Eco-warriors needed for Africa’s lions

At an event on 31 March which sought to address the conservation of Africa’s big cats, The Captured in Africa Foundation urged citizens to become eco-warriors.

Founder, Drew Abrahamson, repeatedly said that conservation is key in saving lions.

Guest speaker at the Kramerville-based event, Simon Espley Espley expressed his concerns when he said that lions are extinct in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. There are only very few lions left in India. The statistic which had guests gasping was the fact that there were 200 000 lions 40 years ago, but only 20 000 remain today.

“Trophy hunting can be used as a conservation tool if managed in a scientifically sustainable manner,” said Espley. He did, however, express, that trophy hunting is neither scientific nor sustainable at the moment. Furthermore, he explained that female lions are being hunted as trophies in Namibia and this has caused a rapid decline in the population of lions in this region.

Espley had a pessimistic view towards the way that conservation is headed when he said that it has become a rich man’s dream because communities are not getting involved. The solution to this problem is to educate communities about big cats.

One of the closing remarks Espley made was, “It is distressing that lions have been turned into commodities and we need to lift them back up to their high status.”

Abrahamson narrated a slide show in which pictures of captured and injured lions were shown. She then came onto the stage to address the guests with teary eyes and said, “We need to join together as one force for the lions.”

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