Large Carnivore Monitoring

The primary goals of this project are to monitor the status of important predator populations and to develop simple, easy-to-repeat carnivore census techniques. These methods will be used to assess the conservation status of five major large carnivore species (lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, cheetahs and wild dogs), and to monitor changes in their populations over time. This method is employed throughout wildlife areas in the Zimbabwean part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Whilst the Savé Valley Conservancy is showing a rapid increase in their lion population since re-colonisation of the area by lions in the late 1990s, other species such as cheetah and wild dog are declining. On the other hand, in Gonarezhou National Park, a 5000km2 park to the south of SVC, we have revealed there is a worryingly low lion population, whilst hyenas and leopards thrive there.

In light of this, AWCF field conservationists have initiated the Gonarezhou Predator Project to investigate the causes of this low lion population and attempt to mitigate threats to the population.

Young male lions and one female with radio collar

Photo: S. Romañach. Used by permission.