About This Project

Tanzania is the primary remaining stronghold of lions, however the numbers are declining precipitously. There are many causes, but lion-killing by locals plays an important part. With Experiment support we ran a campaign to empower local sentiment against illegal lion killing and enhance environmental practices among Sukuma communities on the boundary of Katavi National Park. We now need to test effectiveness of the campaign to determine expansion of our operations.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

In Africa many communities raise livestock next to protected areas where lions roam. Conflicts are rife. Lions catch cattle, and sometimes people. Locals kill lions for protection, or to avenge loss. Lion-killers, after performing their “lion dance”, are richly rewarded with gifts. In 2011 we started the WASIMA (People, Lions & Environment) campaign to halt illegal lion killing in Mpimbwe. WASIMA builds on local sentiment to institute village bylaws that forbid illegal lion hunting and the rewarding of such hunters.

WASIMA has established by-laws in 18 villages in Mpimbwe, and all reports suggest lion killers and lion dancers are rarely observed. To expand this model to new areas where lion killing/ dancing persist, we must document changes in human-lion conflict since 2011.

What is the significance of this project?

Conservation interventions need constant evaluation and monitoring, both to determine whether desired outcomes are attained and to identify potential for redesign and/or scaling up. We now aim to determine the effectiveness of WASIMA across its 18 villages to identify whether and how it can be extended beyond Mpimbwe. Given that the majority of protected areas with lion populations in Tanzania are surrounded by Sukuma or other ethnic groups with lion killing/dancing traditions, this knowledge is key to a successful national lion conservation strategy.

What are the goals of the project?

Using the questionnaire built off that was used in 2010, and using independent researchers, we will revisit a sample of households in Mpimbwe to determine the number of visits from lion dancers in last 5 years, whether dancers were rewarded, attitudes of household members to lion killing/dancing, and their knowledge/views on the WASIMA campaign. We will use comparative methods to determine factors associated with campaign success, comparing villages targeted and not targeted by WASIMA. Our ultimate objective is to assess whether and how our campaign has succeeded such that we can expand the WASIMA model to other areas in Tanzania where lion killing/dancing is still prevalent.