Oct. 14, 2003 — Five young Barbary lions will be released into the wild near South Africa's Western Cape province within the next two months, 150 years after a hunter shot the last free lion in the region.
"The lions will be released into a predator reserve, where they will be able to roam freely and enjoy their own mountains, valleys, seasonal rivers and kloofs (ravines)," said Searl Derman.
Derman is the owner of Aquila Private Game Reserve, which is about 150 kilometers (90 miles) northeast of Cape Town.
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Derman said that the new cats are the closest living relatives to the extinct black mane Cape lion.
"A hunter shot the last Cape lion in the 1850's," Derman said. "Since then lions have only been found in the north of South Africa."
Three of the Barbary lions are five-week-old cubs and two are yearlings.
The older lions are being kept in a one-hectare (2.5-acre) area to get them acclimatized to the surroundings.
"The three cubs will be released as soon as they are off the bottle and strong enough to care and defend themselves against the two bigger lions," said Derman.
He said the lions would indirectly help the reserve establish a rehabilitation center for the rare and endangered Cape vulture.
"From the carcasses left by the lions, it puts us in the ideal situation to make a conservation effort to establish a rehabilitation center for the Cape vulture, which has suffered over the last few decades."
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Name: Lion (Panthera leo)
Primary Classification: Felidae (Cats) Location: India and sub-Saharan Africa. Habitat: Savannah, grasslands and open woodlands. Diet: Mostly large herbivores like wildebeest, zebra, and impala. Also small rodents and reptiles. Size: Up to 8.5 ft in length and 550 lbs in weight. Description: Tawny yellow coat; broad head with rounded ears; muscular shoulders; mature males sport thick manes Cool Facts: It is the only cat that forms longterm social groups. It spends 15 to 20 hours a day resting. During estrus, females mate once every 20 minutes for 5 days. Conservation Status: Vulnerable Major Threat: Habitat loss. What Can I Do?: Visit the African Wildlife Foundation for information on how you can help. |
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