Page 19 - African Safaris eBrochure by Bushtracks
P. 19
Samora dug into the elephant carcass, and we heard Throughout Africa, lions are in trouble. Conflicts
crunching sounds. Keith peered through the sights of with local people, habitat destruction, inadvertent snaring
his air rifle and aimed at the lion’s shoulder. The dart hit, and sport hunting are endangering this iconic species.
and Samora leapt. He sprinted twenty meters away, then Once numbering in the hundreds of thousands,
collapsed into a deep sleep. Keith and his team worked
efficiently to replace the old collar. They measured the fewer than 30,000 lions remain in all of Africa.
lion’s height and length, drew blood, treated wounds,
checked for parasites. The pattern of wear on his teeth In many regions, lions are killed in retribution for raiding
suggested that Samora was about four years old—a livestock, or after injuring or killing local people. In Niassa,
mature male, ready to define a territory and mate. however, the major threat to lions is from snares set to
catch other animals for meat. It’s illegal to kill wildlife in
I knelt beside him. He was fit, tightly muscled. I rested a conservation area, but the supply of domestic meat in
my hand on his flank, following the rise and fall of his Niassa fails to meet demand—a chicken costs three or
breathing, then examined his feet. Samora’s forepaws four dollars, whereas a wild guinea fowl is only sixty cents.
dwarfed my hands. Too late, I remembered where those When heavy wire snares are set to target larger animals
forepaws had just been, deep in the belly of a putrid like antelope and buffalo, these snares inadvertently catch
elephant. Four hand washings later, the smell was lions. Of the 22 lions that the Beggs collared between
eradicated from my fingers, but I still wished I’d brought 2005 and 2010, ten died—five from snaring.
some Purell.
continues next page
Keith Begg and Euzebio
Waiti take a blood sample
from Samora after
equipping him with a new
satellite tracking collar.
17
crunching sounds. Keith peered through the sights of with local people, habitat destruction, inadvertent snaring
his air rifle and aimed at the lion’s shoulder. The dart hit, and sport hunting are endangering this iconic species.
and Samora leapt. He sprinted twenty meters away, then Once numbering in the hundreds of thousands,
collapsed into a deep sleep. Keith and his team worked
efficiently to replace the old collar. They measured the fewer than 30,000 lions remain in all of Africa.
lion’s height and length, drew blood, treated wounds,
checked for parasites. The pattern of wear on his teeth In many regions, lions are killed in retribution for raiding
suggested that Samora was about four years old—a livestock, or after injuring or killing local people. In Niassa,
mature male, ready to define a territory and mate. however, the major threat to lions is from snares set to
catch other animals for meat. It’s illegal to kill wildlife in
I knelt beside him. He was fit, tightly muscled. I rested a conservation area, but the supply of domestic meat in
my hand on his flank, following the rise and fall of his Niassa fails to meet demand—a chicken costs three or
breathing, then examined his feet. Samora’s forepaws four dollars, whereas a wild guinea fowl is only sixty cents.
dwarfed my hands. Too late, I remembered where those When heavy wire snares are set to target larger animals
forepaws had just been, deep in the belly of a putrid like antelope and buffalo, these snares inadvertently catch
elephant. Four hand washings later, the smell was lions. Of the 22 lions that the Beggs collared between
eradicated from my fingers, but I still wished I’d brought 2005 and 2010, ten died—five from snaring.
some Purell.
continues next page
Keith Begg and Euzebio
Waiti take a blood sample
from Samora after
equipping him with a new
satellite tracking collar.
17
