After years of waiting in line, two subspecies of African lions were finally included in the list of animals protected under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Panthera leo leo (P. l. leo) in India and central and western Africa, will be included in the list of endangered species. Panthera leo melanochaita (P. l. melanochaita), which is located in southern and eastern Africa, will be considered as threatened.
Aside from the new listing declarations, USFWS Director Dan Ashe released an order to heighten the enforcement of wildlife permit requirements. Through the said order, violators of wildlife protocols will not be given permits for their future wildlife-related endeavors.
What The Listing Means For The Species
First of all, importing endangered P. l. leo will be fully prohibited. The only exception to this rule is if the move will be proven to improve the survival of the species.
Parts and products derived from the threatened P. l. melanochaita will also follow strict permit regulations. Through this, it will ensure that the specimens were legally collected and part of a scientifically sound management program aimed at improving the condition of the wild subspecies.
Dwindling Lion Population
Over the past two decades, the population of lions has plummeted by 43 percent because of loss of habitat, prey base and the disciplinary killings made by humans. Aside from these factors, lack of finances and other resources barred countries from effectively managing the protected locations. With this, the lion populations have tremendously suffered.
"The lion is one of the planet's most beloved species and an irreplaceable part of our shared global heritage," said Ashe. He added that if the world still wants to see the species run around Africa and India, the entire globe should do something and not just the two nations.
With the decline in numbers, a petition was sent to the wildlife services on March 2011 to include P. l. leo as endangered. The agency issued a 12-month finding and recommended a rule to list the species as endangered.
Sorting Out Data
USFWS sorted out new scientific data that tackles the genetics and taxonomy of the lion species. The review made the agency implement some changes to its early findings.
The new information confirmed that lions settling in the central and western parts of Africa are more related with those from Asia, thus, categorizing it under the same subspecies as P. l. leo.
The total number of P. l. leo are about 1,400 of which 523 are in India, while 900 are scattered in 14 locations in Africa. Based on the population distribution, size and trends, the USFWS has verified the species as endangered.
The population of P. l. melanochaita subspecies at present is approximately 17,000 to 19,000. USFWS deemed the species as not so vulnerable nor on the edge of being extinct. Despite the increasing trend of lion population in general, the numbers may still plummet because of ongoing hazards. That is why the agency determined that the subspecies fall under the threatened category.
The final declaration will be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday. The new ruling will officially take effect on Jan. 22, 2016, which is 30 days after the publication of the protocol.
