Most lions now live in eastern and southern Africa, and their numbers there are rapidly decreasing, with an estimated 30 -- 50 % decline per 20 years in the late half of the twentieth century. Estimates of the African lion population range between 16,500 and 47,000 living in the wild in 2002 -- 2004, down from early 1990s estimates that ranged as high as 100,000 and perhaps 400,000 in 1950. Primary causes of the decline include disease and human interference. Habitat loss and conflicts with humans are considered the most significant threats to the species. The remaining populations are often geographically isolated from one another, which can lead to inbreeding, and consequently, reduced genetic diversity. The lion population in the region of West Africa is isolated from those of Central Africa, with little or no exchange of breeding individuals. The number of mature individuals in West Africa is estimated by two separate recent surveys at 850 -- 1,160 (2002 / 2004). There is disagreement over the size of the largest individual population in West Africa: the estimates range from 100 to 400 lions in Burkina Faso 's Arly - Singou ecosystem. Another population in northwestern Africa is found in Waza National Park, where approximately 14 -- 21 animals persist. Therefore, the lion is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, while the Asiatic subspecies is endangered. However, in contrast to the African lion, the Asiatic lion 's number has risen over the years.
where are the most lions in the world
eastern and southern Africa