Loss of Habitat Threatens Africa’s Lion Population

Loss of Habitat Threatens Africa’s Lion Population

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The savannah habitat that ­sustains African lions has shrunk by 75 percent over the past ­half-century, according to a study published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation, a dramatic loss that could threaten the species’ survival. The new analysis by American, African and British researchers — which suggests the continent’s lion population has declined from 100,000 to roughly 32,000 over 50 years — provides a clear picture of where the animals now live and how major land-use changes and population growth have put them in jeopardy.