.png){kind=logo}
Lion Rangers
The Lion Rangers programme provides training to existing rangers employed by conservation partners, giving them the knowhow they need to reduce human-carnivore conflict.
Specifically, Lion Rangers are trained to help livestock owners implement predator-proof livestock husbandry practices, warn livestock owners of the lions whereabouts and shadow lions when they move into areas with high risk of conflict. Lion Rangers respond quickly when livestock predation does occur, following best practices to mitigate conflict and support livestock owners to prevent future losses. When poisoning does occur, Lion Rangers are trained to work with local authorities to respond following best practices that minimise the negative impacts of this on wildlife, people and the wider environment. They also learn about large carnivore behavioural ecology and collect valuable data on wildlife, which is used to inform and evaluate conservation activities on the landscape.
Building the capacity of existing rangers working on the landscape in this way, supports human-carnivore coexistence at the landscape-scale.
Lion Rangers are a trained to respond to wildlife poisoning incidents, preventing further losses of wildlife and minimising risk to human and livestock health.
This is a Coexistence Co-op initiative and supports our Collaring for Coexistence programme and our Community Coexistence Training programme.
The Lion Rangers are permanently connected to ranch management and Carnivore Conservation groups via WhatsApp for additional support and information sharing. These Lion Rangers not only actively promote coexistence between people and wildlife but they also collect and record valuable data that help us to understand more about human-carnivore coexistence and carnivore population dynamics.
By monitoring lion movements closely, the Lion Rangers pre-empt any human-carnivore conflict by warning livestock owners of the lions whereabouts and shadowing lions when they move into areas with high risk of conflict.
The Lion Rangers are also trained as ambassadors for their wildlife ranch/conservancy, supporting and engaging neighbouring communities in conservation activities.
