Facing Imminent Extinction, African Lions Demand Federal Protection, say Officials
Published on Tuesday, October 28, 2014
by Common Dreams
Facing Imminent Extinction, African Lions Demand Federal Protection, say Officials
Populations have dropped 50 percent in 30 years, should be protected by Endangered Species Act, says U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
by Nadia Prupis, staff writer
African lions are at risk of extinction in the foreseeable future and should be listed as threatened on the endangered species list, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said on Monday.
"The African lion—a symbol of majesty, courage and strength since earliest times—faces serious and continuing threats to its survival," said Service director Dan Ashe. "Listing it as a threatened species will bring the full protections of U.S. law to lion conservation, allowing us to strengthen enforcement and monitoring of imports and international trade."
Populations have gone down 50 percent over the past 30 years, the Service said. Placing lions under the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) would prohibit and regulate many of the activities that jeopardize their global population, such as commercial trade.
The Scientific American writes:
The decision to list the big cats as threatened—one level below endangered—would allow the U.S. government to provide some level of training and assistance for on-the-ground conservation efforts and restrict the sale of lion parts or hunting trophies into the country or across state lines.
The threat against lions is threefold. They are imperiled by dwindling habitat, loss of prey, and, in a more complex issue, increased conflict with humans.
More:
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/10/28/facing-imminent-extinction-african-lions-demand-federal-protection-say-officials
