Hi zusammen,

das MET hat nun zusammen mit Flip Stander Lösungswege in der LÖwenproblematik im Nordwesten entwickelt.

Desert lions spotted at Möwe Bay
A post on social media of two young lions lounging on the front porch of one of the abandoned houses at Möwe Bay in the Skeleton Coast National Park has affirmed the hope of conservationists that desert-adapted animals are slowly returning to their old ranging grounds.
John Paterson said in his post on Facebook which was shared by many conservationists that he spent around 12 years at Möwe Bay from 1996 to 2008 and that in that time the lions slowly started moving back into the Skeleton Coast Park after the last coastal lion was shot near Sesfontein in 1987.
“During the early 80s lions frequently roamed around the station at Möwe Bay, but in my time at the station it was something we could only wish for. A recent mail from an old friend and colleague, Dr. Flip Stander of the Desert Lion project came as a pleasant surprise and created a whiff of homesickness.”
Desert-adapted lions in Namibia occur mostly outside protected areas in the Kunene Region. The lion is an important flagship species for the growing tourism industry. Although the desert-adapted lions are valuable to tourism, the local communities have to share their land with these free-ranging large carnivores.
Lions often prey on domestic livestock and farmers respond by shooting or poisoning lions, to protect their livelihood. The local communities have to bear the costs of living with lions, but they do not always share in the benefits from tourism.
The Kunene Lion Project contributes to the management of human wildlife conflict that occurs sporadically by studying the density, demography, and population ecology of lions. Through applied research and monitoring, the study collects sound scientific data to guide management strategies and the implementation of a National Lion Conservation Strategy.
The pictures taken by Dr. Stander shows them lying on the front porch of one of the old abandoned houses at Möwe Bay, the administrative headquarters of the Skeleton Coast Park, and the tracks they made in the wet sand while on their visit.