In the golden grasslands and acacia-dotted horizons of Amboseli National Park, there exists a pride of lions known far and wide, Neiti’s Pride. Long has this pride ruled the wild reaches of this renowned reserve, a living emblem of natural dominance. But in recent weeks, a troubling pattern emerged, one that would test not only…
By Filberto Mayiani, Lion Monitoring Coordinator. Human-wildlife conflict is a devastating reality when the needs and behaviors of wildlife clash with the needs of local and Indigenous communities. Tension can lead to tragic consequences on both sides. A potent example of this is the conflict involving the Neiti & Nenguya pride, a group of lions…
In recent years, a historical threat to wildlife has resurfaced in the Amboseli ecosystem of southern Kenya. We have noted that there has been a significant uptick in the use of poisons for lacing prey carcasses to kill carnivores. Traditionally, Maasai do not use poison as it is seen as cowardly. But over time, culture…
From the beginning, the Lion Guardians’ founders harbored a vision: that the organization would be fully-owned and entirely run by the community. At the core of this vision lies the unwavering belief that the long-term conservation of lions and other carnivores can only be achieved when the people who live alongside the wildlife and on…
Celebrating the Life of Loonkiito “Legends are not born, they are created” – Alexander D. Jones Nearly two decades ago, in 2004, two male lion cubs were born in the heart of Kenya’s Amboseli ecosystem. As the little cubs matured into sub-adults, they embarked on a journey of exploration, venturing beyond the familiarity…
In our latest blog, Lion Guardians’ Research Scientist Nadia de Souza announces some exciting news for our program. We are thrilled to be one of the grantees of EarthRanger’s inaugural Conservation Technology Award! Technology has always been central to our work, as the Lion Guardians model is based on blending traditional ecological knowledge – a…
Over the course of last year, communities in our operating area experienced more than 220 attacks on their livestock – that’s more than twice as many as we recorded in 2019. This increase is due to lots of factors: growing lion and human populations, an increasingly unpredictable climate, shifting cultural values leading to less responsible…
Livestock are paramount in Maasailand – they are a form of wealth, and are the lifeblood and livelihood of communities. Guardians help protect local livestock not only because keeping them safe limits the opportunities for lions to prey on them, but also because these efforts show communities that we are there for them. Guardians such…
At Lion Guardians, we pride ourselves on being creative, reacting to challenges, and taking risks. But we also know that in order to be effective, these actions need to be in the context of a larger strategy – one that combines lessons from the past with current information to chart a course for the future.…
Amazon. IKEA. ValuJet. And…Lion Guardians? Our organization might not seem like it has much in common with these business giants; we are certainly not a huge corporation, nor a household name. But like each of them, we have taken big risks, shaken up our industry, and seen big rewards. In fact, our perspective is that…