Livingstone Lion Rehabilitation And Release Programme Detail

Livingstone Lion Rehabilitation And Release Programme

African Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Programme

Click HERE to 'meet' the newest cubs that have just arrived at this project !

In 1975 over 200,000 lions used to roam the African continent. Estimates from 2002 put the number of lions between 23,000 and 39,000, representing an 80 - 90% decline in less than 30 years.The IUCN states that "the causes of this reduction are not well understood, are unlikely to have ceased, and may not be reversible".

"There is probably no other species whose distribution range has shrunk over historical times to the extent shown by the lion" (Smithers, 1983)

African Impact has partnered with ALERT, the African Lion & Environmental Research Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the African lion.  ALERT supports the Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Program, founded at Antelope Park in Zimbabwe, which is seeking to provide solutions to the problem of rapidly decreasing lion populations by releasing into appropriate National Parks and reserves the wild borne offspring from rehabilitated captive bred lions, using a unique four stage program.

The program is a multi-faceted one as ALERT believes that for the lion to survive in viable numbers then its programs must also consider the environment within which it can thrive as well as the communities that live alongside it.  As such the program incorporates the Conservation Centre for Wild Africa (CCWA) and the ALERT Communities Trust (ACT) to ensure that habitat is protected, that research is conducted to provide a basis for sound conservation management plans to be developed and that those communities bordering the conservation area are involved every step of the way to foster support for wildlife conservation.

The highest standard of care for the lions whilst in captivity is paramount, and as such the program is linked to PAAZAB, which provides an ethical code for us to abide by in good animal husbandry techniques.

Further detailed information regarding ALERT and the lion release program can be found by visiting www.lionalert.org where a number of PDF documents are available to download providing a step by step guide to the project in full.

Your involvement:

The involvement of volunteers on the project is paramount to achieving our aims on all fronts.  You will be able to end each day knowing that you have given something back to Africa; having made a difference to the animals and people that you come into contact with.  

Your primary task whilst on placement will be to assist management and their team of guides, handlers and scouts in all aspects of care for the animals in their charge; giving them the opportunities to develop their natural instincts in preparation for their release into the next stage of the program. 

Research is a significant part of your role; collecting data not only on the development of the lions, but also joining our elephant monitoring team in the National Park. You will also help us with our various community programs that may include conservation or health education as well as a number of other projects that you will told about on arrival.

To give you an idea of how your time will be split between the different aspects of the program, the following should be taken as an approximation:

Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Program 75%
Conservation work within the National Park  20%
Conservation Education & Community Development 5%

Your daily tasks may include:

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.

Since the start of this intensive lion walking programme, we have noted a marked increase in the lions" awareness of their natural surroundings, as well as an improvement in their hunting skills. The larger cubs are now able to take down smaller game species whilst out on walks, and these abilities are being enhanced each day whilst under the supervision of volunteers. These are invaluable discoveries, which have earned us further support for our world first endeavours.

Alongside the walks you will be involved in the care of the animals which overnight in enclosures.  They need feeding, cleaning, and occasionally will need veterinary care to ensure that they are kept in the best of health. Join our team of professional guides and other dedicated volunteers, gain a deeper understanding of the King of Beasts and assist us in gathering vital information that will facilitate their eventual release back into the wild.

Research:

As part of the program we conduct a number of research activities to better understand lion behaviour and ecology.  The lion walks offer unique opportunities to observe lions close up in their natural environment with the data collected assisting us to make the best decisions for the animal"s welfare and eventual release.  Volunteers will assist our research technician in gathering and analyzing this vital data.  

Elephant Monitoring:

Conflict with humans is a major issue for elephants in the region, but understanding how to mitigate the conflict first requires an understanding of the ecology of the species within the National Park.  Volunteers will join the research team to identify individual elephants, to track seasonal changes, score body condition, record location and group sizes; all so that these data can be correlated to crop raiding incidents.  Through this program we hope to be able to find patterns in elephant use of the Park to understand why the conflicts arise and therefore be able to provide reasonable solutions to reduce the conflict. 

Conservation Education:

Volunteers will join our ACT conservation education program visiting local schools to garner support for conservation through education.  The syllabus was originally devised under the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) "We Care!" project with lesson plans designed to offer children a full understanding of their environment and to build an appreciation for the need to conserve what remains of the wild areas of Zambia.   Each lesson may focus on a specific species or introduce conservation methods.   Learning is achieved through a mixture of classroom-based talks and discussion as well as involving the children in smaller groups and practical activities such as visits to the lion programme, or Victoria Falls themselves.

Community Development:

During your placement you will have the opportunity to be involved in a number of community programs which may include health education, training in the sustainable use of natural resources or reading classes.  The nature of the programs operating at the time of your placement will be given to you on arrival.

Livingstone, Lion rehabilitation, research, conservation, community, volunteering.