Background information about the project
Details of grants made to the project by the Predator Conservation Trust
progress reports from June 2003 to November 2004
6th January 2005 17th January 2005 18th January 2005 9th February 2005 3rd July 2005
The Kunene lion project operates in difficult terrain and in an isolated area and requires a central and secure base-camp from which to operate. The base forms the lifeline of the study, by providing safe storage and accessibility to research equipment, operational supplies (e.g. petrol, Avgas, spares), water, and food. The study area is covered systematically with excursions to locate and observe lions. These excursions last anything from 2-7 days, supplemented by occasional visits to the base-camp to restock on supplies. The base-camp also acts as a field “laboratory” where data are processed, and where blood and genetic samples can be frozen.
The current base-camp, the Kunene Lion Camp, has served the project well for over four years, but the extreme weather has taken its toll. The camp is in need of extensive renovations. However, its’ location has become unsuitable, due to the growth and expansion of the lion population during the past two years. It is therefore planned that a new base-camp will be built.
A new location has been identified which is central to the current lion distribution and the predicted expansion. The security at the Kunene Lion Camp has also come into question, after it was burgled in 2004. Large quantities of supplies and most of the research equipment was stolen. The new base will provide better security.
In December 2004 a proposal was submitted to PCT in the UK for the funds to build the new base camp. The proposal included costs for the following:-
The total funding required was just over £6000 (over 11,000 US Dollars)
The Trustees of PCT in the UK were happy to be able to approve the grant application and to fund the entire amount. This means we are able to make our largest single grant to date. We would like to thank all our supporters for their generosity which has made this possible.
You can also view a video about the camp.
XPL15 - The cat with nine lives?
It was early in 1999, as the Kunene Lion Project got off the ground, and we were
still feeling our way through the basalt rocks and heat of the Kunene, that we
first came across the unusual social habits of the Kunene lions. We followed
tracks and signs of a large group of lion cubs that moved considerable
distances, without the guidance or protection of adults. There were
approximately ten cubs, and from the size of their spoor, they were no older
than a year. These were unusual observations. Generally, lionesses give birth to
small litters of 2 – 3 cubs, although they do occasionally synchronise their
oestrus cycles and produce litters about the same time. However lion cubs, of
that age, are mostly in the company of adults. Textbooks and the scientific
literature suggest that one-year-old lions are dependent on the adult lionesses
of their pride, and could not survive on their own. With tracks and scant signs
in the vast desert as our only evidence, we were wary of concluding too much.
In the early morning hours of a pitch-black night in October 1999, our speculations about this mysterious coalition of lion cubs were confirmed when they paid us a personal visit. For months we had been setting bait and calling stations at night, with the hope of attracting them, or any other unmarked lions. Our theories and expectations of the “cub-coalition”, however, left us unprepared for the sight that met us that night. The red-filtered spotlight illuminated a scene of chaos and aggression, as the cubs descended on our bait-station with confidence and determination. They ripped into the meat and fought brutally for a share of the free meal. There were lions everywhere, and their vicious growls and snarls were intimidating. We counted ten lions and estimated their ages between 12 and 14 months. The cubs behaved like adults, they were confident, aggressive, and fearless.
We darted two individuals that night. An assessment of dental structures confirmed our estimates of their age, and calculations suggested that they were born in September 1998. Both lions were marked with a unique brand mark, and fitted with a radio-collar. Our introduction to the “cub-coalition” that night, marked the beginning of a long-term quest to study and understand the socio-ecology of the Kunene lions
During the next few weeks, as we followed the “cub-coalition”, it became clear that they were not dependent on their mothers, or on other adult lions. They moved far and wide, and hunted successfully as a group. In July 2000 (20 months old) the coalition separated and formed two independent groups. We decided to fit more radio-collars and to intensify monitoring of the two groups.
On 16 September 2000 we darted a 2-year old male. We named him XPL-15. He was brand marked and fitted with a new radio-collar. XPL-15 became one of our key study animals, as we monitored the movements of the sub-group. In July 2001, at less than age of 3 years old, XPL-15 and his siblings dispersed and settled in the Hoaruseb River, some 130 km to the north. We tracked XPL-15 often and kept detailed records of their demography. Our last visual observation of XPL-15 was in August 2002.
Sadly, in October 2002, we learnt that XPL-15 had been shot. Reports
suggested that he and his group had moved onto land occupied by livestock
farmers, and had killed donkeys and cattle. The livestock farmers retaliated
and, in protection of their livelihood, shot one of the lions. The report came
from a reliable source and it included reference to a unique ID number inscribed
on the radio-collar of XPL-15.
For several months after this incident we continued searching for XPL-15, but to
no avail. We tracked and observed the remaining lions of that sub-group, but
XPL-15 had disappeared. Finally, in December 2002, we updated our records:
XPL-15 (aged 4 years) was assumed dead, his personal file was closed, and life
continued.
A long-term study, like the Kunene Lion Project, requires regular and routine maintenance. For example, the batteries of a radio-transmitter last two to three years, and radio-collars must be replaced routinely to continue monitoring. On 9 December 2004, a male lion was earmarked for regular maintenance work. The lion’s radio-collar was nearing its expiry date, and we planned to replace it during a standard darting operation. That night, as we slowly approached this lion in the failing light, we noticed a second lion nearby. The unknown lion was skittish and wary. However, a careful and painstakingly slow approach, under the cover of the night, paid off, and two well-directed darts were met by two sharp and angry growls.
We waited silently in the pitch darkness for 20 minutes to allow the drugs to take full effect. A brief inspection revealed that both lions were down. The vehicle headlights were turned on and we drove up for a closer inspection. The lion we were after was fast asleep and awaiting his new collar. We turned our attention to the unknown male, admiring his beautiful black mane. Then we noticed the brand mark on his shoulder. It was a unique mark, used only for the Kunene lions, but we had no record of a big adult male lion with such an individual mark. There was pandemonium as we reasoned, searched, and eventually realised that the lion at our feet was XPL-15.
The mark on his shoulder is unmistakable and unique, but we were confused, initially, because XPL-15 “died”, more than 2 years ago, and his personal file had been closed. The scrawny cub, we first marked in September 2000, had grown into a magnificent male lion. He was in excellent physical condition, six years old, and clearly in the prime of his life.
Two years after his reported death, and subsequent absence, XPL-15 had made a dramatic reappearance. The observation gives rise to many intriguing questions:
We may never have answers to any of these questions, and the remarkable incident may be explained only by the myth that cats including lions, really do have nine lives.
Notwithstanding, the net result is of ecological and evolutionary significance, simply because XPL-15 survived to adulthood despite separating from the adults at a very early age. As a healthy male lion, in the prime of his life, XPL-15 is perfectly poised to spread his successful desert-adapted genes.
Flip Stander
Click here to view a video about xpl15
RETURN OF THE SKELETON COAST LIONS
The image of a lion walking along an isolated beach has captured the imagination of many wildlife enthusiasts throughout the world. The Skeleton Coast lions became famous, internationally in 1990, when wildlife film producers, like National Geographic, released photographs and videos of them. The remarkable images were captured primarily by the legendary wildlife filmmakers, Des and Jen Bartlett, during the 1980’s. The lions that lived along the Skeleton Coast, during that period were monitored regularly by dedicated park rangers, employed by the Ministry of Environment & Tourism. In addition, we also ran a rudimentary research project on those lions. Funding and resources were limited, but with 5 radio-collared lions we were able to collect a fair amount of data. The coastal lions of the 1980’s maintained a stable presence in the Skeleton Coast Park. They hunted and fed on the available prey, like seals, beached whales, and gemsbok, and they were breeding successfully . These individuals illustrated remarkable adaptation to the unique and extreme ecological conditions.
However, the bordering land-use practises at that time were not conducive to wildlife conservation, and especially not to lions as major predators. The Namibian tourism industry was just cutting its teeth, and community-based conservation approaches were almost non-existent. Local people and livestock farmers lived on land, just outside the narrow Skeleton Coast Park (±30km). In an area with tremendously high tourism value, people, instead, attempted un-economical livestock farming. Conflict between the lions and livestock farmers was inevitable. By 1990 all the known and radio-collared lions had been shot or poisoned by farmers in retaliation for livestock losses, or to protect an uneconomical and unsustainable livelihood. Those tragic events were viewed as the demise of Namibia’s coastal lions.
Ten years later, members of the Predator Conservation Trust and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, launched a second study of the desert-adapted or coastal lions. Since 1990 there had not been any observations of lions in the Skeleton Coast Park, but signs had been recorded in the desert areas, just outside the Park. More importantly, however, were the tremendous growth of the tourism industry, and the emergence of communal conservancies, where local people have ownership over their wildlife and derive direct benefits, such as tourism-related levies. The environment for wildlife conservation, and for lions in particular, had changed considerably since the late 1980’s, and it was time to revisit the lion conservation problem.
The Kunene Lion Project was initiated in 1999. Our research and monitoring approach was intensive and systematic. One year into the study 20 lions had been radio-collared. Marked individuals were tracked from the air, over vast distances, and on the ground, over arduous terrain. Our monitoring approach was focussed on the individual lion, and its social interactions or associations with other lions. We collected data on births, cub survival, deaths, immigration, dispersal, and movements.
Although gruelling at times the efforts soon produced exciting results. The data showed that lionesses gave birth to large litters (x=2.8) and that cub survival was high (91%). In addition, cubs became independent early, and the interval between litters was shorter than normal. These events, and the fact that natural mortality was insignificant, caused the population to grow rapidly. During 1999 and 2000 their numbers increased by more than 30% per year (see graph). This unusually high growth rate dropped to 15% per year, between 2001 and 2003, which remains a significant increase.
One could therefore predict that this lion population will need to expand their range, due to the increase in numbers. In doing so, some lions will eventually find their way to the coast and, if food resources are adequate, establish themselves there. The results of our monitoring data, on movements and dispersal, from 2002 to 2005, show that this prediction is in fact quite accurate. At the end of 2001 the Kunene lion population lived in an area of 4,260 km2 (see map), and then expanded widely between 2002 and 2005. The population not only expanded its range, but many individuals, and small groups, dispersed and occupied new habitats.
The 2001 range, inhabited by lions, increased by a factor of 6.7 to the range measured in January 2005 (28,880 km2).
The most interesting and significant dispersal came from a small group of four young lions that moved to the Hoaruseb River. They were born in the heart of the core area, in September 1998. At the young age of 14 months, along with 6 other siblings, they broke away from their pride. At 20 months these four lions separated from their siblings and moved, first to the Hoanib River, and settled eventually in the Hoaruseb River, more than 130 km to the north. In July 2001 they got into trouble when they moved onto a bordering livestock area, and killed a few donkeys. The local community did not to want to kill the lions, and agreed that we should capture and relocate them back into the Skeleton Coast Park. Through the Conservancy system they were receiving compensation for losses, and other benefits, from the local tour operator. The following night we darted and moved the lions back into the Park. The translocation was successful, and there were no further human-lion conflicts.
As time went by the lions ventured closer to the coast, and in March 2002 the female gave birth to two cubs, in a rock outcrop less than 5 km from the beach. The cubs were growing up in the coastal area, and, not surprisingly, we eventually found them on the beach in August 2002. From the known records, this sighting marked the return of lions to the coast, after an absence of 12 - 14 years. By October 2003 the two cubs had grown large enough to be radio-collared, and we darted them on the beach, at the mouth of the Hoaruseb River. A few months later, in April 2004, the older female produced another litter of two cubs. They remained in that area throughout 2004. As a group, the mother, her two older daughters and two small cubs, move back and forth along the river, and spend a substantial amount of time on the coast.
Namibia’s coastal lions are back in force!
Click here to view a video about the coastal lions.
The Maule Aircraft:
The power and versatility of the Maule only came to the fore when we started using it in the challenging conditions of the mountainous Kunene. It is by far the best aircraft we have worked with. The Maule’s abilities in the field have enabled us to take the Kunene Lion Project to another level. Most important is the plane’s ability to land and take off in very short distances, and its ruggedness to land on rough and uneven surfaces.
During the 50 hours logged for the Lion Project since October 2004, we have repeatedly used make-shift airstrips of 50 to 100 metres in length. If the weight and balance is carefully managed, it can land and take off in 50 metres.
In practical terms, we can land almost anywhere in the study area. This ability will drastically reduce our driving and commuting time from the nearest airstrip, to the lions we need to monitor.
The latest field trip took place from 21st to 28th January. Ground support and a vehicle was kindly provided by Trevor Nott, a plant ecologist and old friend of Flips. We focussed on lions in the central part of the study area, working mainly in the Uniab, Springbok, and Hoanib Rivers. The main goals were a) to dart lions with old and "soon to expire" radio collars, and replace them with new collars, and b) to update our population ecology database - i.e. group compositions, births, deaths, etc.
During the 8 days we drove over 1000 km looking for lions and logged 17.8 radio tracking hours with the Maule, covering an area of 48,372 sq km.
Two lions were darted and their collars replaced.
Area covered by aerial tracking
An adult male (Xpl-6) died sometime in late December in the Hoanib flood plain. We tracked and located his radio collar. He was last observed during November 2004 in the Hoaruseb River, and was in good condition. The cause of death was most probably of a violent nature - either shot and wounded by farmers, or perhaps, killed by a resident coalition of six male lions.
Another male, Xpl-4, aged 6.5 years, was shot on 22 January 2005 by a local livestock farmer at Peter's Pool in the Hoab River. This incident will be investigated further.
Five radio-collared lions, out of 23, are currently missing. Despite extensive radio tracking we have not been able to locate them. It is critical that we do locate them soon, because documenting extreme movements, such as these, are essential to understanding the dynamics of an expanding population. This however requires long hours of high-altitude aerial radio-tracking, but funding aircraft fuel and running costs is limited. Notwithstanding, with the regular field trips since November 2004, we are slowly clawing our way back into the research and monitoring of the Kunene lion population after losing some ground while waiting for our aircraft to arrive.
Area covered by vehicle on this fieldtrip
During field trips in January and March, the study area was surveyed for a suitable location for the new base camp. Wereldsend was identified as being the ideal location. Meetings were held with the local communities, the directors of IRDNC (long term occupants of Wereldsend) and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, to seek support and approval for this development. Once the necessary support and approval was obtained, a site visit followed in March/April 2005. With the help of IRDNC staff members, the location and details of the new Kunene Lion Camp were established.
During April 2005 the equipment and supplies for the camp were ordered and purchased in Windhoek. On 27th April, a large truck (courtesy of IRDNC) and two vehicles were used to transport the supplies to Werelsend.
Construction of the camp was subject to approval of IRDNC staff which caused some delays due to their busy work schedules. The base camp was finally completed on 17th June 2005. It consists of a rudimentary building constructed with local basalt rocks, reeds, wood and shade netting. The building has three subdivisions - an office/laboratory, a kitchen/workshop, and a store room. There is a separate shower and a toilet built with reeds. Solar panels were erected and the camp was wired to supply 12 volt DC lights and two 220v AC power points via an inverter. The office/laboratory is equipped with a refrigerator and other equipment for blood sample processing.
A shade net hangar was erected for the aircraft, and this also serves to store fuel and equipment. Finally, a small airstrip was made next to the base camp. The airstrip is 180 metres long, and all the work was done by hand.
Building the new base camp was a bigger task than initially expected. As a result the research intensity and monitoring of marked lions was reduced during this period.
Some photos from the construction of the new base camp...
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