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In Saadani National Park lions den just a few hundred metres from where turtles nest. This magical place offers a unique coastal habitat, still occupied by most of the iconic mammals of Africa. It is also small by African standards, at 1100km2, and is under immense pressure from all sides. Charcoal burning, industrial-scale agriculture, cattle and poaching assault the park fringes from the land. Mangrove & reef destruction, ocean plastics and over-fishing blight the coastline. Saadani is a conservation story for all. Learning how to protect it could have global significance. Lions are,arguably, the most iconic species on the planet and focusing our conservation efforts on the Saadani lions is the best way to enlighten the wider world about the park.
Saadani National Park is a microcosm of
most of the issues relating to conservation around the world, both on land and
in the sea. It is under pressure from charcoal burning, pastoralism and
poaching of animals on land. It also faces pressure from coastal erosion, coral
reef destruction and ocean plastics along its beachfront.
We have built a dedicated research centre
at our Simply Saadani camp from which we operate a Green Turtle project, now in
its 20th year, and a new lion project started in 2024. Studying the
unique coastal lions of Saadani will bring more attention to the park and
provide a catalyst to looking at the wider habitat conflict issues which
surround it and many other protected areas around the world.
SDGs addressed:
SDG 14 – Life Under Water,
SDG 15 – Life On Land
