BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Lions 'close to extinction'

BBC NEWS Science/Nature Lions 'close to extinction': "The wild dog population has fallen to between 3,500 and 5,000 and there are now fewer than 15,000 cheetahs. 'People know about elephants, gorillas and rhinos, but they seem blissfully unaware that these large carnivores are nearing the brink,' he says. Dr Frank blamed the decline in predator numbers on people killing them to protect livestock. 'People have always killed predators,' he says. 'But there's only so much damage you can do with spears and shields.' 'Now everyone has got rifles and poisons.' The wild dog population has fallen to between 3,500 and 5,000 and there are now fewer than 15,000 cheetahs. 'People know about elephants, gorillas and rhinos, but they seem blissfully unaware that these large carnivores are nearing the brink,' he says. Dr Frank blamed the decline in predator numbers on people killing them to protect livestock. 'People have always killed predators,' he says. 'But there's only so much damage you can do with spears and shields.' 'Now everyone has got rifles and poisons.' "