"Lion and leopard populations in Zambia's Kafue National Park are showing signs of a modest comeback following decades of poaching, helped by expanded protection strategies, including an innovative vulture early-warning system.

Big cat densities across Kafue, measured broadly for the first time by global conservation organisation Panthera, remained stable and in some cases increased from 2018 to 2022, according to a new report shared exclusively with Reuters.

While a dearth of historical population data makes it difficult to track changes over a longer time period, since 2018 scientists are "starting to see strong indications that those populations are trending upwards now in areas where we have been investing in protection support," said Kim Young-Overton, director of Panthera's Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area program, which includes Kafue."

Gloria Dickie reports for Reuters June 1, 2023. [2]