Africa's lions have always lived on the edge of human worlds. They roam landscapes shaped by farms, roads, villages and borders - admired, feared and contested in equal measure. They face shrinking habitats, declining prey and conflict with people living alongside them. But a new danger is emerging - one that could undo hard-won conservation gains if it is not confronted quickly. A major new study, led by Dr Peter Lindsey and Dr Samantha Nicholson and supported by 19 other lion specialists, shows that targeted poaching of lions for their body parts is increasing across Africa and may now pose an existential threat to the species. Unlike other pressures on lions, this one is difficult to detect, poorly reported and often linked to organised wildlife crime.