Distribution and abundance of lions in northwest Tete Province, Mozambique

The continued existence of large carnivores such as the lion (Panthera leo Linnaeus, 1758) outside of protected areas is uncertain. Such populations are the least studied and the most rapidly declining. Mozambique contains roughly 8% of Africa's lions, nearly half of which persist outside of protected areas. We estimated the distribution and abundance of lions in an unprotected section of northwest Tete Province and identified potential threats to the local persistence of lion populations. Structured interviews of local people indicated lion presence and human-lion conflict. We used interview results and anthropogenic land uses defined via Google Earth to delineate lion range digitally. We estimated population size using two methods of density estimation. We estimate that 185 lions inhabit roughly two thirds of the study area, including a likely transfrontier population with Zambia. Lion populations are resident and possibly recovering. Proper management of limiting factors, such as human-wildlife conflict, may stimulate and sustain lion population growth in the study area.