Lions

As I do more research on how and why animals are facing extinction, I keep coming across the factor of human impact. The human species is, majority of the time, the main cause as to why animals’ populations have dropped, are dropping, or are expected to drop. Lions for example, have little hope at this point if they are not cut off from humans entirely. Scientists and their research team, such as Dr. Luke Hunter and his fellow investigators, have found that fencing lions away from humans is the most effective way to slow down the African lion’s extinction.  Lions that are not fenced in face threats from human communities such as killing by herders, habitat loss and fragmentation, and overhunting of lion prey. It is extremely sad that this is occurring, and that the conservation effort of blocking lions from human contact even has to be considered. This tactic is working, though. If efforts like this continue to be funded and move forward, then lions could possibly not lose half of their population, as is expected my many scientists. The down side to fencing is that other African animals like the cheetah, can be negatively affected. Personally, I feel that more research needs to be done to find out different conservation efforts that will not negatively affect another species. Human impact has such a negative impact on some animal populations, but humans are also the reason they are potentially being saved. We are the reason for their population decline and need to be the reason why they rise to their full potential again.

 

 

 

Sources:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130305174625.htm

http://www.livescience.com/27673-half-africa-lions-face-extinction.html

http://www.tnhwildlife.com/PhotoGallery-WildlifeFences.html

http://www.gambassa.com/public/project/2718/DaiseeGonzalezAfricanLion.html