African Lions

Conflict between wildlife and humans over diminishing resources is a problem throughout the African continent. Lion prides require a large home range, which means they live and travel across a variety of areas -- not only protected land like national parks and reserves, but also public land and private ranches. In some parks like Queen Elizabeth Park in Uganda, there are villages within a protected park, leading to many challenges around coexistence. An increasing human population and expanding ranches have forced lions to compete with local communities and their animals for space and food. Scarcer wild plant options also have a detrimental effect, leading lions to prey on livestock instead of local plants to survive.

In African regions where humans and lions live close together, lions are highly vulnerable when they come into regular contact with people. Conflict occurs when lions attack livestock, because families rely upon those animals for food and income. People who have lost livestock often retaliate by shooting, poisoning, or spearing lions, or setting snares to trap or injure lions and other large carnivores that prey on their livestock.

Oakland Zoo’s docent volunteers raised funds to help establish Leopard Village, a community-run center that supports cultural and wildlife conservation through ecotourism. The center includes traditional huts, a library for village children, and a meeting space for community members to gather and discuss resolutions to human-wildlife conflict. The villagers share knowledge about their pastoral and agricultural livelihoods, perform traditional songs and dances, and sell locally-made crafts.

Oakland Zoo offers eco-trips to Uganda, where travelers spend time with the Uganda Carnivore Program (UCP). Travelers gain invaluable insight into the challenges facing both the human and wildlife populations in the region. Eco-trips to Kenya visit the Ewaso Lion Project as well. Both expeditions support lion conservation and awareness, and bring much needed supplies to the conservation teams in the field.

Oakland Zoo shares lion conservation issues and solutions through docents and volunteers, Teen Wild Guides, Education programs, events, habitat signage, campaigns, virtual programs and media. Oakland Zoo celebrates lions and the conservation work continuously being done to ensure their survival with special events at the zoo.

Oakland Zoo provides yearly professional development training for field partners, offering them a myriad of staff skills and resources to enhance conservation efforts. Zoo staff members have also provided training in human-wildlife conflict to other lion conservation leaders. The Zoo continues to provide guidance and support for Uganda Carnivore Program's conservation, education, and outreach work with the local communities. A first-ever Lion Festival at UCP was co-created by Oakland Zoo!