Large mammal populations fall in Africa’s national parks

Urgent support needed to halt loss of key species

July 2010: African national parks like the Masai Mara and the Serengeti have seen populations of large mammals decline by up to 59 per cent, according to a recent study.

CRISIS: Although numbers are increasing in southern Africa in the troubled west of the continent mammal populations, such as that of the African hunting dog, have fallen by 85 per cent. Photo: ZSL

The parks are visited by thousands of tourists each year hoping to spot Africa's ‘Big Five' - lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino - but the research shows that urgent efforts are needed to secure the future of the parks and their role in tourism.

Scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Cambridge University monitored the change in population numbers of many species in 78 protected areas in Africa. The index revealed an average decline of almost 60 per cent in the population numbers of 69 key species including lion, wildebeest, giraffe, buffalo and zebra between 1970 and 2005 in the national parks. There is great variation by region with populations increasing in southern Africa, declining by more than half in East Africa and 85 per cent declines in West Africa.

TOURISM VITAL: The situation is even worse for wildlife outside the parks says ZSL director Jonathan Baillie Photo: ZSL

The massive declines in West Africa are probably due to the lack of financial and personnel resources, high rates of habitat degradation and the growing bushmeat trade. Despite the severe losses, the rate of decline has slowed over time, indicating that management of the areas has been gradually improving - but more support is needed.

Study leader and ZSL researcher Ian Craigie said: ‘Although the results indicate that African national parks have generally failed to maintain their populations of large mammals, the situation outside the parks is almost undoubtedly worse. Many species, such as rhino, are practically extinct outside national parks.'

Director of ZSL Conservation Programmes Jonathan Baillie added: ‘The results are far worse than we imagined, but the increasing population trends in southern Africa provide hope and demonstrate that protected areas can be very effective for conserving large mammals if properly resourced.'