Lion Conflict Mitigation and Landscape Protection

Collaborative Lion Conflict Mitigation and Large Landscape Protection

The Luangwa Valley is an important stronghold for lions. However, the species is threatened by a wide-range of threats – and most notably depletion of prey as a result of snaring. Recently, however, human-lion conflict has become an increasing problem due to an incursion of livestock into the game management areas. ZCP and CSL requested funding from the LRF to help them tackle the twin threats of snaring and human-lion conflict. To tackle snaring, they requested funds to support anti-poaching patrols and to allow for targeted protection of the 600-strong buffalo herd that occurs in their area. To tackle human-lion conflict, they requested support for: outreach and education to improve livestock husbandry; an early warning system to allow for notification of herders when lions approach their livestock; strengthening of livestock corrals; fencing of villages to prevent both human-lion and human-elephant conflict; and the development of a set of protocols for responding to human-lion conflict incidences. An extension to this grant was issued in November 2020 to further strengthen efforts to tackle human-lion conflict and bushmeat poaching. In late 2021, ZCP was issued a further grant to strengthen their work related to carnivore monitoring, intensive carnivore protection and desnaring across multiple ecosystems in Zambia.