A citizen science approach to monitoring of the Lion Panthera leo (Carnivora: Felidae) population in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal

A pilot study using citizen science successfully monitored the Critically Endangered western African lion population in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal. Over four and a half years, 93 observations involving 253 lion sightings were recorded by park guides and tourists in a central tourist area, providing valuable data on geographic distribution, age-class, sex, and behavior. While insufficient for population estimation, the study tentatively linked annual variations in lion observations to preceding rainfall totals, suggesting environmental influences on lion activity. This approach demonstrated potential for complementing traditional scientific methods while fostering tourism development and conservation awareness, with recommendations for scaling up efforts.

Dagorne, D., Kanté, A., & Rose, J. B. (2020). A citizen science approach to monitoring of the Lion Panthera leo (Carnivora: Felidae) population in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 12(1), 15091–15105. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5549.12.1.15091-15105