The African Lion, Trophy Hunting, and Habitat Destruction
When you think of lions, you probably think of them being king of the savannah, right? However, it’s not easy being king. Over the past 50 years Africa’s lion population has plummeted from over 200,000 individuals back in the 1960′s to fewer than 25,000 today. A shocking number if you consider the size of that continent, and by far the greatest number of remaining lion populations are small, scattered, and highly vulnerable. Ghana, Coted’Ivoire, and Congo are the latest African countries added to long list that have lost all their lions, and Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda predict local extinctions in the next ten years. The population of the African Lion is decreasing because of trophy hunting and habitat destruction. However, you can help save the African Lion. The African Lion is a mammal and is a carnivore. They measure around 4.5 to 6.5 feet from their head to their body. They can weigh from 265-420 pounds. Currently, the African Lion is vulnerable. The African Lion is the only big cat not protected under the Endangered Species Act, and now, the U.S. government is considering adding them to the list. First of all, what is trophy hunting? Wikipedia defines “trophy hunting” as the selective hunting of wild game animals. Trophy hunting is most often criticized when it involves rare or endangered animals. Opponents may also see trophy hunting as an issue of morality or animal cruelty, criticizing the killing of living creatures for recreation. Approximately 600 lions are killed every year on trophy hunts, including lions in populations that are already declining from other threats. These hunts are unsustainable and put more pressure on the species. Unfortunately, Americans are primarily to blame. Approximately 60 percent of all lions killed for sport in Africa are shipped to the U.S. as trophies. There are several reasons why trophy hunting is so bad for lions, other than it kills healthy members of a jeopardized species. The adult male lion is