Recently, UNESCO decided to remove Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal from the list of endangered World Heritage sites. This is a fantastic achievement for the Senegalese government and all involved parties. The park, established in 1954 and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981, is one of the last habitats for the critically endangered West African lion and the African wild dog.
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Fundraising for the Leo Foundation at ‘de Dag van de Natuur’
On October 4, GlobeGuards organized the largest auction of nature experiences at Royal Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem. For the 12th time, member organizations of GlobeGuards were given the opportunity to submit unique nature experiences offered for auction. Leo Foundation was also present.
Read MoreNairobi lion project contributed to the extension of Nairobi National Park
A recent decision to expand Nairobi National Park in Kenya is a good example of how GPS mapping of lions can positively influence policy decisions.
Read MoreLeo foundation visited projects in Kenya
Leo board members Barbara Croes and Hans de Iongh traveled to Kenya in February 2022 to visit ongoing projects supported by the Leo foundation in Nakuru NP and Soysambu Conservancy and in Meru NP.
Two male lions were collared in Nakuru NP with AWT satellite collars and an attempt was made to collar a lion in Soysambu Conservancy. There are currently three collars providing data in Nakuru NP and in Soysambu Conservancy, adding to the data on lion movements and conflicts in and around Nakuru for Monica Chege’s PhD research. The intention is to map human-lion conflicts around Nakuru NP of lions that have escaped under the fences of the park.
The mission also visited Meru NP, where a collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Born Free Foundation has been established to support the PhD research by Luka Narisha. Two AWT satellite collars were given to park staff for the collaring of two translocated problem lions in Meru NP. There are already data available on previously translocated problem lions and these data indicate that most problem lions leave the park and again get into conflict with livestock owners outside the park. The intention is to increase the sample size of collared problem lions to draw more firm conclusions which may be used to inform KWS policy.
New article published about conflicts between large carnivores and pastoralists in Senegal
We are very happy that Gueye Mallé has published a brand new article about his research on conflicts between large carnivores and pastoralists in and around Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. This research was supported by Leo Foundation and is part of the PhD study Gueye is currently undertaking.
Read MoreFishing cat collared in Nepal
Good news! Our colleague Rama Mishra Lamichane and her team recently collared a fishing cat in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve in Nepal with a satellite collar. The aim of the collaring is to better understand the behavior of this elusive and endangered cat species, and to monitor conflicts with local fishpond owners. Eventually the team hopes to establish appropriate protection measures that would allow for a coexistence between fishing cats and local farmers. This study is supported by Leo Foundation.
Decollaring of two lions in Nairobi NP
Nairobi NP – On the morning of 5 februari 2018, a team of KWS (Francis Lesilau), Leo foundation (Hans de Iongh) en CML, Leiden University (Kevin Groen) have decollarred two lionsRead More
Trends in de carnivore populations in Bouba Ndjida NP, North Cameroon.
The results of the study implemented by staff of the Leo foundation and students of Leiden University in Bouba Ndjida NP, North Cameroon, have now been published in African Journal of Ecology. This study showed that lion and spotted hyena populations in Bouba Ndjida NP seem to have increased between 2005 and 2014. This result was base on a comparison between a calling station survey that Leo Foundation has performed in 2014 with the calling station survey performed by dr Hans Bauer of Wildcru, Oxford in 2005. This project has been sponsored by US Fish and Wildlife Service and Prins Bernhard Natuurfonds.Read More