Ethiopia’s lions are genetically unique

ADDIS ABABA: Many visitors come to Ethiopia annually to witness lions in their natural habitat. New research published this week has revealed that Ethiopia’s lions might be even more unique than previously thought. European researchers reported that they have used DNA to determine the Addis Ababa lion in Ethiopia is genetically unique and are urging immediate conservation action. And they are getting responses already. On Friday, a group of student activists told that they are planning to petition the government to move quickly to ensure the country’s lions are protected. “We don’t have any worry that the government will take this matter to heart as it is very exciting to know these lions are unique from any other,” said one of the activists as they planned to head to the tourism industry to urge them to intervene on their behalf. It has been believed that many lions in the country are a bit different than their fellow African brothers and sisters, where they have a large, dark mane, extending from the head, neck and chest to the belly, as well as being smaller and more compact than other lions, it was not known it they represented a genetically distinct population. The team of researchers, led by the University of York in the UK and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany used DNA to show captive lions at the Addis Ababa Zoo are, in fact, genetically distinct from all lion populations for which similar data exists, both in Africa and Asia. “To our knowledge, the males at Addis Ababa Zoo are the last existing lions to possess this distinctive [dark] mane,” researcher Michi Hofreiter said in a University of York release. “Both microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA data suggest the zoo lions are genetically distinct from all existing lion populations for which comparative data exist.” Lion numbers in Africa are in serious decline and two significant populations of lion, the North African Barbary lions and the South African Cape lions, have already become extinct in the wild, researchers said. “We therefore believe the Addis Ababa lions should be treated as a distinct conservation management unit and are urging immediate conservation actions, including a captive breeding program to preserve this unique lion population.” And Ethiopians are ready to make the push to save their native lion populations.Source: Bikyamasr, ***

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