主要研究 今天

标志性的狮子(豹属狮子座)一直在 被列为易危物种 在 国际自然保护联盟濒危物种红色名录 自1996年以来, due largely to a roughly 43 percent decline in African lion populations since the early 1990s. 为了对抗这种衰退, lion conservationists and researchers are now developing plans that consider how the ecological and sociopolitical threats to lion populations vary by country. Fikirte而达自然资源与环境助理教授 主要研究生命科学与农业学院 (COLSA), conducted research to pinpoint the specific stressors that weaken different lion populations in Africa—research that can be used to create more nuanced and targeted lion conservation plans in consideration of these identified stressors. Erda最近加入了一个国际团队 在杂志上发表了她的发现 通信地球 & 环境.

以有针对性的研究和策略推进保护

“Escalating anthropogenic pressures on resources paint a challenging future for wildlife in general. 这种情况对狮子来说尤其可怕, given that nearly all of their habitat falls within the bottom 25 percent of the world’s poorest countries,尔达说。, who has studied conservation planning in east Africa since the late 2000s and conservation for megacarnivores like the lion since 2014. “It is unsustainable for the global community to expect some of the world’s poorest communities to shoulder the responsibility of sustaining viable populations of endangered species. This study highlights the ethical and moral obligation of wealthier nations to significantly contribute to the conservation of freely ranging wild lions.”

The dramatic drop in lion populations over just a few decades stems from several ecological factors, 比如栖息地的缩小和猎物数量的减少. 另外, the strength of governmental conservation plans and general government stability in countries with lion populations are major determinants of lion vulnerability. Lion populations are jeopardized by different ecological and sociopolitical issues depending 在 regi在y inhabit — for example, 高人口密度影响了坦桑尼亚的狮子, 但在博茨瓦纳的压力要小得多——这就是为什么更广泛, 非特定的保护计划可能是无效的.

“虽然历史上一直有跟踪狮子种群规模的充分研究数据, 很少有研究考虑到狮子种群面临的具体威胁, 更不用说考虑到社会政治威胁,尔达说。. “The strategy of considering population fragility and considering both ecological and sociopolitical variables can and should be applied to other endangered species as well to create more exacting and effective conservation plans.”

狮子保护成功的综合模型

对于这个 最近的研究, Erda worked with an international team of research scientists to develop a model for analyzing threats to conservation and to apply this model to lion populations in Africa. 他们研究了25个国家的62个自由放养的狮子种群, identifying the extent of ecological and sociopolitical risk for each of these populations.

他们通过考虑牛密度等因素来评估生态脆弱性, which increases likelihood of lion-human conflict; nearby human population density; isolation of a lion population, which limits genetic variation; population size; and how much lion habitat was in a protected area. Sociopolitical fragility was calculated by examining a country’s existing environmental and conservation policies, 政府的力量和稳定, 人口增长率(这增加了对健康和自然资源的压力), 经济健康, 因为政府可能会优先考虑陷入困境的经济，而不是保护工作.

使用这种方法, 研究人员能够确定面临最高生态风险的狮子种群, 如人口在 埃塞俄比亚的迷宫国家公园, where the threat to lions is caused by high density of cattle and human populations surrounding lion territory. 他们还能够确定面临最高社会政治风险的狮子种群. 例如, lion populations in Somalia were found to be the most fragile mainly due to lack of governance and conservation policy.

而达补充道, “This pioneering research establishes a precedent for a methodological approach to evaluate conservation investments for other wildlife facing ecological and sociopolitical issues."

对非洲狮种群面临的具体威胁有了更好的了解, 保护组织可以更好地瞄准他们的方法, and governments can work on shaping policy that prioritizes addressing the most pressing dangers to the lions in their individual countries. 另外, this model can be modified and applied to other endangered species with complex and varied threats to their survival.

这项工作是与S. K. 尼克尔森,. Dickman一. 劳务,J. 里吉奥,H. 鲍尔,. Loveridge, M. 贝克尔,C. 贝格,年代. 巴拉,维. 伯纳姆,一个. Cotterill,年代. Dolrenry E. Droge P. Funston L. Hazzah D. Ikanda F. Gebresenbet P. Henschel R. L. Mandisodza-Chikerema, M. Mbizah L. 猎人,K. 雅各布森,P. 林赛,N. Maputla E. 麦克唐纳,D. W. 麦克唐纳,R. 坎泰·达夫，C. 封隔器,C. Sillero-Zubiri T. Mudumba P. Strampelli E. A. Sogbohossou P. 泰瑞尔和A. P. 雅各布森 .