Notes on wild dog Lycaon pictus and lion Panthera leo population trends during a drought in the Kruger National Park

Abstract

L. pictus and P. leo populations appeared to undergo an increase during a drought period in the early 1990s. Newly established packs, high adult survival and pup productivity contributed to an increase in the wild dog population, with evidence for high predation success during the height of the drought. An increase in the lion density between 1989 and 1993 on the northern basalt plains, as well as changes in the structure of the population, seem to be related to changes in prey populations, particularly to a decline in buffalo Syncerus cafer. -Author