South African National Parks (SANParks) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) are carrying out a new lion survey in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, with fieldwork continuing until October 2026.
If you are visiting the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in the coming weeks, you may notice research vehicles operating in the park alongside the usual SANParks vehicles. The survey is aimed at building a better picture of the park's lion population — including how many lions there are, where they occur and how they move through the Kgalagadi landscape.
Tracking Kgalagadi's lions
The survey is being conducted by SANParks in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and will cover different sections of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Researchers are using vehicle-based surveys and camera traps to collect information. One particularly useful method involves photographing the whisker spot patterns of individual lions.
Every lion has a unique arrangement of whisker spots around its muzzle. By photographing and comparing these patterns, researchers can identify individual lions and gradually build a more accurate picture of the population.
The resulting data will help SANParks and its partners better understand the size, distribution and movements of lions in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
What does this mean for visitors?
For most visitors, the survey should have little impact on a Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park safari. You may, however, come across SANParks or EWT research vehicles displaying official branding, particularly when researchers are working near lions.
Researchers may occasionally stop close to lions to photograph their whisker patterns. If you encounter a research vehicle or a lion being studied, the same basic safari rules apply:
- Keep a respectful distance from lions and other wildlife.
- Do not crowd animals or research vehicles.
- Give researchers enough space to carry out their work.
- Follow instructions from SANParks staff and research teams.
- Never compromise the safety of yourself, other visitors, researchers or wildlife to get a better photograph.
For visitors, it is essentially another reminder that the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a working conservation area as well as a spectacular wildlife destination.
Why the survey matters
Reliable information about lion numbers and movements is important for the long-term management of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Lions are a key predator in the park's ecosystem, and understanding how the population changes over time helps conservation managers make better-informed decisions.
The current survey runs until October 2026, with the information collected contributing to the ongoing conservation and management of lions in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
For visitors, there is also a small bonus: if you come across one of the research teams, you may get to see some of the science behind the wildlife sightings that make a Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park trip so special.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park visitors should therefore give research teams and wildlife the space they need — and enjoy watching the researchers at work from a safe and respectful distance.
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