It is more expensive to try to preserve lion populations without fences, and it is also much harder. People are likely to try to get revenge on lions that kill their family members or livestock, and if lions can't get to the people, then that problem is gone. Scientists have tried other ways of keeping the lions alive, but fencing is so far the most effective. Dr. Luke Hunter says that there isn't much of a choice; fences are necessary.
Lions now live in only 25% of what they lived in before human intervention.
http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2013/03/05/new_report_confirms_almost_half_of_africas_lions_facing_extinction.html
NoS Themes:
1. Science is collaborative. Multiple people from multiple universities have studied this problem and tried to correct it.
2. Science is based on evidence. Scientists have tried making other ways to keep lions away from humans, but fencing seems to be the best based on evidence.
4. Role of Credibility. Luke Hunter has a PhD and many researchers are from universities.
How terrible! Another interesting point of study might be poaching, and the effect that illegal activity has on lions. Lion hunting is illegal, but lion pelts are incredibly valuable. Perhaps another solution is necessary, one that keeps not only the lions in, but humans out too!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.africanconservancy.org/about/documents/Facts.pdf
I think this is really sad. Because of human encroachment a beautiful species is being threatened. I agree with Jake that poaching might also be an issue, both directly and indirectly. I know that lions are sometimes hunted for their pelts but mostly it's their prey that is being poached, which has a negative effect on both the lions and the entire ecosystem as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThis article was interesting to me because I really always thought of lions as being relatively abundant species. Lions were my favorite animal when I was little (Lion King...please who didn't love that movie) so it's really sad to read this article. However, after researching this, it's clear that lions do face a lot of problems from poaching and environmental enroachment from humans :/ which is, unfortunate. See ->
ReplyDeletehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jan/08/west-african-lions-extinction-report
I am so sad to hear that a species like is dying. I never even knew that lions were on the verge of extinction too. I think this poaching problem needs to be approached more seriously, as it not only affects the lions, it can affect many other species too. We should have more security, and punish these poacher very steeply. We also need to stop the people who buy lion pelts which are very valuable, maybe a steep penalty for them. We should also moniter the sales of these pelts. Here is general info on poaching:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.eoearth.org/article/Poaching?topic=49477
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Poaching?topic=49477