There are only two areas in Nigeria home to lions: Kainji Lake National Park, in the northwest, where some 30 cats are living, and Yankari, where researchers believe there are just under five.
Searching for the last lions in Nigeria : “The situation has become worse. There has been no response, no tracks” -… https://t.co/jfJjo5PXBM
— BigCats.com (@bigcatscom) March 21, 2016
In all, some 400 lions reside in the West Africa region, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says.
Parks famous for their lions, including Tanzania’s Serengeti Park and South Africa’s Kruger National Park, run on a budget of approximately $500 (450 euros) per square kilometre (0.3 square miles).
Most West African parks with lions operate on a budget of just $36 per square kilometre.
While enough work is required to carry out these census, Kiki and his team of wildlife officials are careful not to get hurt in the wild world of the lions.
“We shot to scare them but instead of them trying to run away, they shot us.”
Cover photo: By AfricaNews