Journal ofThreatened JoTT TBuilding evidenceaxa for conservation globally 10.11609/jott.2020.12.1.15091-15218 www.threatenedtaxa.org 26 January 2020 (Online & Print) Vol. 12 | No. 1 | 15091–15218 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS ISSN 0974-7907 (Online); ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Publisher Host Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society Zoo Outreach Organization www.wild.zooreach.org www.zooreach.org No. 12, Thiruvannamalai Nagar, Saravanampatti - Kalapatti Road, Saravanampatti, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641035, India Ph: +91 9385339863 | www.threatenedtaxa.org Email: [email protected] EDITORS English Editors Mrs. Mira Bhojwani, Pune, India Founder & Chief Editor Dr. Fred Pluthero, Toronto, Canada Dr. Sanjay Molur Mr. P. Ilangovan, Chennai, India Wildlife Information Liaison Development (WILD) Society & Zoo Outreach Organization (ZOO), 12 Thiruvannamalai Nagar, Saravanampatti, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641035, Web Design India Mrs. Latha G. Ravikumar, ZOO/WILD, Coimbatore, India Deputy Chief Editor Typesetting Dr. Neelesh Dahanukar Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra, India Mr. Arul Jagadish, ZOO, Coimbatore, India Mrs. Radhika, ZOO, Coimbatore, India Managing Editor Mrs. Geetha, ZOO, Coimbatore India Mr. B. Ravichandran, WILD/ZOO, Coimbatore, India Mr. Ravindran, ZOO, Coimbatore India Associate Editors Fundraising/Communications Dr. B.A. Daniel, ZOO/WILD, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641035, India Mrs. Payal B. Molur, Coimbatore, India Dr. Mandar Paingankar, Department of Zoology, Government Science College Gadchiroli, Chamorshi Road, Gadchiroli, Maharashtra 442605, India Dr. Ulrike Streicher, Wildlife Veterinarian, Eugene, Oregon, USA Editors/Reviewers Ms. Priyanka Iyer, ZOO/WILD, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641035, India Subject Editors 2016–2018 Fungi Editorial Board Ms. Sally Walker Dr. B. Shivaraju, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Founder/Secretary, ZOO, Coimbatore, India Prof. Richard Kiprono Mibey, Vice Chancellor, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya Dr. R.K. Verma, Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur, India Dr. Robert Lacy Dr. V.B. Hosagoudar, Bilagi, Bagalkot, India Department of Conservation Biology, Chicago Zoological Society (also known as Dr. Vatsavaya S. Raju, Kakatiay University, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, India the Brookfield Zoo), Brookfield, Illinois 60513 USA; and Committee on Evolutionary Dr. D.J. Bhat, Retd. Professor, Goa University, Goa, India Biology, University of Chicago Plants Dr. Russel Mittermeier Executive Vice Chair, Conservation International, Arlington, Virginia 22202, USA Dr. G.P. Sinha, Botanical Survey of India, Allahabad, India Dr. N.P. Balakrishnan, Ret. Joint Director, BSI, Coimbatore, India Prof. Mewa Singh Ph.D., FASc, FNA, FNASc, FNAPsy Dr. Shonil Bhagwat, Open University and University of Oxford, UK Ramanna Fellow and Life-Long Distinguished Professor, Biopsychology Laboratory, Prof. D.J. Bhat, Retd. Professor, Goa University, Goa, India and Institute of Excellence, University of Mysore, Mysuru, Karnataka 570006, India; Dr. Ferdinando Boero, Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy Honorary Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Dr. Dale R. Calder, Royal Ontaro Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Bangalore; and Adjunct Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore Dr. Cleofas Cervancia, Univ. of Philippines Los Baños College Laguna, Philippines Dr. F.B. Vincent Florens, University of Mauritius, Mauritius Dr. Ulrike Streicher, DVM Dr. Merlin Franco, Curtin University, Malaysia Wildlife Veterinarian / Wildlife Management Consultant, 1185 East 39th Place, Eugene, Dr. V. Irudayaraj, St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, India OR 97405, USA Dr. B.S. Kholia, Botanical Survey of India, Gangtok, Sikkim, India Dr. Pankaj Kumar, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden Corporation, Hong Kong S.A.R., Stephen D. Nash China Scientific Illustrator, Conservation International, Dept. of Anatomical Sciences, Health Dr. V. Sampath Kumar, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah, West Bengal, India Sciences Center, T-8, Room 045, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8081, Dr. A.J. Solomon Raju, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India USA Dr. Vijayasankar Raman, University of Mississippi, USA Dr. B. Ravi Prasad Rao, Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantpur, India Dr. Fred Pluthero Dr. K. Ravikumar, FRLHT, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Toronto, Canada Dr. Aparna Watve, Pune, Maharashtra, India Dr. Qiang Liu, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Yunnan, China Dr. Martin Fisher Dr. Noor Azhar Mohamed Shazili, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Senior Associate Professor, Battcock Centre for Experimental Astrophysics, Cavendish Malaysia Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK Dr. M.K. Vasudeva Rao, Shiv Ranjani Housing Society, Pune, Maharashtra, India Prof. A.J. Solomon Raju, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India Dr. Ulf Gärdenfors Dr. Mandar Datar, Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra, India Professor, Swedish Species Information Center, SLU, Uppsala, Sweden Dr. M.K. Janarthanam, Goa University, Goa, India Dr. K. Karthigeyan, Botanical Survey of India, India Dr. John Fellowes Dr. Errol Vela, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France Honorary Assistant Professor, The Kadoorie Institute, 8/F, T.T. Tsui Building, The Dr. P. Lakshminarasimhan, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah, India University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong Dr. Larry R. Noblick, Montgomery Botanical Center, Miami, USA Dr. K. Haridasan, Pallavur, Palakkad District, Kerala, India Dr. Philip S. Miller Dr. Analinda Manila-Fajard, University of the Philippines Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines Senior Program Officer, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (SSC/IUCN), 12101 Dr. P.A. Sinu, Central University of Kerala, Kasaragod, Kerala, India Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, MN 55124, USA Invertebrates Prof. Dr. Mirco Solé Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Vice- Dr. R.K. Avasthi, Rohtak University, Haryana, India coordenador do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Rodovia Ilhéus/Itabuna, Km Dr. D.B. Bastawade, Maharashtra, India 16 (45662-000) Salobrinho, Ilhéus - Bahia - Brasil Dr. Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, India continued on the back inside cover Cover: Western African lion couple in Niokolo-Koba National Park © Dimitri Dagorne. Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 January 2020 | 12(1): 15091–15105 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5549.12.1.15091-15105 #5549 | Received 12 November 2019 | Final received 28 December 2019 | Finally accepted 02 January 2020 A r t A citizen science approach to monitoring of the LionPanthera leo i c l (Carnivora: Felidae) population in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal e Dimitri Dagorne 1 , Abdoulaye Kanté 2 & John B. Rose 3 1 6 rue d’Estienne d’Orves, 92400 Courbevoie, France. 2 GIE NIOKOLO, BP 362, Tambacounda, Senegal. 3 Association des Naturalistes des Yvelines, Villa de Chèvreloup, 34, route de Versailles, 78150 Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, France. 1 [email protected], 2 [email protected], 3 [email protected] (corresponding author) Abstract: A voluntary citizen science approach was used in a pilot study of the relict population of the Critically Endangered western African Lion Panthera leo in Niokolo-Koba National Park (NKNP) in Senegal. In total, 93 observations involving 253 lion sightings were made by NKNP guides and their clients over a period of four and a half years in the central tourist area of the Park which represents about 3% of the total area of NKNP. Identification sheets were produced for 10 individual lions on the basis of whisker spot patterns measured from photographs contributed by the tourists. Although we were not able to identify a sufficient number of individual lions to estimate the lion population in the zone, extensive data on the geographic distribution, age-class and sex, and behaviour of the observed lions are presented. Data are also presented to tentatively support a relationship between the annual variations in lion observations and the total rainfall in the preceding year. The advantages of this citizen science approach in terms of complementing mainstream science, as well as in promoting tourism development and conservation sensitisation, are discussed, and recommendations are made for pursuing this cooperative effort at a higher level of effectiveness. Keywords: Asiatic Lion, fur hue, genome, group size, nose colour, population, sex ratio, western African Lion, whisker spot. Abbreviations: DPN—Direction des Parcs Nationaux | GIE NIOKOLO—Groupement d’Intérêt économique des guides du Parc National du Niokolo-Koba | NKNP—Niokolo-Koba National Park. French abstract: Une approche science citoyenne bénévole a été appliquée pour une étude pilote de la population relicte du lionPanthera leo dans le Parc National du Niokolo-Koba (PNNK) au Sénégal, population appartenant à la sous-population des lions de l’Afrique de l’Ouest en Danger Critique d’Extinction. Au total, 93 observations conduisant au repérage de 253 lions ont été faites par les guides du PNNK et leurs clients pendant une période de quatre ans et demi dans la zone centrale touristique du Parc National qui représente environ 3% de la surface totale du PNNK. Dix fiches d’identification individuelles des lions ont été élaborées sur la base de motifs des racines de