Lion (Panthera leo) ecology and livestock conflicts in Waza National Park, Cameroon (original) (raw)

2008

Demography and ecology were studied of a decreased lion population in Waza National Park, Cameroon Home ranges of lions were large with an average of 1043 (MCP 100%) or 635 (HM 95%). Lions spent most of their time inside the park, especially in the hot dry season. Time spent outside the park increases in the wet season and peaks in the cold dry season. Lions were most active during the night with crepuscular peaks around sunrise and sunset and reduced activity during the hottest parts of the day. This nocturnal activity increases when lions were outside the park. Lions were least active in the cold dry season compared to the hot dry and the wet season. Transects showed an increasing number and congregation of wild ungulates on the floodplain in time with most of the observed lions in the vicinity of these congregations. Number of nights present at a GPS cluster presented the best model to predict whether or not a lion had killed or scavenged an animal successfully. Lions killed or s...