The Lion in West Africa Is Critically Endangered

This regional survey systematically searched protected areas across West Africa to determine where lions still survived, and found the situation far worse than expected. Lions had vanished from most of the parks surveyed, persisting in only a handful of sites and likely numbering only a few hundred animals across the entire region. The authors documented that West African lions are genetically distinct from those elsewhere, making their loss especially significant for the species' overall diversity. The findings prompted recognition of the West African lion as regionally critically endangered and spurred targeted conservation in remaining strongholds such as the W-Arly-Pendjari complex. The study matters because it revealed a near-total collapse hidden behind continental averages, showing that an entire evolutionarily distinct lineage of lions stood on the verge of disappearing.