African lion
Zoo and Tierpark Berlin are committed to protecting the African lion in Namibia.
Project facts
- Project partner
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research
- Species
African lion (Panthera leo)
- IUCN threatened status
Endangered
- Project location
Namibia
- Greatest threat
Previously, hunting by humans
- Response
research of the lion population to establish suitable conservation measures
Threat Categories of IUCN
Berlin lions
The conservation of biodiversity is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and the African lion is symbolic of this struggle. At Zoo Berlin, the protection of this endangered species plays a central role. The zoo therefore works closely with international partners to develop innovative strategies to ensure the long-term survival of lions in their natural habitat.
Lost kingdom
In the African wilderness, the lion's kingdom is increasingly disappearing. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the number of African lions has fallen by around 43% in recent decades to just 20,000 animals. While stable populations exist in some regions of Africa, the big cats have already disappeared in large parts of North and West Africa.
The savannah's key species
Conservationists are alarmed because lions play a crucial role in the ecosystem as a keystone species. They keep the populations of their prey in check by hunting mainly sick and weak herbivores. In this way, they prevent the spread of disease. The prey they leave behind also provides an important food source for scavengers such as vultures and hyenas. Observing and researching lions and their population trends provides valuable information on the state of the entire ecosystem.
New horizons for science and species conservation
Since 2022, Zoo and Tierpark Berlin have been working together with the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research to study the behavior of lions in Etosha National Park in Namibia. New artificial intelligence (AI)-based software is being used to study certain lion behavioral patterns - from feeding to roaring. This research provides valuable insights into their role in the ecosystem and can also provide important information on how to avoid human-animal conflicts.
In order for the AI to interpret the behavioral patterns correctly, it must first “learn” which movements correspond to which behaviors. With the help of transmitter collars, the lions at Zoo Berlin collected data that was compared with camera images. This made it possible to identify specific movement patterns that reflect different activities such as eating or resting.
Strong prospects
Thanks to this collaboration, a comprehensive picture of the lion population in Etosha National Park can be created for the first time in many years. The researchers receive detailed information about the composition of the prides, their territories and their behavior. This data can contribute significantly to the protection of lions in the national park and support the work of rangers and local authorities.
Photos: © Jon A. Juarez / Jan Zwilling
Did you know...?
AI-based behavioral analysis is not only used for lions. Together with Tierpark Berlin, the scientists are developing similar methods for vultures. They are even going one step further: new types of transmitters have been developed for vultures that have directly integrated AI and can analyze data independently. This provides important information in real time for species conservation.
