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| WALK WITH LIONS: THE LION RESEARCH, REHABILITATION AND RELEASE PROJECT IN LIVINGSTONE |
ZAMBIA |
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Zambia encompasses everything magnificent about Africa - wildlife, birds, safaris, lakes, rivers, culture and adventure sports! This programme takes place in Livingstone, Zambia, where you will get the chance to have extremely close encounters with lions! You can take lions for a walk through a Game Reserve - an unbelievable experience! The alarming rate at which the number of lions in Africa is decreasing is heartbreaking. Current patterns indicate that there wil soonl be no lions left on the Continent. On this very worthwhile and necessary Lion Breeding Project, your work will assist in helping this project to continue and, over the long term, will also hopefully contribute to preventing the decrease in the lion population in Africa. "The project was amazing every single day and I can't wait to go back there." Emma Jenkinson
YOUR WORK:
Lion Walks. Spending time with the
lions in the wild each day is an essential part of the cubs upbringing.
If the cubs are to be successfully released it is important that they
spend time out in a natural environment. They need to adapt to it, learn
from it, understand, observe, feel and smell the wild.
THE AIM OF THE PROJECT IN
LIVINGSTONE: WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:
Got any questions? Please email us: info@travellersworldwide.com |
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breeding program is "To secure and, where possible, restore sustainable
lion populations throughout their present and potential range within
Eastern and Southern Africa, recognizing their potential to provide
substantial ecological, social, cultural and economic benefits." The
project plans to do this by completing the following stages: STAGE 1a Young cubs born to female lions in breeding programs spend as many daylight hours in the wild, accompanied by trained lion handlers. Guides and volunteers contribute valuable data and observations. This exercise is being carried out in Livingstone, and it is remarkable to observe the development of the natural hunting instincts of the young lions. At 18 months, these lions are able to successfully stalk and bring down a diversity of prey species. STAGE 1b (only at Gweru Park in Zimbabwe) Once sub-adult lions have demonstrated hunting skills, they are released into large (approximately 1000 acres) enclosures stocked with prey species. Release periods are planned to be from 3 to 5 days (but currently only a few hours a day), and while the lions are still monitored carefully, their periods of activity and hunting are no longer determined by handlers. At present the Gweru park is periodically releasing 18 month old lions into this enclosure (called ‘Night Lion Orientation’), and results have shown an almost 100% stalk and kill rate with wild antelope. STAGE 2 From stage 1b, lions now used to hunt entirely for themselves will be translocated to fenced mini-ecosystems where: 1. There are no other lions except for simultaneously introduced, opposite sex groups to promote breeding; 2. There are no resident human beings; 3. There is a sufficient diversity of prey species for the lions to hunt; 4. There is sufficient space (5,000 to 10,000 acres) within fenced areas to maintain the lions – such areas will be sourced in various African countries. STAGE 3 The offspring of lions born to Stage 2 lions and therefore raised in a totally natural environment, can be slowly introduced into appropriate protected areas. With the economic situation of many African countries in a stage of revival, there is a desire to restore and reconstruct wildlife areas to vitally contribute to national economies. The Lion Encounter has already received many requests to assist in lion reintroduction. As heartbreaking as it is, the lions of Africa are decreasing at an alarming rate. Current patterns indicate that within a very short time there will be no lions left on this continent. Factors that affect the decreasing number of lions include rampant poaching, uncontrolled (and "canned") hunting and diminishing natural habitats. Diseases such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), which leads to lions contracting Bovine Tuberculosis, are another killer of these wonderful animals. A recent headline in the South African Sunday Times read 'Kruger lions dying like flies'. The cause - incurable bovine tuberculosis. Of 33 lions tranquillized and tested, 32 lions were TB positive. Forecasts are that it is possible that within 5 years, 95% of the Kruger lions will have died from TB. The project leaders who own these projects feel passionately about the state of the lion population in Africa. As a result they run a Lion Breeding Programme with the express objectives of preserving the African lions by producing a quality gene pool and rebuilding the diminishing numbers of lions, and also reintroducing the offspring back into the wild in environments where they will have the best possible opportunity for survival and a good quality of life. Having started with just six lions and run-down, only partially fenced facilities, they have built the programme into a magnificent Game Reserve and Lion Breeding facility. Since 1987 new bloodlines have been imported from Tanzania and various other captive breeding units in Zimbabwe and a strictly monitored breeding programme was commenced to ensure that no in-breeding took place. DNA and TB tests were carried out with the assistance of a veterinarian attached to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the lions are regularly vaccinated against Rabies. There are currently around 50 lions of various ages within the Gweru park in Zimbabwe. The aim is to build up a gene-pool for other breeding programmes in Africa and the rest of the world, and in 1999 alone, over 20 lions were exported to a similar facility in South Africa, a step in the direction of fighting to ensure the survival of these Kings of the Jungle. The owners firmly believe that controlled re-introduction of the offspring of captive bred lions into the wild can succeed and enable them to live in their natural environment The lion breeding program is mainly funded by tourist facilities, such as the Lion Walk, swimming with elephants, etc. Without this funding the Lion Breeding Programme couldn't exist. Our volunteers' work assists in helping this project to continue and, over the long term, will also hopefully contribute to the helping to prevent the decrease in the lion population in Africa. The owners of the Gweru park in Zimbabwe have followed on from their experiences and have started the Lion Walking Project at Victoria Falls and Livingstone. These locations are ideal for tourism - as they are the main financial backer for the project it is an excellent location to draw additional funds and spread the word about the plight of the African Lion. |
Got any questions? Please
email us:
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You will be staying at the volunteer house in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National
Park a stone’s throw from the lion enclosures and the mighty Zambezi River.
TRAVEL:
Support & Backup:
To read about the excellent Support
& Backup we provide before you leave and during
your programme,
please click here.
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Suite 2A, Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring Road,
Worthing, |
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