Report Submission From Saadani Lion Project
- 7 hours ago
- 4 min read
In October we announced our support to the Saadani Lion Project who were the first beneficiary of a Research Grant. This new grant process was to enable us to support small and start up research projects in a way that we had not done before. Trustees and members of our external conservation and research advisory committee were very impressed by the application but forward by the projects lead Monty Kalyahe who himself had many years of carnivore research under his belt.
In September our research grant of £1000 was sent to cover the cost of camera traps and in-the-field related expenses and materials for monitoring the lion population during his lion population survey taking place in September - December 2025. During this time Monty would also assess the viability of long term prey populations as well as engaging with local communities on surveys of how they live alongside the lions of this region. We are delighted to share that we have now received a report submission from Monty which covers his work within this survey time. Due to some difficulties the field survey time was extended until March and his report shows his findings within this time.
Sadly none of the ten camera traps picked up any lions within the region but they did pick up a variety of different prey species and other carnivore species indicating a healthy presence of prey. The location of the camera traps can be seen in the picture above and were placed in the southern area of the Saadani National Park and within neighbouring community land.
" Between September and March, we carried out an extensive field survey for the Saadani Lion Project, focusing on lion research through a combination of household interviews, transect counts for prey species, and targeted camera trapping. This integrated approach provided valuable insights into prey availability, lion presence, and community perspectives on wildlife and conservation. Field activities were briefly paused in October during the presidential election period, after which the survey resumed and continued successfully. The findings from this work will contribute directly to ongoing lion research and support improved conservation and management strategies in the area."
— Monty Kalyahe, Founder and Principle Investigator, Saadani Lion Project
Monty's report continues to give us some interesting figures from his extended field survey. During the survey period, the team recorded 16 lion group sightings, resulting in 92 detection events. From these sightings, 43 photographs were of sufficient quality for individual identification looking at the whisker spot patterns. Using this approach the team has currently confirmed 12 individually identifiable lions that were detected repeatedly by the field team during the survey period. Some of the lions can be seen in the photos below.
From further observational data, spoor records and pride sightings, the estimated lion population in Saadani National Park is approximately 38 individuals, distributed among 4 prides. This estimate however should be considered preliminary, as further monitoring and identification through more photographic sightings are required to confirm additional individuals and to gain a better understanding of pride structure and territory sizes.
The relatively small population size highlights the importance of long-term monitoring and targeted conservation actions to ensure the viability of the Saadani lion population.
During the lion monitoring surveys, the team also recorded sightings of six key herbivore species that are known to be a very large part of the natural diet of lions in the wild. These included African buffalo, giraffe, plains zebra, wildebeest, reedbuck with elephant also present. Preliminary analysis also suggests that the prey distribution may be uneven within the region which could affect lion hunting and territory use. Another observation has suggested that the lions within Saadani prey more frequently on larger prey species such as giraffe than the smaller prey items. Further investigation will be required to determine whether this pattern represents a true ecological adaptation or simply reflects opportunistic feeding behaviour within the local ecosystem.
A household survey was conducted in 16 villages surrounding Saadani National Park, with a total of 360 households interviewed. The Maasai pastoralist communities living around Saadani National Park play a key role in livestock grazing systems and human–wildlife interactions. Interviews with Maasai respondents indicated that conflict with lions is relatively limited, largely due to strong collaboration between local communities and park authorities. Community members reported that when lions are seen near villages or grazing areas, they immediately notify park rangers. Rangers then respond by visiting the area and driving lions away from livestock areas back toward the park.
Future project activities for the Saadani Lion Project will include: Expansion of camera trap monitoring, Training workshops with park rangers and researchers, Radio collaring to monitor lion movements and
snare removal operations to reduce threats to lions.
To read the submission report fully please click on the link here at the bottom of this page to get all the information kindly provided by Monty.
If you would like to assist us in providing more funding to the Saadani Lion Project please get in touch and email us. All of the trustees at the Safina Lion Conservation Fund and very pleased to have been able to support Monty in his work to try and gain a better understanding of the Saadani National Park and we hope to see his project progress more in the future.
Comments