With rapidly growing populations and the consequent competition for meager natural resources, lifestyles of agriculturalists and livestock herders have come increasingly into conflict in Niger in recent years.

The conflict's origin goes back to land disputes between semi-nomadic livestock herders and those who practice sedentary agriculture.

The modern breed is descended from a very old molosser type, which worked with livestock herders in the mountains, defending against wolves and other large predators.

In northern Africa, he said, American agricultural experts, by drilling wells, helped encourage nomadic livestock herders to settle in one place.

Due to its grazing areas and natural lakes, it has evolved into a gathering point for livestock herders.

Many livestock herders rely on the national public radio for information, although access to satellite TV is on the rise.

Skilled volunteers and students and researchers from the institute aid farmers and livestock herders by visiting fields and pastoral communities.

Rural workers are largely concentrated in jobs such as owners-cultivators, tenant farmers, sharecroppers, informal care workers, agricultural day-laborers, and livestock herders.

Wildlife conservation experts credit the Government with protecting the lions from poachers and successfully resisting pressures on the sanctuary from the livestock herders, and they express cautious optimism about the future.

It is also killed by livestock herders and game hunters, though it is typically no more (perhaps less) persecuted than other carnivores that pose more threat to livestock.