They claim to introduce hand-reared lions into the wild. Antelope, zebra, and wildebeests are common prey for this big cat. They keep lions in social groups that do not mimic how lions live in the wild. Here are a few of the top places to see wild lions in Africa: 1. 6. 2. Almost all of the lions in the wild live in Africa, specifically in the south Sahara desert and in portions of southern and eastern Africa. Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem. 3. 4. This population occurred in Barbary Coastal regions of Maghreb from the Atlas Mountains to Egypt and was eradicated following the spreading of firearms and bounties for shooting lions. Lions vary in colour from light buff to yellowish, reddish or brown making them unmistakable compared with the other large cats in Africa. Raising and hunting lions is an industry in South Africa. Lions are under serious threat, having disappeared from 80% of their natural range. Although lions are the most iconic wildlife species of Africa, these predators are not as common as one would imagine, with fewer than 23 000 lions remaining in the wild today. Lions live in groups called prides consisting of females, usually belonging to the same family, and between 1 and 4 males who defend the territory. The Barbary lion was a Panthera leo leo population in North Africa that is regionally extinct today. However, there is a small population of Asiatic lions living in India within the Gir Forest National Park, a wildlife sanctuary. Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Wild Tomorrow Fund ecologist, Clinton Wright, spent five years at Tembe Elephant Park monitoring wild lions (and wild dogs), learning to understand each individual and the big picture issues for wild lion management in fenced reserves. Lions are one of Africa's iconic species, and yet they are under threat from habitat loss, conflict with humans, and many local factors. African lions are both hunters and scavengers. Luangwa Valley, Zambia. Northern Botswana. 5. They keep lions in enclosures that are small and without any form of enrichment, for example platforms to climb and shade to rest in. Northern Namibia. Now lion farmers are hoping Trump will bring it back. However, scavenged food provides more than 50 percent of their diets—these big cats will often take over kills made by other carnivores—and cooperative hunting enables them to take down prey as large as buffaloes, rhinos, hippos, and giraffes. The Obama administration’s regulations undermined the business. In the past, African lions roamed throughout most of Africa… Wild Tomorrow Fund is a member of the Lion Management Forum of South Africa. Greater Kruger National Park.