Regulation of predators

In fenced reserves such as Malilangwe, lions have the capacity to drive prey populations into decline if their numbers are allowed to increase beyond sustainable levels. A study in 1995 calculated the theoretical carrying capacity of lions at Malilangwe to be 28 (Cotterill 1995). Another study in 2003 put the figure between 24 and 29 (Lunt 2003b). Low density prey species (e.g. sable) are the most vulnerable to lion-induced declines. Capon et al. (2013) used population viability modelling to show that sable numbers would decline at Malilangwe if lion numbers increased beyond 35. Therefore, to maintain viable populations of the low density antelope species, groups of lions are periodically captured on Malilangwe and moved to other conservation areas.