Lions return: Skeleton Coast, Namibia

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After an absence of more than a decade, a small pride of lions has made its way back to the Hoarusib River in the Skeleton Coast Park of Namibia. It caused concern among the local community at Purros. On their way through to the Park, the pride killed the stud bull of one of the headman of the community.

The local Himba people at Purros are pastoral people and have a long tradition of fiercely protecting their livestock against predators. In the meantime the lions took eight more head of cattle and several donkeys. The community members are therefore well within their legal rights to exterminate these lions if found outside the Skeleton Coast Park. The conservation personnel officer of the Skeleton Coast Park as well as the staff of Wilderness Safaris, operating in the Skeleton Coast Park, welcomed the return of the lions for its ecological importance as well as the tourism potential. This has become a classical situation of clashing interests in a truly African context.

The previous pride of lions to inhabit this region could be described as exceptional. They were lions that covered a vast area, roamed the coastline and fed off Cape Fur seals and beached whales. They however also moved inland, crossing the boundry of the Skeleton Coast Park and killed cattle. They were all exterminated by herdsmen in the late 1980's.

According to Dr. Flip Stander, head of Lion Research at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the four lions that entered the area of the Hoarusib in July 2001 are vagrant members of the Damaraland pride that lives in the region of the Aob and Barati rivers to the south.

These lions, three males and one female, were driven out by the dominant Aob and Barati lions after they reached adulthood and became possible contenders in the dominance hierarchy. They walked two hundred kilometers north north west to reach the Hoarusib River. While still in Damaraland two of the males and one of the females were fitted with radio collars by Dr. Stander.

It seems as if the pride has since learned to remain within the boundaries of the Skeleton Coast Park. They roam the immediate vicinity of the Hoarusib river valley where there is plenty of water and shelter. Their main prey species is gemsbok (Oryx gazelle), which are concentrated in the riverbed during the dry season.

The lioness disappeared for a while about a year ago. Her track was last seen at a fresh water spring at the foot of the dune field at the mouth of the Hoarusib River, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. She was seen months later with two small cubs.

The lion sightings by Wilderness Safari guides have become more and more frequent. These lions are far from habituated, sometimes it takes half a day of tracking with a vehicle and on foot to catch finds them. The sightings of the three males are by far the most frequent.

They are in exceptional condition, with blond and red manes. One is considerably bigger than the other two and seems to be dominant and definitely more aggressive.

The female and cubs have been seen in the area of the Hoarusib Port and the Clay Castles. The cubs are growing big and are in good condition. The Hoarusib River flooded four times between December and April. For along time the river was non-negotiable by vehicle. The lion tracks however were seen during that period at the fresh water spring at the mouth of the river. It is possible that the female could be pregnant again.

The rains this year weren't good. It will cause the herdsmen from Purros to move their cattle downriver, closer to the Skeleton Coast Park boundry. If that happens it is inevitable that there will be conflict between herdsmen and the lions.
It must be mentioned that the Purros community is a conservation-minded community, which is evident when you travel through their land. Herds of springbok, oryx, mountain zebra and giraffe abound in their area, often sharing pastureland and water with their cattle. They are also a shining example of peaceful co-existence between man and elephant.

The elephant herds of the area move past their villages undisturbed, which is truly remarkable. These are elephants that were subjected to poaching and harassment less than twenty years ago.

Their cattle however, take top priority and predator conservation is an alien concept. Wilderness Safaris has implemented a compensation system for cattle losses. Hopefully this and other benefits derived from the tourism industry will bring about a change of heart. In the meantime there exists an uneasy relationship between man and lion.

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