Community knowledge on factors behind extirpation of lion Panthera leo in Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa)

Lions were extirpated from Comoé National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, approximately two decades ago due to civil war and subsequent anthropogenic pressures. A study involving 307 participants from 23 villages identified the civil war (2002) as the primary facilitator of lion extirpation, leading to illegal hunting, prey depletion, gold mining, human-wildlife conflict, and wildfires. The Bouna sector saw lions disappear first, while Nassian and Téhini sectors experienced more recent extirpations. Historically, prey density showed a drastic drop during the civil war period but began recovering post-crisis (2016-2022). The study recommends intensified monitoring, limiting anthropogenic disturbances, and enhancing local community involvement to support potential lion reintroduction efforts.

Aglissi, J., Sogbohossou, E. A., Bolam, J., & Bauer, H. (2023). Community knowledge on factors behind extirpation of lion Panthera leo in Comoé National Park, Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa). African Journal of Ecology, 62(1). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.13214