Lions use roads strategically
New research has found that lions increase their use of man-made roads during full moon and dry seasons. These conditions make it more difficult for them to hunt - and the roads enable them to move faster.
Lions are more likely to move on roads when there is a full moon or when it is dry.This according to a new research paper published in Global Ecology and Conservation. According to the report, lions make greater use of man-made infrastructure under these conditions because they can move forward more easily and cover longer distances.
No difference was found between the frequency with which lions used roads or crossed paths during the day or night, but usage varied by up to 63% depending on the phases of the moon and by up to 82% between seasons. Prey such as migratory wildebeest and zebra are less common in the dry season, and the big cats have much less success hunting when the moon is brighter, Nature magazine reported, citing the research paper. "They use the roads to improve their travel efficiency between feeding grounds," explains lead author Stanslaus Mwampeta, an ecologist in the Grumeti and Ikorongo game reserves on the western side of Tanzania's Serengeti ecosystem.
This research could be important for tourism: tour operators offering night trips and conservation teams driving through wildlife areas in the evening should take this into account to avoid collisions and possible deaths, according to the researcher.
The scientists arrived at their findings by equipping 18 lions in the Tanzanian Wildlife Management Authority's Maswa Game Reserve with GPS collars for two years. Mwampeta's research is part of his doctoral studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The scientist says reliable estimates of lion populations are crucial to improve their effective management and support local and international conservation policies. The number of lions in Africa has declined by around 43 percent since the 1990s.