Lions in the Kgalagadi: Why the park is now counting every cat

Lions in the Kgalagadi are under the watch of researchers conducting a population survey across this vast desert landscape. 

Every visitor to the park dreams of that unique lion sighting, with the photographs to boast about it once back home. That is, however, not the sole reason why lions are an important part of the Kgalagadi attraction.

South African National Parks (SANParks) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) launched the survey to establish how many lions live there, where they occur and how they move. 

HOW ARE LIONS IN THE KGALAGADI BEING COUNTED?

The survey uses vehicle-based fieldwork and camera traps across different sections of the park. Researchers also photograph lions to record their whisker spot patterns. Each lion has a unique pattern, allowing teams to recognise individual animals and avoid counting the same lion repeatedly. 

The EWT says this year’s monitoring runs for three months. A similar survey took place in 2025, providing the first tranche of data on lions in this desert environment. Researchers are also working with a team surveying the Botswana side. Combining the results helps account for lions that cross the international boundary. 

Visitors may see SANParks and EWT vehicles carrying official research branding. Teams may stop near lions while taking identification photographs. SANParks asks visitors to give researchers space and maintain a respectful distance from wildlife. 

WHY ARE LIONS IN THE KGALAGADI IMPORTANT?

The Kgalagadi covers more than 3.6 million hectares across South Africa and Botswana. Its dry riverbeds support seasonal movements of springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest and other herbivores. Lions form part of the predator community that responds to these movements. 

The EWT describes lions as an apex predator with a central role in maintaining ecosystem balance. By regulating prey populations and helping keep mesopredators in check, lions influence the wider food web. Without effective predators, excessive grazing could place greater pressure on vegetation. 

That makes reliable information about lions in the Kgalagadi more than a counting exercise. Population size, distribution and movement patterns can guide management decisions and help identify changes or threats.

WHAT WILL THE SURVEY REVEAL?

The researchers aim to estimate lion numbers in the South African section and record their demographics and distribution. Repeated surveys can then provide a basis for longer-term monitoring.

The EWT identifies the Kgalagadi population as the second-largest free-roaming lion population in South Africa. Its movements across a shared international landscape make coordinated monitoring especially important. 

For visitors, the message is simple: Give research vehicles room, avoid crowding lions and follow instructions from SANParks staff and researchers. 

The photographs taken today could help shape how lions in the Kgalagadi are protected for years to come.

And hopefully, generations to come will also be able to see and learn more about the kings and queens of the jungle – even in the desert landscape of the Kgalagadi.