Additionally, 64 percent of the 5,663 wild lions traded internationally for recreational trophy hunting purposes were imported to the united States" (newswatch.nationalgeographic.com).
Another reason for the endangerment of the African lion species is that some communities kill them when they invade their land and property, and especially kill their cattle. This is prevalent in nomadic communities such as the Massai, Sanburu and Turkana in Kenya, who attack the lions in order to protect their cattle, which is their sole and main source of livelihood. The human-lion conflict leads to the killing of the lions, which reduces their populations.
Moreover, the African wild lion, being a carnivore, relies purely on meat for its food. The main source of its food are the herbivores of the African grasslands, such as the gazelles, zebras, deer, and antelopes, which are also food sources for the other carnivores of Africa such as leopards, tigers, cheetahs, and hyenas. As such, the reduction of prey has led to the decline of food sources for the African wild lion, leading to competition among the species, hunger and death (Gittleman 818). Loss of prey occurs due to harsh climatic conditions. At the same time, drought affects the habitat of the prey of the African wild lion leading to their migration on search for grass and water or death in extreme hot weather. The lions, therefore, lose prey. Have to migrate or compete for the remaining animals that are often sick or too weak to move with the rest.
Murphy (70) notes that the African lion can tolerate a range of habitats, but mainly they reside in the savanna and woodland areas in the Southern African region. Habitat loss and diseases are other dangers to the survival of the African lion. According to Gittleman, "To prevent lions from becoming as rare as tigers, large areas of their natural habitat need to be protected" (Gittleman 819).
