Experts often track lions using methods that aren’t always accurate, like counting footprints. They estimate anywhere from 23,000 to 39,000 African lions are left in the wild. But scientist Alex Braczkowski thinks those numbers are wrong. So he’s changing the way lions are counted to get a better idea.
Braczkowski and his team spent three months searching for lions in the African country of Uganda, where the big cats spend their days lounging in trees. The team used drones to take close-up photos and then analyzed unique markings, like whisker spot patterns, to identify each cat. This allowed them to track the animals very closely.
The team discovered that the number of female lions was lower than expected and the lions’ range was increasing. This may mean the cats are traveling farther to find food. Braczkowski says this way of counting lions helps identify which populations are at greatest risk, allowing scientists to help them.