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The first comprehensive population estimate of Uganda‘s lions, leopards and spotted hyenas in almost two decades has revealed that lion numbers in the country are extremely low.
Leopards (Panthera pardus) are holding on across the country, and hyenas are faring well.
In a collaboration involving more than 100 conservation stakeholders, researchers used spatial capture-recapture methods to look at the three species in six major protected areas in Uganda.
The researchers uncovered that lions (Panthera leo) are declining, with fewer than 40 individuals in Queen Elizabeth National Park and 20 in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), on the other hand, are doing well throughout the country, particularly in Murchison Falls National Park.
The researchers said these high numbers could potentially indicate a trophic imbalance. Uganda officials are already using the findings from this study in its new Strategic Action Plan for Large Carnivore Conservation.
This article was first published by The Wildlife Society on 9 December 2024. Lead Image: A group of African lion cubs in the Queen Elizabeth National Park in October 2024. Credit: Alexander Braczkowski.
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