"Experts estimate there were about a half-million lions at the start of the 20th century.

That number declined to about 200,000 by mid-century, and has fallen to about 10 per cent of that number today, largely due to increasing conflicts between the animals and the encroaching human population in sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Ashe said."

What a useless set of numbers to use.

To use from 1900 to today as some sort of 'scientific' justification. When Kenya and Tanzania hardly existed, most of the interior was pretty "dark".

No mention that the reason the decline from mid-century to today is due not to "trophy hunting" but the uncontrolled and incredible expansion of black African populations over this period, and the destruction of wildlife habitat.