Territory war between lions and herders in Kenya. In this country, which has around 2,500 lions, according to a first census in 2021, the incursions of wild animals into inhabited areas have increased in recent years, while urban development is eating away at their territory. As a result, Maasai herders seek to protect their herds.
“A total of 10 lions [ont été] killed in the Amboseli ecosystem”, a national park in the south of the country, since last week, the Kenyan conservation agency (Kenya Wildlife Service, KWS) said in a statement, adding that meetings had were organized with the representatives of the local populations. Loonkito, a 19-year-old male lion, was speared to death on Friday after entering a cattle pen near the park.
Six more lions killed in one day
“He was an old lion who struggled to feed himself and cattle are easy prey. A normal lion would have gone looking for wildlife inside the park,” KWS spokesman Paul Jinaro said. “Discussions focused on how to minimize the risk of human-wildlife conflict, including developing prevention systems to alert communities to the presence of wildlife in their vicinity,” KWS said. Six other lions were killed on Saturday alone by breeders, after their herd was attacked by a feline.