Wild lions in small, fenced reserves in South Africa conform to a meta-population

Abstract

1. Lions (Panthera leo) are declining across their range, mainly due to human-induced habitat fragmentation and prey depletion. However, the South African lion population continues to grow. Unlike other range states, South Africa actively manages wild lions across a continuum of landscapes and ecological constraints. Many of these lions are in small, fenced reserves where managers seek to mimic ecological processes in small landscapes. However, the effectiveness of this management approach has not been evaluated against meta-population criteria. 2. Given that meta-population dynamics allows species living in fragmented habitats to persist, we evaluated how South Africa's lion population complies with metapopulation criteria using national audit data between 2010 and 2019 from 49 fenced, wild lion reserves. 3. The small, fenced reserves holding wild lions fulfil the criteria for meta-population functionality. However, this functionality was achieved through haphazard and uncoordinated management actions and not through a coordinated approach. 4. Our main recommendation is to consider implementing a more coordinated metapopulation management approach. At the very least, meta-population management guidelines should be reviewed and updated on a regular basis, regular audits should be conducted and periodic genetic evaluation of the meta-population (every 10 years) should be instituted. We recommend incentivising lion managers to enhance the conservation of lions in South Africa within a meta-population framework. We also recommend a focus on improving decision making and policy procedures that facilitates compliance with relevant legislation aimed at achieving high levels of lion conservation-governance efficiency. 5. South Africa's meta-population approach to wild lion management in small, fenced reserves is effective at conserving lions and contributing to lion conservation more broadly. In an increasingly fragmented landscape, the need for human management actions to ensure persistence of large carnivores is likely to increase. A managed meta-population approach of fenced (or unfenced, but geographically isolated) populations is a useful tool for conservationists to consider worldwide.