First systematic population survey of the desert-adapted lions, Northwest Namibia

Abstract

The desert-adapted lions (Panthera leo) of northwest Namibia inhabit arid and semi-arid habitats, primarily within communal conservancy lands, which they share with semi-nomadic pastoralists. Though of considerable conservation interest, no systematic population survey of these lions has previously been attempted. From 6 November 2022 to 6 January 2023, 45 trained surveyors covered approximately 40,000 km² of conservancy and government-managed lands, identifying individual lions by vibrissae (whisker-spot) patterns and other demographic indicators. A systematic whole count, identifying every adult individual, was used to estimate population size. This approach drew upon the local ecological knowledge (LEK) of the Lion Rangers, community conservationists responsible for identifying and monitoring lions in their respective communal conservancies, as well as Regional Services staff of Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT). The population is estimated between 57 and 60 individual adult lions and 14 cubs; this represents an inferred decrease of 46–60% over the past five years. At 0.11–0.12 lions/100 km², this is the lowest recorded density for a free-ranging, self-sustaining lion population in Africa. Thirty-six female and 21 male lions were found during the survey, yielding a sex ratio of 1 ♀: 0.58 ♂. While the population is considered stable and self-sustaining despite recent declines, human-lion conflict (HLC) remains the primary cause of lion mortality and recent drops in available prey are also concerning. Results serve as a baseline for future surveys, which will be an important part of monitoring this relatively small, widely dispersed population.