Bon Jovi, the popular Liuwa Plain National Park lion, has been relocated to Kafue National Park after posing a threat to local lives and livelihoods, as confirmed by African Parks to Africa Geographic.
The handsome lion had twice left the unfenced Liuwa Plain National Park, Zambia, in the last two weeks and was reported to have killed five young cows about 18km beyond the park boundaries. The farmers were compensated for the loss of their livestock.
Bon Jovi, a breeding pride male, is well-known to researchers, who tracked him on each of his ventures outside of the park. His roaming was a cause of safety concerns for local villagers living near the park, and African Parks took the difficult decision on Tuesday, 25 February, to relocate him to Kafue, also in Zambia, in accordance with the park predator management plan. The move was made with the full support of the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife.
Africa Geographic CEO Simon Espley said about this decision: “This is an excellent example of proactive lion management in a peopled area. I spent time with Bon Jovi and his pride last year and he is a magnificent lion – very handsome and confident. I am sad for visitors to Liuwa Plain that he has been moved elsewhere, but also happy that he is now going to contribute to Kafue National Park’s lion genes. His genes are well represented in many young lions in Liuwa Plain – his sons are already a force to be reckoned with.”
African Parks said in their statement: “The lion was released into the southern region of Kafue, where there is a low density of lions and minimal chance of him moving into an area where he would encounter people and livestock. We will continue to monitor him in his new home in Kafue.”
Bon Jovi is a son of legendary lioness Queen Sepo – one of the founder population of lions brought in to repopulate Liuwa Plain. Poaching and illegal trophy hunting had eradicated lions from Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia in the 1990s. Except for one lioness – Lady Liuwa.
Lady Liuwa roamed the park on her own for many years –- sometimes seeking the company of humans. Despite being too old to breed, Lady Liuwa headed up the newly established pride until she died of natural causes in 2017.
After many setbacks, lions are now flourishing in Liuwa Plain once again, and playing their vital ecosystem roles.
African Parks took over management of Liuwa Plain National Park in partnership with the Zambia Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and the Barotse Royal Establishment. They set about improving the park’s security while working with the community to implement sustainable land-use plans. Some two decades later, 95% of the park’s staff contingent are local community members, and representatives of the Barotse Royal Establishment are on the African Parks Zambia board to ensure a voice for the people in managing the park.
Through emergency support, educational programmes and development schemes, and carefully controlled fishing permits, African Parks have ensured that the local communities are vested in the park’s survival.
DID YOU KNOW that African Parks offers safari lodges and campsites where 100% of tourism revenue goes to conservation and local communities? You can plan and book your African Parks safari by clicking here, and book a safari to Liuwa Plain here.
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