Big cats relocation proving deadly

Majority of the 13 translocated lions that were monitored by a team of scientists in Botswana, died within a year of being moved.

On the African continent — which is bestowed with abundant natural beauty — lions rule the vast plains. But, there has been a constant conflict between these big cats and people sharing the land. In the conflict, its the big cats who lose the battles most of the time. To prevent such antagonistic effects, the wildlife conservationists keep relocating these big cats so that they don’t stray into human habitations for preying on cattle, and eventually fall prey to human greed.

However, even relocation of these big cats is not working out in the end. Sometime back, after a six-year-old lioness nicknamed Magigi repeatedly killed cattle, Botswana authorities captured and moved her into Central Kalahari Game Reserve, far from people. Magigi spent most of her time within the reserve’s protective boundaries, but after a year she strayed outside and was shot dead by a farmer.

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New research confirmed that Magigi’s unfortunate story is the norm for many relocated lions.

For decades, wildlife managers in a number of African countries have used translocation as a humane way to deal with lions that repeatedly kill livestock (lions that attack people are euthanized). But the new research shows that after lions are moved, most continue to prey on livestock and endanger villagers’ livelihoods.

Majority of the 13 translocated lions that were monitored by a team of scientists in Botswana, died within a year of being moved. Some were killed by people, while the others likely succumbed to the stress.

Across Africa, lion numbers have fallen by 43 percent in the past two decades. The steep declines are primarily driven by development — lions now occupy just 8 percent of their historic habitat — as well as by prey depletion and retaliatory killings.

Similarly, in India, the tiger relocation project was initiated in 2018 wherein two big cats, a male (Mahavir) from Kanha Tiger Reserve and a female (Sundari) from Bandhavgarh from Madhya Pradesh were relocated to Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Odisha, to shore up the tiger population in the State. The project ran into trouble within weeks. Villagers living on the fringes of the reserve protested the arrival of the tigers. The matter eventually snowballed into a political issue. Forest officials were attacked by irate tribals as they were displaced from Raigoda in the core area to Saruali on the outskirts of the reserve.

Within months of the translocation, Mahavir was killed by poachers. Later, authorities had to shift Sundari to an enclosure as she killed two villagers. Subsequently, the project was suspended.

Translocation of problem-causing carnivores — from tigers in India to wolves in the United States — delivers mixed or discouraging results. A 1997 review of studies from around the world found that most large carnivores try to return home — even if it means traveling hundreds of miles — or die trying. A 2011 investigation of 10 carnivore species likewise concluded that relocating animals tends to be more costly and less effective than alternative solutions.

Research on other big cat species in Botswana reflects these global findings. One study showed that three of four translocated leopards died, and the fourth resumed killing livestock.

Another paper revealed that only two of 11 cheetahs survived for more than a year after they were moved.

Translocation basically equates to “carnivore dumping and hoping for the best outcome,” says Lise Hanssen of the Kwando Carnivore Project in Namibia.