“What can be done to save the king of the jungle? Well lion populations have declined by 75% over 50 years, and now number only about 30,000. But expert Terry Anderson, of the group PERC, says protecting lions privately, rather than through ineffective endangered species policies, is a far better way to go. He explains that human-lion conflicts and habitat loss are the major cause of declining numbers. So making lions an asset to local people rather than a liability is the key. He notes that controlled hunting generates more than $200 million per year in revenue across Africa, and that private conservancies offer additional revenue and local jobs that can bring back lion numbers to a much mightier level.”