Mozambique. After identifying the
populations, the team worked with
Tembe Elephant Park and Makalali
Private Game Reserve to obtain and
quarantine the lions in accordance
with strict animal welfare and security
standards. The lions were then sedated
and flown to Kruger International
airport and cleared for export out of
South Africa.
Once in Mozambique, the lions were
put into large quarantine bomas to
become familiar with the habitat and
create social bonds that would lead to
the formation of large prides in the wild.
Upon release, the plan worked exactly
as hoped. The lions created prides
and began to prowl the countryside in
search of food and procreate. One year
into relocation, one lioness was lost to
poachers, and another was saved from a
snare and has recovered, while two wild
male lions unexpectedly appeared on the
landscape, providing even more genetic
diversity. The lion population has almost
doubled with 17 cubs in the first year.
In addition to re-establishing a
viable lion population, the Twenty
Four Lions project provides a unique
opportunity to study the impact the
big cats have on the entire ecosystem.
Fifteen of the 24 lions released into the
Zambezi Delta were tagged to allow
for post-release monitoring. Satellite
collars were also placed on elephants,
buffalo, sable, zebra, reedbuck and
warthog in the area. The satellite
tracking data collected prior to the
lions’ release established a baseline for
the ecosystem while data collection
following the release has measured
changes in behavior of prey species and
how each begins to use the habitat.
“In the end, the ultimate goal is to
save those millions of acres of habitat
and establish a wild, sustainable, lion
population,” said Cabela. “The greatest
threat is the loss of land. If we can
protect that and keep it a wild space,
and if at some point the lion population
gets to where we can hunt them, then I
think we will all consider it a success.”
As the seed population for the
hopeful return of wild lions across the
delta, the original 24 cats can never be
hunted. The Cabela’s Family Foundation
has committed to six years of support
for the project and, based on biological
models, the team expects 250 to 450
lions to roam the delta landscape in the
next 10-15 years, which would equate to
a 10-percent increase in wild lion range
in Africa.
“There should be well over 100 lions
by the end of year six hopefully, and
they should be self-sustaining and
doing their own thing by then,” said
Cabela. “Then we just let the wildlife
management model take over.”
Whether in Africa, Europe or
elsewhere, the North American Model of
Conservation continues to work, despite
the challenges of today’s modern world.
And it’s the hunter-conservationist, the
Huntervationist, who created and has
supported the model that has resulted
in the proliferation of wildlife and wild
places worldwide for all to enjoy.
Huntervationist leaders at the
Cabela Family Foundation have lev-
eraged the North American Model
of Conservation to successfully
restore lions to the Zambeze Delta.
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