Current Lion Troubles

The growing collateral effects in the contemporary world have managed to defy the powerful abilities of the lion. Will this be the beginning of a definitive decline?.

Principal threats to the survival of lions have increased together with the economic problems of recent years, which has led to an increasing the actions of humans seeking to obtain money income.

The wild lions are in some areas of the sub-Saharan African landscape and small regions of India, where is their natural habitat.

Nowadays, there are about 20,000 in the wild; this is a population that, historically, is very small. Therefore, the lions are considered officially vulnerable to extinction. 

They have no natural predators other than humans, which means we are responsible for all damage; it even more inconceivable that the number of African lions has decreased by more than 40% in the last 30 years.

The threats to lions are mostly the loss of territory, human-lion conflict, and hunting as a trophy. Humans and climate change, causing natural habitat destruction, pushing the lions into closer proximity to communities and livestock; this increases conflict with humans, has cost many wild lions their lives.

Image 1: Lions on threat have to flee their territories, captured or killed for sale.

The world and lions.

African lions have suffered threats for profit; The poaching home has increased with the 2020 pandemic; whether for sale as exotic animals, fur, or human consumption, lions are illegally taken from African nature reserves. Although people may have other interests in these lions, they capture lions to increase tourism, such as petting, walking, or playing with them.

In China, traditional medicine increases the number of big-cats farms for industrial purposes. They have rows of tiny cells, each of which houses a lion or tiger. These buildings provide the minimum nutritional requirements for the lions to survive, food and water.

For use in traditional medicine; It is necessary to clarify that most of the claims are for "protection from malevolent spirits"; there is no evidence to prove their effects. Beneficial substances in their components are preferred to obtain from alternative sources.

In China, according to World Animal Protection US, a survey was conducted on people who have consumed drugs or products that came from big cats; two out of five people (40%) claim to have used these products. Nearby, in Vietnam, nearly nine out of 10 people (89%) believe in the efficacy of medical products made from tigers and lions.

There were almost 8,000 captive lions in South Africa for exploitation in 2019. On the other hand, Traditional Chinese Medicine takes the lives of thousands of lions a year; reports indicate large numbers of these factories in the African and Chinese regions.

In 2019, with the support of the World Health Organization, the Resources of Chinese medicine in China; led to adopt a category called the traditional medicine of the region, which includes the protection and substitutes of endangered species.

Image 2:The current habitat of the lion (Blue) against the history records (Red).

The pandemic even managed to affect lions; around the world, many cases were infected, especially in crowded zoos; this happens since certain animals also share the human pathway through which the virus enters.

In recent weeks, scientists from the WHO to China concluded that probably another animal was an intermediary for the coronavirus; there is a long list, including cats, dogs, badgers, lions, and tigers, that can get the disease like humans. If this is true, it will be strenuous to determine the origin due there are many classes of animals that serve as reservoirs of the virus; it will be necessary to search for which was the first of all.

It is relevant to take care of lions since they are sensitive, very friendly, and have a strong family sense. They communicate through sounds, leaving scent marks, and through visual cues; even the yawnings manage to coordinate their movements as a group.

From environmental problems to viral infections have affected lions in this contemporary time. The shortage of money in the region causes an increase in illegal actions that destroy their habitat and captures them. Therefore, it is the responsibility of humans to take care of these animals and their environment. Must reduce the harmful human interaction with lions to protect their future lives and natural paradises.

References

• The Jakarta Post. Which animals could have passed Covid-19 to humans?. Paris, France  /  Tue, March 30, 2021  /  05:45 pm. Link https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2021/03/30/which-animals-could-have-passed-covid-19-to-humans-.html.

• The Economist. The pandemic is a gift to poachers in Africa. Apr 3rd, 2021 edition. Link https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2021/03/31/the-pandemic-is-a-gift-to-poachers-in-africa.

• World Animal Protection. News. Lions and Tigers Being Farmed for Traditional Medicine. 09/07/2019.  Link https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.nz/news/lions-and-tigers-being-farmed-traditional-medicine.

• BBC News. Coronavirus: Four lions test positive for Covid-19 at Barcelona Zoo. Published 8 December 2020. Link https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55229433.

• Nat Geo. Mary Bates. Many mammals are contagious yawners—this might be why.  March 31, 2021. Link https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/many-mammals-are-contagious-yawners-this-might-be-why.