Effective conservation of wildlife in and outside protected areas is based on sound scientific knowledge, usually made available through research. Few researchers focus on large carnivores in Cameroon, especially lions (Panthera leoleo), which occur at low densities, and generally range widely over large, remote areas. Unlike other species, research and conservation action on lions require special methods and technology for effective data collection. This paper reports on the use of technology for lion research and conservation in two sites in Cameroon: Waza National Park (Waza NP), and Bouba Njidda National Park (BNNP). We fitted lions with GPS collars, some with satellite download functionality, and others requiring data downloads over a GSM network. Collaring was achieved using a call playback station method to study the spatial ecology and movement patterns of lions, and their potential interactions with local communities. Additionally, we deployed camera traps in Waza National Park to document lion habitat use and occupancy as well as to assess protected area wildlife diversity. In Waza NP, these technologies revealed that lions spent significant periods outside of the park in local communities predating on livestock and causing conflict with people. Whereas we found that carnivore diversity was relatively high, we also documented an alarming amount of illegal anthropogenic pressure inside the park’s boundaries, including pastoralism, poaching, and fishing. Our preliminary findings suggest that in and around BNNP, lions also moved into local communities abutting the park, suggesting a high potential for human-lion conflict and consistent with anecdotal information provided by these communities. The combined use of these technologies yielded new insights relevant to the management of lions and these protected areas, the mitigation of human-lion conflict, and the planning of ranger patrols, all of which would have been otherwise difficult if not impossible to obtain.
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