In a new study published in Nature Communications Biology, wildlife rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority have demonstrated their ability to generate precise and reliable data on lion populations in Uganda's Nile Delta, a critical stronghold for African lions.
The study, led by Griffith University's Dr Alexander Braczkowski, reveals wildlife rangers – a critical component of global conservation efforts but often underutilised in scientific research – can play a pivotal role in the conservation science surrounding the world's most beloved big cat.
The study showed rangers trained in search-encounter surveys (the scientific gold standard for lion monitoring) provided robust and cost-effective data on lion populations.
With 102 detections over 76 days, the lion density in the Murchison Falls Nile Delta was estimated at 13.91 lions per 100 km², highlighting this area as a significant stronghold for lion conservation.
While rangers were often on the front lines of wildlife protection, they were rarely included in scientific research efforts. This study represented one of the first to demonstrate that rangers could effectively lead and contribute to data collection and population monitoring of threatened wildlife.
"Their intimate knowledge of the landscapes and behaviour of target species make them invaluable champions for conservation," Dr Braczkowski said.
"Rangers are the unsung heroes of wildlife conservation; our co-authors, Lilian Namukose and Silva Musobozi, have worked for the Uganda Wildlife Authority for over a decade and their deeply intimate knowledge for where lions were in the Murchison landscape allowed us to get a good idea of the status of lions in this critical area.
"Our study shows bringing rangers into wildlife monitoring and census efforts could be immensely powerful for lions across Africa."
The cost of the rangers' effort was also 50% lower than using remote infrared camera traps, another popular method used for surveying big cats, showing that ranger-led initiatives could be a more sustainable and cost-effective method for monitoring lions in Africa.
Despite deploying 64 infrared camera traps, the cameras yielded only two usable detections for individual identification, suggesting that camera traps, in their current form, were not yet suitable for lion population monitoring.
"This was the first scientific study of wildlife where I directly participated and my first entry point into science," said Mrs Lilian Namukose, Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger and co-author on the study.
"Through rigorous training in three workshops across three national parks, we quickly learnt to incorporate lion data collection alongside our daily field duties.
"We are grateful to the Uganda Wildlife Authority for the opportunity to be involved in this work."
The study also identified the Nile Delta within Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda's largest protected area) as a vital area for lion conservation.
The region supported high lion densities, despite significant pressures from poaching and oil exploration, making it a critical priority conservation area in the country.
By empowering rangers and focusing on protecting critical habitats such as the Nile Delta, the authors say the future for Uganda's lions would be more secure.
This study offered a useful case study for scaling up lion monitoring efforts across Africa, using the invaluable skills of rangers to safeguard these iconic predators.
"Rangers are arguably the closest group to wildlife on the ground and have good knowledge of animal behaviour. Through capacity building and training, rangers can be better incorporated into the scientific and management process."
Mr Silva Musobozi, Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger and co-author on the study
The authors advocated for a broader adoption of incorporating the field skills of wildlife rangers to survey lions across Africa to ensure more consistent and reliable wildlife data, which was critical for adaptive conservation management.
The findings 'Rangers on the frontline of wildlife monitoring: a case study on African lions in Uganda's Nile Delta' have been published in Nature Communications Biology.
