By RUPI MANGAT
The EastAfrican – Posted Saturday, September 20 2008 at 14:53

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It is a matter of concern that in only two decades, Africa’s lion population has dwindled from 200,000 to 20,000 today.

For anyone coming to Africa, the big thrill is to see the ultimate king of the jungle, who combines strength with noble looks, who is invincible against all odds.

Strong dynasties in every civilisation stretching from the pharaohs of Egypt to the warrior Sikhs of the Punjab and from the Maasai morans to the Mayans, proudly identified with the lion for its legendary prowess.

Yet today, the lion’s future is threatened by habitat destruction as humanity spreads into the last frontiers in search of space to live.

For scientists and conservationists, it is a challenge to secure safe spaces for the cats, alongside the people who live in close proximity with them.

Without this partnership, the last of the wild cats will soon be assigned to the pages of history. A new study is addressing this conundrum.

“This is the first study on lions in the Ewaso ecosystem,” says Shivani Bhalla, the young Kenyan researcher working on her PhD project in the harsh but undeniably stunning drylands of Kenya’s north. “My study area comprises the Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba National reserves, which are protected areas, and the non-protected area of West Gate. It covers an area of 1,000 square kilometres. The project is called the Ewaso Lion Project. …

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