COSMOS MAGAZINE

6 wild things we learned about lions in 2024

Credit: Alex Braczkowski

1: Lion brothers cross croc-infested waters in search of love A pair of lions – one with 3 legs – has been documented swimming 1.5 kilometres across the predator-infested waters of Kazinga Channel in Uganda in the pitch-dark night.

Brothers Jacob and Tibu.  Credit: Alexander Braczkowski

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2: Kenya’s 19th century “man-eater” lions confirmed  A pair of male lions, dubbed the “Tsavo Man-Eaters”, are thought to have eaten dozens of people, including workers on the Kenya-Uganda railway in the late 19th century.  Recent advancements in biotechnologies has allowed scientists to analyse DNA from hairs found in the lions' teeth and identify the specific prey eaten over their lifetime... including humans.

Photo courtesy of the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago.

3: When the ants invade, lions stop killing zebras Invasive ants are a big problem all over the world – the big-headed antis is a particularly vexatious species. Research showed how these little ants are upending a Kenyan ecosystem, causing lions to kill fewer zebras.

Lions in East Africa in their preferred low-visibility habitat. Credit: Todd Palmer

4: Local rangers provide huge boost to lion monitoring Wildlife tourism rangers could be a “powerful” force in conservation monitoring, according to the results of a research project in Uganda. Focusing on African lions in Uganda, researchers found that local rangers were well-equipped to dramatically improve the data.

Credit: Alexander Braczkowski

5: Calls to shut down South Africa’s captive lion industry  It’s estimated that between 8,000–12,000 lions and other big cats, including tigers, are bred and kept in captivity in more than 350 private, commercial facilities across South Africa. Scientists are urging the country's government to shut down this controversial industry.

Lion at a commercial breeding facility in South Africa.  Credit: Roberto Vieto / World Animal Protection.

6: Colossal count shows dire lion numbers in Uganda There’s been a thorough audit of large carnivores in Uganda – and while the result isn’t uniformly bad, there is a lot that’s troubling. 

Credit: Alexander Braczkowski

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