Research overview: lion strongholds and their role

Conservation strategy for lions increasingly centers on the concept of strongholds, large protected landscapes that hold robust, well-connected lion populations capable of long-term persistence. This overview surveys research defining strongholds by population size, habitat extent, and management capacity, and identifying which areas qualify, such as the Serengeti-Mara, Selous-Ruaha, Okavango, Kruger, and Greater Limpopo systems. Studies assess how a small number of these sites hold the majority of Africa's remaining lions, making their security disproportionately important. Researchers examine the threats even strongholds face, including edge effects, prey decline, and funding shortfalls, and the role of buffer management and connectivity. The overview frames strongholds as the anchors of continental lion conservation, where investment yields the greatest return, while recognizing that smaller and more isolated populations still matter for genetic diversity and regional presence.