Influence of seasonality on lion movement in the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem, Chad

Abstract Lions are threatened, especially in West and Central Africa, with conflict as key factor, especially outside core protected areas. Using GPS satellite collars, we studied the movement of 15 lions in Chad’s Greater Zakouma Ecosystem (GZE), and specifically its core area Zakouma National Park. We analysed their home range and core range sizes, and compared movement patterns during the wet and dry seasons, between 2020 and 2023. In the dry season, lions in the eastern part of Zakouma National Park mainly ranged within the boundaries of the park, where wild prey concentrated around remaining waterholes. In the wet season lions shifted their home ranges to areas outside the park, resulting in very large total home range sizes. Outside the park, lions exhibited increased nocturnal activity and travelled over considerably greater distances, however this strategy did not prevent human-lion conflict. We conclude that lions in the GZE regularly use areas outside the national park, suggesting that conservation efforts within the park alone are insufficient for the species’ conservation. Mitigating conflicts in surrounding community areas is crucial to prevent a population decline and ensure landscape connectivity.