Tanzania has 17,200 lions, the world's largest population of Panthera leo

According to the 2024/2025 wildlife census released by the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), the country is home to 17,200 lions, representing 68.5% of the 28,000 lions worldwide counted by CITES. The northern zone, including Serengeti and Ngorongoro, has 5,844 lions (33.7%), while the western zone has 5,601 (32.6%). About 3,118 lions roam outside protected areas. Meanwhile, the elephant population has dropped 47% to 66,714, mainly due to human-wildlife conflict.