World Lion Day

After celebrating National Women's Day in South Africa yesterday, we're honouring one of the world's top apex predators today: lionesses!

LIONS & TERMITE MOUNDS: A LOVE LETTER

Have you noticed that we often see these powerful creatures lying around termite mounds like the one pictured above? Often the area around the spire and base of the mound has less vegetation: this is called the outwash pediment, and is the result of material (termite saliva, dung and soil) being eroded from the mound. 

This area tends to stay drier because of the lack of vegetation which makes it a favourite spot for lions, who, like most felines, hate getting their fur wet!

A WORLD WITHOUT LIONS?

Once upon a time, lions used to not only roam most of Africa, but parts of Asia and Europe as well. Zooarchaeological remains of Panthera leo suggest lions were present in the Peloponnese, in southern Greece, until 1000 BCE!

Today however, wild lions are only found in Africa, and are already extinct in 26 African countries. Whereas the lion population was 200,000 strong at the beginning of the 20th century, 100 years later there are only about 23,000 left in the wild. 

There are a lot of obstacles to increasing lion populations today, including avoiding human-wildlife conflict, ensuring genetic diversity within fenced game reserves and protecting other endangered species from this apex predator! 

By booking your Walking Safari with Tsala Trails, part of your package rate goes towards conservation fees for the Game Reserves we walk on so that they can continue to study and protect all wildlife for future generations. 

Sources:

• Hoelzl, Kurt. "Termite mounds indicating direction North." Bushguide 101. Accessed August 10, 2024. https://bushguide101.com/termite-hills-indicating-true-north/#:~:text=And%20as%20the%20outwash%20pediment,mounds%20are%20often%20very%20visible.

• African Impact. "Vulnerable and Endangered Species: African Lion." African Impact. Accessed August 10, 2024. https://africanimpact.com/blog/african-lion/

• Zimmer, Katarina. "The Last Wild Lions of Europe." Sapiens. Accessed August 10, 2024. https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/lions-europe/

• WWF. "Lion: King of the Jungle." WWF. Accessed August 10, 2024. https://wwf.panda.org/discover/wildlife/bigcats/factlions_/#:~:text=The%20population%20has%20crashed%20from,to%20around%2020%2C000%20lions%20today.

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