Desert Lion Conservation

Along Namibia’s remote Skeleton Coast, Desert Lion Conservation is working to secure the future of one of the world’s most isolated lion populations. Here a small number of lions have adapted to some of the planet’s harshest conditions–subsisting on sparse prey, vegetation, and seasonal water sources. The area forms part of the Namib-Naukluft and Skeleton Coast National Parks, a landscape recognized for its ecological importance and tenuous balance between wildlife and human livelihoods.

Established in 1998 by Dr. Philip Stander, Desert Lion Conservation began as a long-term research project aimed at understanding the movements, behavior, and ecology of Namibia’s desert-adapted lions. Over nearly three decades, it has evolved into a collaborative initiative supporting both scientific research and community-based conservation. The program now works closely with community conservancies and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism to reduce livestock conflict, improve monitoring, and promote coexistence strategies.