Edward Gray. The giant eland is the largest species of antelope, with a body length ranging from 220–290 cm (87–114 in). There are two subspecies: T. d. derbianus and T. d. gigas.

The giant eland is a herbivore, living in small mixed gender herds consisting of 15–25 members. Giant elands have large home ranges. They can run at up to 70 km/h.  They mostly inhabit broad-leafed savannas and woodlands and are listed as vulnerable and have a wild population of 12,000-14,000

Greater Kudu

The greater kudu  is a large woodland antelope, you can see its distribution on the map. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching. 

The spiral horns are impressive, and grow at one curl every 3 years – they are fully grown at 7 and a half years with 2 and a half turns. Three subspecies have been agreed (one described has been rejected) :

 

  • T. s. strepsiceros – southern parts of the range from southern Kenya to Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa
  • T. s. chora – northeastern Africa from northern Kenya through Ethiopia to eastern Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea
  • T. s. cottoni – Chad and western Sudan
They are listed as near threatened with 118,000 in the wild
Greater Kudu

Lesser Kudu

Lesser Kudu

The lesser kudu  is a medium-sized bushland antelope found in East Africa.  It was first scientifically described by English zoologist Edward Blyth (1869).It stands around 90 cm at the shoulder and weigh from 45 to 80 kg. They are generally solitary, territorial browsers.

While currently rated not threatened, its population is decreasing. It currently stands at 100,000, but it is loosing territory to humans

Common Bongo (and mountain Bongo)

The bongo  is a large, mostly nocturnal, forest-dwelling antelope, native to sub-Saharan Africa. Bongos are characterised by a striking reddish-brown coat, black and white markings, white-yellow stripes, and long slightly spiralled horns. It is the only member of its family in which both sexes have horns. Bongos have a complex social interaction and are found in African dense forest mosaics. They are the third-largest antelope in the world.

The Common (western or lowland bongo), faces an ongoing population decline, and the IUCN considers it to be Near Threatened.

The mountain bongo (or eastern) of Kenya, has a coat even more vibrant than the common version. The mountain bongo is only found in the wild in a few mountain regions of central Kenya. This bongo is classified by the IUCN  as Critically Endangered (where it breeds readily). (this is not on the map above). Only 100 live wild, split between 4 areas of Kenya

Common Bongo

Nyala

Nyala

The Nyala is a spiral horned species

 found in Southern Africa. The nyala is mainly active in the early morning and the late afternoon. It generally browses during the day if temperatures are 20–30 °C  and during the night in the rainy season. The nyala feeds upon foliage, fruits and grasses, and requires sufficient fresh water. It is a very shy animal, and prefers water holes to the river bank. Not territorial, they are very cautious creatures. They live in single-sex or mixed family groups of up to 10 individuals, but old males live alone. They inhabit thickets within dense and dry savanna woodlands. The main predators of the nyala are lion, leopard and African wild dog, while baboons and raptorial birds prey on juveniles. Males and females are sexually mature at 18 and 11–12 months of age respectively, though they are socially immature until five years old. They have one calf after 7 months of gestation. Its population is stable, with the greatest threat coming from habitat loss as humans expand. There are thought to be 36500 and the population is stable.

Mountain Nyala

 The mountain Nyala (also known as the Balbok) is a large antelope found in high altitude woodlands in just a small part of central Ethiopia. The coat is grey to brown, marked with two to five poorly defined white strips extending from the back to the underside, and a row of six to ten white spots. White markings are present on the face, throat and legs as well. Males have a short dark erect crest, about 10 cm (3.9 in) high, running along the middle of the back. Only males possess horns.

The mountain nyala are shy and elusive towards human beings. They form small temporary herds. Males are not territorial. Primarily a browser. They will grazing occasionally. Males and females are sexually mature at 2 years old.. Gestation lasts for eight to nine months, after which a single calf is born. The lifespan of a mountain nyala is around 15 to 20 years.

Found in mountain woodland -between 3000m and 4000m. Human settlement and large livestock population have forced the animal to occupy heath forests at an altitude of above 3,400 m (11,200 ft). Mountain nyala are endemic to the Ethiopian highlands east of the Rift Valley. As much as half of the population live within 200 square km (77 sq mi) area of Gaysay, in the northern part of the Bale Mountains National Park. The mountain nyala has been classified under the Endangered category of the  (IUCN). Their influence on Ethiopian culture is notable, with the mountain nyala being featured on the obverse of Ethiopian ten cents coins.

Mountain Nyala

Sitatunga Antelope

Situnga

The sitatunga  (or marshbuck)is a swamp-dwelling medium-sized antelope found throughout central Africa (see the map to the right. The sitatunga is mostly confined to swampy and marshy habitats. Here they occur in tall and dense vegetation as well as seasonal swamps, marshy clearings in forests, riparian thickets and mangrove swamps.

The scientific name of the sitatunga is Tragelaphus spekii. The species was first described by the English explorer John Hanning Speke in 1863.

It is listed as least concern with 170,000-200,000, and are found in 25 countries. However 40% live outside reserves, so the situation could get worse fast.

Note: these animals have been dealt with in less detail than others. Should you be interested in finding out if I have written on these animals or what exactly I said, you can find a list of articles about each below its information.

2. Subfamily Reduncinae: rhebok reedbuck and Waterbuck

2. Reduncinae - Rhebok, Reedbuck, Waterbuck

Bohor Reedbuck

Boher Reedbuck

The bohor reedbuck  is an antelope native to central Africa.

The head-and-body length of this medium-sized antelope is typically between 100–135 cm. Females are smaller. This sturdily built antelope has a yellow to grayish brown coat. Only the males possess horns which measure about 25–35 cm long. There are 5 subspecies:

  • R. r. bohor Rüppell, 1842: Also known as the Abyssinian bohor reedbuck. It occurs in southwestern, western and central Ethiopia, and Blue Nile (Sudan).
  • R. r. cottoni (W. Rothschild, 1902): It occurs in the Sudds (Southern Sudan), northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and probably in northern Uganda.
  • R. r. nigeriensis (Blaine, 1913): This subspecies occurs in Nigeria, northern Cameroon, southern Chad and Central African Republic.
  • R. r. redunca (Pallas, 1767): Its range extends from Senegal east to Togo. It inhabits the northern savannas of Africa. 
  • R. r. wardi (Thomas, 1900): Found in Uganda, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and eastern Africa. 
The total population of this species is 100,000, and while it is decreasing, it is not currently low enough to justify a near threatened rating, though this might change in the near future. At the current time, I cannot see any of the subspecies being in a worse position but can change this if I find out more.

Mountain Reedbuck

 The mountain reedbuck has 3 subspecies. The western mountain reedbuck only has 450 individuals still living wild, (shown on the map in red) also known as the Adamwa mountain reedbuck which is restricted to the highlands of Cameroon. The Eastern mountain reedbuck (or Chanlers) has 2900 wild individuals, is found in parts of Kenya and Ethiopia. The Southern moutnain reedbuck, blue, (33,000) is found in the Drakensburg mountains of South Africa.

Mountain Reedbuck

Southern Reedbuck

Southern Reedbuck

The Southern, or common Reedbuck is found in Southern Africa. It is a midsized  antelope, standing 134-167cm tall

 It was described in 1785 by Pieter Boddaert. Southern reedbucks live in pairs or alone, though occasionally they will form herds of up to 20. They prefer to lie in grass or reed beds in the heat of the day and feed during sunrise and sunset, or sometimes even at night. Old reedbucks are permanently territorial, with territories around 35-60 hectares, and generally live with a single female, preventing contact with rival males. Females and young males perform an ‘appeasement dance’ for older males.  Within this territory, it is active all the time in summer, but it is nocturnal in the wet season. It regularly uses paths to reach good sites to rest, graze, and drink water. They are hunted by all the top predators in the area, including Lion, Leopard, Cheetah hyena and wild dog, as well as animals like snakes.

They are easily hunted, and combined with loss of territory to human expansion, the population is down. About 60% occur in protected reserves, but in some countries like Gabon and the DRC are though to almost be locally extinct.

Kob

The puku  is a mid-sized antelope found in wet grasslands in Southern Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and more concentrated in the Okavango Delta in Botswana.

Nearly one-third of all puku are found in protected areas, zoos, and national parks due to their diminishing habitat (though this still leaves 2/3 of Puku living outside all protected areas.

Kob (queen Elizabeth national park)

Red Lechwe

Red Lechwe

Red Lechewe is a species of antelope found in the south of eastern African. The red lechwe is native to Botswana, Zambia, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, northeastern Namibia, and eastern Angola, especially in the Okavango Delta, Kafue Flats, and Bangweulu Wetlands. They are found in shallow water, and have a substance on their legs which allows them to run pretty fast. Total population is around 160,000

Four subspecies of the lechwe have been recognized

  • Common red lechwe (Gray, 1850) – Widely distributed in the wetlands of Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. (80,000)
  • Kafue Flats lechwe  (Haltenorth, 1963) – It is confined within the Kafue Flats (seasonally inundated flood-plain on the Kafue River, Zambia). (28,000)
  • † Roberts’ lechwe  (Rothschild, 1907) – Formerly found in northeastern Zambia, now extinct. Also called the Kawambwa lechwe.
  • Black lechwe (Kobus leche smithemani) (Lydekker, 1900) – Found in the Bangweulu region of Zambia. (50,000)

In addition, the Upemba lechwe (1000)  and the extinct Cape lechwe are also considered subspecies by some authorities. Although related and sharing the name “lechwe”, the Nile lechwe (below) is consistently recognized as a separate species.

Nile Lechwe

The Nile lechwe or Mrs Gray’s lechwe  is an endangered species of antelope found in swamps and grasslands in South Sudan and Ethiopia.

Nile lechwe can visually signal and vocalize to communicate with each other. They rear high in the air in front of their opponents and turn their heads to the side while displaying. Females are quite loud, making a toad-like croaking when moving. Known predators are humans, lions, crocodiles, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas and leopards. They flee to water if disturbed, but females defend their offspring from smaller predators by direct attack, mainly kicking. Nile lechwe are crepuscular, active in the early morning and late afternoon. They gather in herds of up to 50 females and one male or in smaller all-male herds. They divide themselves into three social groups: females and their new offspring, bachelor males, and mature males with territories. A males with territory sometimes allows a bachelor male into his territory to guard the region and not to copulate. They are sexually mature at 2.

Nile lechwe feed on succulent grasses and water plants. They have the special capability to wade in shallow waters and swim in deeper waters, and may feed on young leaves from trees and bushes, rearing up to reach this green vegetation. Nile lechwe are also found in marshy areas, where they eat aquatic plants.  Around 32,000 and are classed as endangered

Nile Lechwe

Puku

Puku

The puku  is a medium-sized antelope found in wet grasslands in southern Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and more concentrated in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Nearly one-third of all puku are found in protected areas, zoos, and national parks due to their diminishing habitat (the issue here, is that these 2/3 are clearly at danger of disappearing if humans change their behaviour. They are currenly listed as not threatened

Two subspecies exist:

  • Senga Puku
  • Southern Puku
Both appear to be not threatened.
They are found in Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Park

Waterbuck

The waterbuck  is a large antelope found widely in sub-Saharan Africa.It was first described by Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1833.

Its 13 subspecies are grouped under two varieties: the common or ellipsiprymnus waterbuck and the defassa waterbuck. The head-and-body length is typically between 177 and 235cm  and the typical height is between 120 and 136cm. In this antelope, males are taller and heavier than females. Males reach roughly 127 cm at the shoulder, while females reach 119cm. Males typically weigh 198–262 kg and females 161–214 kg. Their coat colour varies from brown to grey. The long, spiral horns, present only on males, curve backward, then forward, and are 55–99 cm long. Waterbucks are rather sedentary in nature. As gregarious animals, they may form herds consisting of six to 30 individuals. These groups are either nursery herds with females and their offspring or bachelor herds. Males start showing territorial behaviour from the age of 5 years, but are most dominant from the six to nine. The waterbuck cannot tolerate dehydration in hot weather, and thus inhabits areas close to sources of water. Predominantly a grazer, the waterbuck is mostly found on grassland. In equatorial regions, breeding takes place throughout the year, but births are at their peak in the rainy season. The gestational period lasts 7–8 months, followed by the birth of a single calf.

Waterbucks inhabit scrub and savanna areas along rivers, lakes, and valleys. Due to their requirement for grasslands and water, waterbucks have a sparse ecotone distribution. The IUCN lists the waterbuck as being of least concern. More specifically, the common waterbuck is listed as of least concern. while the defassa waterbuck is near threatened. The population trend for both is downwards, especially that of the defassa, with large populations being eliminated from certain habitats because of poaching and human disturbance.

The common waterbuck is listed as least concern, while the Defassa is listed as near threatened. Only 60% of this subspecies population is in protected areas, so it could get worse, if they are lost.

Waterbuck

African Nile Crocodile

Nile crocodile

The Nile crocodile is spread widely throughout sub-saharan africa (except for parts

 of South Africa, thought to be natural and not due to hunting). A suggested subspecies is found in western Madagascar, there are 7 such subspecies, though none have been officially recognized.

While it was originally thought to be the same species as the western African crocodile (confusing given its range), it has actually been found to be closer related to various crocodiles from the Americas, particularly the American crocodile. As such, parts of the map above may actually host west African crocodiles exclusively.

The Nile crocodile is considered the second largest on earth, only beaten by the saltwater crocodile of Asia, interestingly, interestingly the saltwater crocodile is also the only crocodilian that has a greater range than the African crocodile. It was thought that the crocodile had arrived on Madagascar in the last 2000 years – after the extinction of the endemic Voey crocodile, but recently a skull was found and dated to be 7500 years old, suggesting that they must have coexisted for millennia.

While rarely venturing into the sea, they can (like all true crocodiles) survive here, and one was found alive 11 miles off the South African coast in the past.

They have been found in the Florida Everglades, presumably after an illegal introduction – there is so far no evidence of them successfully breeding here. It is unclear of their origin or where they came from, though they are genetically most similar to crocs from South Africa.

While they usually only dive for a few minutes at a time, they are capable of holding their breath for 30 minutes of activity under water – impressively, those inactive under water can stay down for around 2 hours. While rapid and effective hunters in the waters and along its edge, they are far less capable away from the water, and it is rare that they hunt away from water, having said this they are known to hunt here, and are incredibly adaptable to any opportunity. They have a surprisingly small stomach, only the size of a basketball.

Only around 10% of eggs will hatch and around 1% will survive to adulthood. Certainly, much of this damage is down to the Nile monitor lizard, which is thought to be responsible for as much as 50% of the eggs on its own, though median sized cats, baboon troops and mongooses all attack crocodile nests with regularity. Once born, crocodiles are even more at risk, both from animals already mentioned, as well as virtually every predatory water bird, from storks and egrets to even pelicans. Unfortunately, the biggest threat are other adult crocodiles which will happily eat young. While the mother does stay around, and aggressively protects her young, there are so many animals trying to snag a meal, many of the young crocodiles are caught during this time.

The biggest threats include loss of habitat, pollution, hunting, and human activities such as accidental entanglement in fishing nets.

Current estimates are around 250,000 to 500,000. In some parts of Africa they are farmed for their hide (their meat is unpleasant).

Their population is less healthy in western and central Africa, being more sparsely spread. This also makes it hard to do an accurate assessment of their status in this part of Africa.

Along with the saltwater crocodile, the African nile crocodile is estimated to kill anywhere from hundreds to thousands of people each year, with attacks generally carried out by larger crocodiles (thought to be over 3.5m). Given the numbers, it is thought that nile crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles are the most successful hunter of humans – far more fatalities than great while sharks. One study suggested, that while the danger of lions was well known, there was a bizarre feeling that crocodiles were not dangerous. The numbers may well be down to the fact that crocodiles live in water – a place where humans are forced to go regularly.

Below this is a list of any articles released on this site, which mentions the Nile crocodile. Below this, is a video of the species, and below this, we will add links of places to see this species, though if you visit wild places, all savannahs listed on the site will have nile crocodiles.

African wolf

African Wolf : Although only formerly identified by mondern science in 2017, Aristotle recognized the African wolf in his time
African Wolf : Although only formerly identified by mondern science in 2017, Aristotle recognized the African wolf in his time

African Wolf

Perhaps one of the more interesting announcements from wildlife study in the last decade was the discovery of a wolf living under everyones nose in Africa. It is a little understandable, as it does look quite like a jackal, and certainly different to a European wolf. Having said this, it is still a significant oversight. 

It was initially described as the African Wolf back in 1832. Indeed, Aristotle talked of wolves living in Egypt in his time, however, it was not until 2017 when a second modern study was done on it, and it was definitively recognized as a species. The problem is that, despite this huge range there is no idea how many African wolves there are in the wild. Obviously with this huge range, it is not unreasonable to suggest that they are locally extinct in areas – there are a number of subspecies that have been tentatively suggested, however until true assessments are made, this seems more than we need.

It should be noted, that it is not surprising that the African wolf was overlooked for so long, as it has got smaller over its time in Africa, to the extent that it is very hard to tell the difference between tha African golden wolf, and the golden jackal.

There has been little study of this species, and it is unclear exactly how much range that it has. Hopefully, this will happen in time, but it is clear that the big problem is telling the difference between golden jackals and golden wolves. 

African wolf range

There are a number of subspecies of the African wolf (quite quick, given it was not redeclared as a species 6 years ago. They are classed as a least concern. While not all sub-species have a clear estimate of the current population, genetic analysis suggests that the historic population was not smaller than 80,000 females.

  • Algerian wolf – range Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia -A dark-coloured subspecies, with a tail marked with three dusky rings. It is similar in size to the red fox
  • Senegalese wolf – Senegal – Similar to the Egyptian wolf, but smaller and more lightly built, with paler fur and a sharper muzzle.
  • Serengeti wolf – Kenya, northern Tanzania – Smaller and lighter-coloured than the northern forms. The wild population is 1500-2000
  • Egyptian wolf – Egypt, Algeria, Mali, Ethiopian Highlands, and Senegal – A large, stoutly built subspecies with proportionately short ears and presenting a very gray wolf-like phenotype, standing 40.6 cm in shoulder height and 127 cm in body length. The upper parts are yellowish-gray tinged with black, while the muzzle, the ears and the outer surfaces of the limbs are reddish-yellow. The fur around the mouth is white.
  • Somali wolf – Somalia and the coast of Ethiopia and Eritrea – A dwarf subspecies measuring only 12 inches in shoulder height, it is generally of a grayish-yellow color, mingled with only a small proportion of black. The muzzle and legs are more decidedly yellow, and the underparts are white.
  • Variegated wolf – Sudan and Somalia – A small subspecies standing 38 cm (15 in) at the shoulder, and measuring 102 cm (40 in) in length. The fur is generally pale stone-buff, with blotches of black.

We are incredibly eager to work with any guides who encounter the African wolf in their work, and list your services here. Please get in touch through the list your wild place option at the top of the page.

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West african Lion spotted in a reserve in Chad that has not recorded one since 2004

A lioness has been spotted in a reserve in Chad, which has not recorded one since 2004!

Chad being a west African country, has far fewer lions than in the east, read on for more

Lions have not been spotted in the Chad national park of Sena Ouro since 2004, it is not clear if a few lions hung on for the last few decades or if lions have migrated over from a park the other side of the border in Cameroon, where the lion population is a little more healthy.

Continue reading “West african Lion spotted in a reserve in Chad that has not recorded one since 2004”

African wild dog

African wild dog

Whether there were originally multiple African wild dog subspecies, these have not been retained. There were once 500,000 wild dogs roaming Africa. There are currently just 6600, spread across Africa, though many of the populations are unlikely to be genetically healthy long-term. These are divided into 39 populations.

Some famous or interesting populations are:

The Kruger wild dog population swings between extremes. In 2007 there were about 350 within the Limpopo transfrontier park. in 2022 there are thought to be about 800 wild dogs in the same area.

The Serengeti wild dog population disappeared during 1995 – wild dogs are highly sociable animals, so illness can wipe out populations. Wild dogs appear to have help on and there are thought to be about 120 at the moment. Inoculation of the domestic dog population surrounding the park will hopefully stop this happening again, and the population will grow back to the former highs -where packs 100 strong could be seen chasing the Wildebeest migration across the plains.

The largest single population lives in the Selous reserve (much of this reserve is now classed as the Nyerere national park) with a population of perhaps as many as 1000.

There are thought to be about 700 wild dogs in northern Botswana.

There are small populations all over Africa, such as 100 in Chad, but whether these survive long-term is another question. The map below shows the huge number of small populations all over Africa. The total african wild dog population is thought to be around 6600, with 700 packs. However, these numbers tend to highlight the problem with this species. Given that there are 39

           

There are 5 subspecies that have been recognized:

Cape wild dogs:
This is the only subspecies that appears to be doing relatively well with around 4000 animals left (though it underestimate the current population of the Kruger – while in the past it has been as low as 350, the current population is at its peak of around 850. Significant wild dog populations in this subspecies include the Kruger, while the KAZA transfrontier park is likely to be another. (Botswana is thought to host around 1300 wild dogs within its boundary, with most of the other countries in the region having at least 500 somewhere in the country). 

The West African wild dog:                                                                          This  used to be widespread from western to central Africa, from Senegal to Nigeria. Now only two subpopulations survive: one in the Niokolo-Koba National Park of Senegal and the other in the W National Park of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. It is estimated that 70 adult individuals are left in the wild – split pretty evenly split between these two population.
                                                                                                                                         East African wild dog:                                                                                The east African wild dog has a number of good population – Selous has around 800-1000, while the Laikipia region of Kenya is thought to host around 300 of this rare animal                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Somali wild dog:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The Somali wild dog is thought to be extinct in Somali, though some are thought to survive in Ethiopia. Bale Mountains national park is known for Ethiopian wolves, but it is thought that 1 pack of around 30 Somali wild dog also live here (though they live in the dense Harenna forest, so perhaps they never meet. There are likely, some other wild dog in the country, but it is unlikely that the whole population excedes more than 100.                                   

Chadian wild dog:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          The only part of this population that lives on protected land, are found within the Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park in the Central African republic.

These are recognized based on differences in the animal, not physical position.

Wild doginformation by country

South African wild dog in the Kruger national park

South Africa has one large population of African wild dog, which lives in the Kruger national park. The park is a large area, and therefore is large enough to support a significant wild dog population. In the Kruger, the number of wild dog tend to vary wildly. In 2007, when I trained in the Kruger, there were roughly 350 wild dog in the park. However, when we returned in 2022, there were 850 (currently the number is nearer to this 850).

There are also African wild dog in the Kalagadi transfrontier park, of which some is in South Africa.

In terms of places to see, click here to view all our destinations in the Limpopo transfrontier park

 

Part of a Botswanan pack of wild dog

Botswana has an estimated 700 wild dog living within the country. One of the main parts of Botswana where wild dog are found is

  • the Botswanan section of the Kalahari Zambezi transfrontier park. In particular, they are found within the Okavango Delt and within the Chobe national park. Also well known in Moremi reserve, and other reserves in the area
  • Kalahari transfrontier park, in the central Kalahari game reserve.

While this does not sound like a long list, these areas are huge. This is a huge population of the wild dog.

Wild dog pack in Namibia

Namibia has a population of just 200-300 wild dog (as always, I hope to add these destinations to our site in the near future)

  • National parks: Khaudum, Bwabwata, Mudumu, and Nkasa Rupara 
     
  • Caprivi Strip: Wild dogs are sometimes seen in this area 
     
  • N/a’an ku sê Foundation: A short trip from Windhoek where you can see wild dogs 
     
  • Africat: Located in the Okonjima private game reserve, about 2.5 hours from Windhoek 

While it should be noted, that the wild dog population of Namibia is small compared to other species, it is not tiny. Likely reasons for this lower number include:

Threats include hunting (usually by farmers) which tends to take place during the breeding period. Other problems are that human activities are taking up more and more space and leaving less, which as wild dog need so much space, they are the first to be impacted by this; they are impacted by disease, which can easily wipe out a population like in 1995 when the Serengeti population vanished; In Namibia, they are required to regularly cross roads, and unfortunately as a result a significant number get hit on the road; finally, they are small predators, and while more regularly successful than lions and others (they have a success rate over 70% compared to a lion which is only successful around 40%), lions leopards and hyena will all kill wild dog if they get the chance.

Malawi was missing the African wild dog for 20 years until 2021, when they were translocated from South Africa and Mozambique. 8 Were translocated, but they have now also had 9 pups..

They were translocated to Liwonde National Park and the Majete Wildlife Reserve, where provided they are not hit by illness, their number is likely to continue to climb. Time will tell how rapidly this population will grow to fill the space. We hope to add these locations in the near future.

Wild dog reintroduced into Gorongosa national park

Mozambique has a wild dog population of roughly 600 individuals (roughly 10% of the remaining population of this species).

There are a number of significant populations within the country.

Niassa National Reserve – a reserve which is connected to the Selous ecosystem of Tanzania (which hosts over 1300 wild dog, and is the largest remaining population) by the Selous Niassa wildlife corridor, which is a strip which is between 160 and 180km long and covers an area of 8000 square kilometres (3088 square miles). This is an important area in its own right, with a variety of wildlife populations, including:

    1. Elephants: The corridor protects one of the world’s largest elephant ranges, with an estimated 85,000 elephants.
    2. Buffalo: The corridor is home to one of the continent’s largest buffalo herds.
    3. Wild dogs: The corridor is home to more than half of the continent’s remaining wild dog population.
    4. Other wildlife: The corridor is also home to giraffes, hippopotamuses, and ungulates.

The Selous-Niassa Wildlife Corridor connects the two reserves, creating a 120,000 sq km conservation area that includes the Selous Game Reserve and Mozambique’s Niassa Reserve along with the land within. It’s also known as Ushoroba in Swahili. This is essentially a transfrontier area, like the Limpopo or the KAZA but has existed for quite some time, and is one of the most important areas of conservation on the African continent. There are 300-350 wild dogs in Niassa and 1000-1500 in the NIassa – selous ecosystem as a whole – or as high as 25% of the continents wild dog.

Gorongosa National Park: Containing around 81 individuals, up from a founder population of 15 in 2018, which were taken from Hluhluwe/Umfolozi National Park.

Karingani national reserve: Has a population of 33 wild dog, from a founding population of 13 that was reintroduced in 2019 with 3 further males joining in 2020. What is clear, is that wild dog released into suitable habitat can increase their population at a rapid speed.

Limpopo national park: This park is thought to have 2 packs of wild dog, suggesting a count of 20-30. It should be noted, that this park is part of the Limpopo transfrontier park, and therefore if there is not a reason why wild dog struggle to survive in this park, more are likely to move there from the Kruger (where there is a population that certainly numbers over 400 and may be higher).

I should note, that the estimates for each individual reserve, add to a number around 100 short of the number for the country, and there do not appear to be more reserves to add. I will correct if I need in the future.

 

A pack of Zambia wild dog

Zambia is considered one of the 6 countries with the most stable wild dog populations left. There are around 400 individuals in the country, split across 26 different packs.

They are found in:

  • North Luangwa national park and South Luangwa national park which is thought to share a population of around 350 wild dog
  • Lower Zambezi national park has a healthy wild dog population, though I have been unable to find a sensible number for the population. It is, however, known to have particularly large packs compared to many other national parks. This suggests that there would have to be quite a few – suggesting that if the Luangwa national parks have that many wild dog, there must be more within Zambia, as the Lower Zambezi will clearly have more than 50.

Zimbabwe currently has 660 wild dog, in 86 packs, which works out at around 7-8 per pack.

Hwange national park has a population of  roughly 160 wild dogs, but this is part of the enormous KAZA transfrontier park, which means that it should be possible for further wild dog to migrate into this park from the many connected areas. This also means that even if Hwange national park cannot support more wild dog, it is possible for these wild dog to move around, allowing a free exchange of genetic material. We have 2 destinations within this area for you to visit, click here. 

Mana Pools national park: here, wild dogs have been habituated to humans, allowing them to be followed on foot. However, the population is only thought to be 20 at the current time.

I hope to add the rest of this countries useful destinations in the future

 

Senegal has around 50-100 west African wild dog, however, given their status as West African wild dog, this is a significant part of the population. They are found in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, which is a fascinating park as it also hosts

Elephants
Leopards
Chimpanzees
West African lions
Western giant elands
Servals
Caracals
African wild cats

Wild dog from Benin in the Pendjari national park
A young male roaming the Arli National park in Berkuna Faso section of the WAP complex
While it is not clear how many roam the W national park of the WAP complex, not only are they tracking 8 but this is a young lion photographed in the area

The population of Lions in Niger (150 or there abouts) is thought to be restricted to its section of the WAP complex, which is a transboundary area, including land in Benin and Burkina Faso and is perhaps the last good hope for the west African lion – around 80-90% of the western lion population live within this protected area. While the other countries have a separate national park, protecting an area of land, Niger only has part of a single park (W national park) which stretches across the borders of all 3 countries). 

It is unclear how many lions live within this national park, though it is definitely greater than 8 as there is currently a study that is following 8. Given that W national park contains around 1 third of the land in the WAP complex, so it should hold around 150 lions within it. 

Whether the land is currently capable of supporting this number is questionable. It should be noted that the WAP complex is roughly twice the size of the Kruger national park, suggesting that the entire area might be able to support around twice the lion population of the Kruger – this is roughly 3000 lions. Now, it is quite possible that this area is drier, and therefore has a lower carrying capacity, but this gives space for a large increase in the lions within the WAP complex. It should be noted, that this might well be an over estimated, as some of the WAP complex is hunting areas, and while they will not hunt many (if any) lions with in these, hunting prey will also reduce the number of lions that these areas can support. If this was accurate, one could expect a lion population of W national park in Niger, of around 2000. While we are a long way from this, it suggests that with better conservation, Niger could have a lion population that would give it the sixth largest population in Africa.

Only one reserve in Rwanda contain lions, and this is Akagera National Park, which in 1990 was known to have 250-300 lions. Unfortunately during the Genocide they were all killed, with a survey in 2002 not counting a single one. In 2015, 7 lions were moved to the reserve and  in 2024 had a lion count of 78, This suggests that with this sort of recovery, the lion population could keep growing well, though time will tell if the local human population will allow this to occur.

So this countries current lion population is around 78 individuals. This can be good for Rwanda, as while it is a popular destination for forest safaris, being able to also offer savannah ecosystems will make it more popular, as someone could both trek with chimpanzee and gorilla  and see lion in the same week.

Tanzania hosts a large portion of the wild dogs that remain in Africa. These are all part of the East Africa wild dog subspecies

The Selous ecosystem is the undisputed king of areas for the wild dog, containing 1300 wild dog in this one area. Furthermore, in recent years, it has got easier to go to this area to see the wild dog. This is because the Selous has been split into the Nyeres national park (majority) and a small region of it still devoted to hunting. It should be noted, that this includes the Mikumi national park.

The Ruaha Katavi ecosystem hosts more than 500 wild dog.

The Serengeti losts its wild dog back in 1995, likely to canine distemper. However, it appears that small numbers of wild dog survived in the far east of this ecosystem, and these are now growing and reappearing in their former haunts. It is thought that around 120 wild dog are present in 10 packs.

These numbers are only relatively vague, but between them give Tanzania a total of roughly 2000 wild dog, which is almost 1/3 of the whole of the continents population.

 

 

Kenya lion from the massai mara reserve

In 2021, Kenya did a survey of its wild area, and estimates that there is 2589 lions (this is around 74 lions more than the list I have been using for most of these numbers)

So, where are the Kenyan lions?

The Massai Mara national park  is found in Kenya. It has an estimated population of 850-900 (this is a lifetime dream location for many people interested in wildlife). Look up the Serengeti ecosystem, for links in this ecosystem. We hope to add far more over time.

Ambosseli national park hosts roughly 100 wild lions. It is a big 5 reserve, and even has cheetah and a few wild dog, making it an ecotourism big 7 reserve (something that many larger reserves cannot claim). This reserve is only 392 square km. The  Tsavo Amboselli ecosystem is thought to have roughly 675, thought these numbers are estimates, and it is unclear how accurate they are. While this whole ecosystem is very large, parts like Tsavo West are not good for animals like lion, which means that their density is likely to be higher than these numbers would suggest.

Niarobi national park has roughly  35 lions. It should be noted, that the range of the lions is thought to be around 400 square km, which is almost 3 times the size of the park at 140 square km. This park is odd. Once opening to the open savannah, the suburbs have expanded, and now largely completely surround it. Never-the-less, there is few other places in Africa where you can see lions with skyscrappers in the background. This reserve has 4 of the big 5 (missing elephants)

Hells gate national park is tiny, at half the size of the Niarobi national park. It was a big 5 reserve in the 1950s, and there is a suggestion that there are still a handful of lions, but not more than this. It is one of quite a few national parks, split by relatively short distances of human settlement, but it might as well be the other side of the moon, for the abillity for most small animals to move between.

The Abadares mountains national park still has a few lions, though it is unclear how many. In 2000 100-200 lions were killed to help a local antelope on the verge of extinction to survive.

Lake nakuru national park has a small lion population. A 2018 survey counted just 16, even though earlier surveys had counted 60. I have personal history here, as this was the first African wilderness that I visited.

Meru national park has an estimated 76 wild lions. It covers 870 square km (340 square miles)

Mount Kenya National Park is 715 square kilometers (276 square miles) in size. Despite its relatively small size, it is a big 5 reserve, though leopard and rhino are both rarely seen.

Samburu Nature reserve has a population of 40-50 lions, alongside all of the big 5 (and both species of African rhino). Cheetah are found, and even wild dog.

Ruma National park has lions leopards and cheetah (though the lion and leopard are very hard to see) the last roan of Kenya survive in this national park, but only 19 or so are still there.

Kora national park is another ecotourism big 7 reserve. While the number of lion is hard to ascertain is the place where George Adamson worked in the 1970s. George Adamson, (husband of Joy Adamson – author of Born free along with many other books) his brother Terence, and Tony Fitzjohn worked together to rehabilitate lions and leopards in the park from 1971–1988. How easy it is too see wild lions is unclear, but well worth a visit.

Shimba hills nature reserve

 

Buffalo Springs National Reserve

Mount Elgon National Park 

Shaba National Reserve

Chyulu Hills 250 lions

Marsabit National Park

Sibiloi National Park claims to have lions (though a survey from 2020 found none)

Malka Mari National Park has lions in its 1500 square km area this is another Ecotourism big 7

There are also likely a wide array of private reserves that are linked to these above, and perhaps even private reserves off on their own that are likely to host lions. I hope to grow the links as fast as possible

Lions in Malawi are restricted to two regions of the country. 

  • Liwonde National Park – this park returned the lion after 20 years absence and is a big 5 reserve, while cheetah were returned in 2019 and in 2021 wild dog returned to this reserve as well. The last update on the lions was in 2021, when the lion populatin had grown from the 9 moved, to a total of 13. Provided that they are not bothered by poachers, this population should continue to grow. At 548 square km (211 square miles, this reserve should be able to host perhaps 40 lions, so much space to expand.
  • Majete Wildlife Reserve has a thriving lion population (and indeed provided the lions for the reintroduction to Liwonde national park) and as well as housing the big 5, has in recent years, had both cheetah and wild dog return (translocation). It should of course be noted, that both of these species are likely to be pretty rare until they have had time to increase in number. It covers 700 square km (270 square miles) . This reserve currently has 52 lions – which assuming 5 square miles per lion, is very close to carrying capacity (which would be 54). As such, Majete would likely continue to be a prime example of place to translocate lions out of – without this continuing, the lions are likely to start self regulating with more regular fights and males killing males (and if a dominant male is killed, this leads to all the young cubs of the pride dying, along with many of the females who will often defend their cubs to the death).

Lions are present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but their population is threatened by human activities. There population is down to 211 from around 1600 in the 1970s. There is definitely space for this population to grow – but these are the current known lion habitats

 
  • Ishasha Valley

    The Ishasha River valley is a good place to see lions, hippos, elephants, and buffalo. However, the population of lions in the valley has been reduced by poaching, land invasion, and conflict.  The lions in this area are known for their tree-climbing habits.

     
  • Odzala-Kokoua National Park

    In the 1990s, this park was considered a lion stronghold, but by 2014, no lions were recorded there, making the population locally extinct.  

     
  • Lésio-Louna Reserve

    There is physical evidence of lions in this reserve, but there is no estimate of the population density or distribution. 

     It is not clear, whether the factors that lead to this decline have reduced, but it is thought that generally not. Never-the-less as time goes by, often places are getting better at looking after the wildernesses that remain within its boundaries. Furthermore, it would be really good for the DRC, to be able to offer its many forest safaris, alongside safaris more familiar within eastern Africa. 

Ethiopia is thought to have roughly 200-300 remaining lions (though there are sources which claim as much as 800 lions). It should be noted, that Ethiopia once hosted a separate subspecies, however, only 8 of these survive and all live in a zoo.

Truly wild lion populations within Ethiopia include

Alatash National Park: In 2016, an international research team led by Oxford University conservationist Hans Bauer discovered a previously unknown lion population in Alatash National Park, which is located near the border with Sudan. The team used camera traps to capture images of lions and footprints, and estimated that there were between 100 and 200 lions in the area.

Kafa biosphere reserve: In southwest Ethiopia, there are around 25 lions in the Kafa biosphere reserve. However, little is known about the lions, including whether they are resident year-round or just migrate through.

Other areas where lions have been spotted include Boma-Gambella, South Omo, Welmel-Genale, Ogaden, and Awash. I have listed them below. I should add, that I have included the number of lions each area claims, however, they cannot possibly be correct, as if you add them up, you get a number of roughly 4000, which would give Ethiopia a lion population second only to Tanzania

Awash Valley and Gambella areas: These areas have seen an increase in human-lion conflict and retaliatory killings by local communities. 

 Boma-Gambella: This area has a population estimate of 500 lions. 

 South Omo: This area has a population estimate of 200 lions. 

 Welmel-Genale: This area has a population estimate of 100 lions. 

 Ogaden: This area has a population estimate of 100 lions. 

 Bale: This area has a population estimate of 2,373 lions. This is highly questionable. The park is 2200 square km (850 square miles) and even with an average density of one lion for every 5 square miles, this would require of over 10,000 square miles of unprotected land to be protected. It should be noted, that these lion are famous as the black maned lions. The largely recognized figure, is around 50 lions in this area. 

Nechisar: This area has a population estimate of 1,030 lions. This is also completely rubbish, as the park is only around 400 square miles, and it is thought that its carrying capacity is roughly 23. Only 4 lions have been visually identified.

This does not suggest that lions within Ethiopia are particularly secure, but they are clearly better than a range of other places. We dont currently list any of these places to visit, but are eager to in the future – if you work in out of these areas do get in touch.

 
Female lion caught on camera trap, in Sena Oura national park, where they had not been seen for around 20 years

Chad is thought to have a wild lion population of roughly 200.

Sena Oura national park was in the news in the recent past, for a lion being seen for the first time in 20 years (click here to read our article on this news from the time).

Zakouma National Park is home to popular predators including a more significant lion population, as well as  hyenas and leopard, but also large herds of central African savannah buffalo, elephant, and endemic species such as the pale fox and the kordofan giraffe.

Central African republic lion in Chinko national park

The central African republic has an estimated 50 lions remaining, with 30 residing in the Chinko Nature Reserve.

Other reserves claiming wild lions in the country (population estimates have to be taken with a large pinch of salt, as various reserves claim healthy lion population, which would dwarf the whole country population – still, I hope to add these destinations in the future) include:

  • Bamingui-Bangoran National Park and Biosphere Reserve – claims to still have lion, though if there was a healthy population within this reserve, it could dwarf the population estimates for the whole country. I cannot find infomation to say etiher way.
  • Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park – assessments and reports from as early as 1997 suggest that this park lost its lions (and black rhino) this long ago.
  • Awakaba National Park
  • Aouk Aoukale
  • Yata Ngaya
  • Nana Barya
  • Zemongo Faunal Reserves
  • Several hunting reserve (while lions may well be hunted in these reserves, it is not going to be officially sanctioned, as the lion here cannot be hunted sustainably.

The wild dog is thought to have become locally extinct in Cameroon in recent years

Limpopo Transfrontier park including Kruger sabi sands and other conservation areas
Greater Serengeti
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