How decline in lion population is affecting Nigeria’s tourism potential

Conservationists have raised the alarm about the rapid decline in Nigeria’s lion population, which now stands at fewer than 50 wild lions; a stark contrast to the thousands that roamed the country decades ago.

They urged Nigerians to protect lions by reducing illegal bushmeat consumption, supporting better protection of their shrinking habitat, and championing anti-poaching measures. The experts also cautioned that losing these apex predators would have devastating consequences for Nigeria’s ecosystems and cultural heritage, as well as its tourism potential.

Habitat destruction, poaching, and escalating human-wildlife conflicts have severely depleted their natural prey and pushed lions to the brink of extinction. Also, due to human-lion conflict, loss of habitat, poaching, and the illegal bushmeat trade, lions are disappearing in Nigeria. As the country’s population is growing, more lands are established for agriculture, which encroach on the lion’s natural habitat.

Countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania are making millions of dollars through wildlife tourism. These countries have strict laws that protect their wildlife, and any offender caught in illegal wildlife trade or poaching is seriously punished. Tanzania is said to have the largest population of lions in Africa with about 8,000. Lions are an important component of its tourism, which generates 17 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The IUCN Red List designates lions as vulnerable globally, but West African lion numbers are limited and dispersed, and they have recently been listed as critically endangered. According to a Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) report, lions, which were once common throughout northern Nigeria, now only exist in two locations: Kainji Lake National Park and Yankari Game Reserve.

With the loss of their natural diet, lions have little choice except to eat domestic cattle, and the increase in human-lion conflict inevitably leads to their direct persecution – usually by poisoning livestock carcasses. Conversely, human population growth and agricultural expansion are causing an unprecedented flow of migratory livestock into protected regions as alternate grazing supplies are lost.

Despite the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) (Amendment) Act, 2016 that imposed fines in order to have a more deterrent effect and reflect the economic realities, poaching and wanton killing of these animals still occur. Although things have much improved since WCS and the Bauchi State government signed a co-management agreement in 2014, cattle were by far the most prevalent species listed in Yankari aerial surveys conducted in 2006 and 2011.

In some cases, these lions are domesticated as pets by individuals. This move has been widely publicised, with some public figures owning lions as pets. On some social media platforms like Facebook and X, the sale of lion cubs is advertised in different posts. In November 2019, a lion was discovered and rescued from the private residence of an Indian in Lagos. This raises questions about where these wild animals are sourced, as well as concerns about the efficacy of wildlife protection laws and policies in Nigeria.

Spokesman for Wild Africa, Dr Mark Ofua, said the number of lions in Nigeria may well be below 50 in the wild, saying “Nigeria’s lion population is in serious trouble. It’s in a state that even the experts are confused. The last assessment that was done says we have about 50 lions left in the wild, and I know sometimes about four, five years ago, a local in one of the northern states killed a lion.

“About the numbers, we can’t say currently, because even recent attempts to update the numbers have gotten no results. You see, where we used to have lions, we haven’t seen any sign of activities. And then in some areas where they are found, insecurity has made it difficult for researchers to do their thing.”

He expressed concern about the enforcement and efficacy of current wildlife laws. He stated that while there are laws in place to protect Nigeria’s biodiversity, enforcement is an uphill journey. “As I speak, there are laws in place that should protect our biodiversity and our lions in particular, but enforcement is another game entirely. The agencies do not know what is expected of them. We have seen in recent past where notable political figures or public figures display lion cubs as a mark of pride or as a mark of achievement in direct contravention of extant laws,” he said.

All hope is not completely lost as some efforts are being made to turn the tide. Almost a year ago, West African Conservation Network (WACN), signed a 31-year MOU with the Nigerian National Park Service, a federal agency dedicated to the custody and management of Nigeria’s national parks. The MOU is a binding collaboration between WACN and the National Park Service to restore the Kainji National Park to being one of the most formidable wilderness areas in Western Africa and beyond within the duration of the arrangement.

According to Chief Executive Officer of WACN, Patrick Egwu, more work needs to be done with strengthening and strictly enforcing existing laws to protect endangered species in Nigeria. “Enforcement across the federation is porous. There are a lot of lions in wealthy people’s homes, illegally. Where are they sourcing those lions from? The lion in Nigeria is protected under the Endangered Species Act, thus this species is not supposed to be kept in people’s homes,” he said.

The consequences of habitat loss have been devastating for lion populations. Egwu emphasised that deforestation, urbanisation, and agricultural expansion have decimated their habitats and forced lions into closer proximity with humans, often resulting in lethal encounters. “The primary reason for the near extinction of the lion in Nigeria just like several other iconic species is the poor management of gazetted protected areas throughout the country. Notably, herdsmen are one of the biggest threats to lions because these cattlemen consider lions a threat to their livestock,” he said.

Egwu said while community involvement is critical in conservation efforts, it is capital intensive, saying, “It is nearly impossible to protect wilderness areas for lions. However, comprehensive community engagement is capital intensive.”

Ofua echoed his sentiment, saying “Community involvement in conservation efforts and biodiversity preservation is a key component. You can have the best policies, the best laws, the best intention and everything, but if the host communities where this wildlife is found are not carried along and made to cooperate with the process, little can be achieved because they are the ones that interface with this wildlife, biodiversities, and these lions daily.

He further stated that while community engagement in conservation efforts is important, the responsibility cannot be left to the government alone. “The government has a prerogative to make the laws, but there should also be a deliberate attempt at education and integration. You need the approval of the community, so you don’t just make policies and throw it on them. You find a way to bring them in as relevant stakeholders into the process of making these policies,” he said.

He called for lion conservation in Nigeria to boost eco-tourism, emphasising the lion’s iconic status and its potential to revitalise the Nigerian economy and environment.

He highlighted successful conservation models in other countries such as the reintroduction of wolves in the Yellowstone National Park in the United States, and proposed a multi-pronged approach involving habitat protection, conflict resolution, and community engagement. He also suggested reintroducing lions as a key strategy to restore ecosystems, create jobs, and improve community well-being.

“In Yellowstone National Park in the U.S., it was almost a wilderness with less wildlife present. At some point, they reintroduced wolves because the wolves had gone extinct in the park. And with the coming of the wolf, in a short while, the wilderness was transformed into a thriving forest. The activities of the wolf in hunting of the ungulates, that is the herbivores, you know, the forest recovered,” he said.

“We should start thinking of how we can rejuvenate our wildernesses by the reintroduction of lions. These big cats are game-changers. They would change the activities of the ungulates, of the herbivores, and before you know it, these wildernesses will be transformed into healthy forests and land for nature to thrive. So, this is an experiment that we must do, and we’re not doing it just for the beauty of it all to have lions, we’re doing it for nature to thrive.

“And when nature thrives, we thrive. The host communities of this biodiversity will experience development. Jobs will be created. It’s a win-win-win situation. The government will have less work combating insecurity and crime and all that because the youth that usually are engaged in these things are better employed and gainfully employed,” Ofua added