Since the devastating drought in 2009 that created an imbalance between predators and plains game and which wiped out a very big percentage of both livestock and wildlife, the entire ecosystem has been trying to return to equilibrium. This year, the heavens have been very good in giving us the much needed rain, almost exceeding…
Problem Lion
Two new lions have been spotted patrolling Amboseli National Park. Whenever these two brothers, Amboga and Companion, move into a new area, the resident male lions there move out. Amboga and Companion are now the new kids on the block in the park. They have made the northwestern side of the park their home and have…
Conflict-resolution meeting after Nosioki killing
After the poisoning of Nosioki and her cub, there was a meeting yesterday in Matapato to discuss the incident. People were calm since the two suspects that had been arrested a few days prior were released on the eve of the meeting in a surprise move by KWS. Before the release the Group Ranch was…
The Lion Guardian Transition
The Maasai, as a community, form a distinctive social unit sharing a culture, language and social structures. Structures such as age-sets and clans form the most important framework for both the social and political organization of the communities. Through them, every person has well defined roles, responsibilities, rights and obligations in relation to every other…
Nosioki and cub are dead
My fears have now been validated. I regret to inform you that Nosioki, our motherly female lioness is no more! A few days ago, I wrote about the lion-livestock conflict in Osewan. This area has been of great concern to the Lion Guardians given the fact that it is just outside of Lion Guardian zones, on a…
My visit to Tanzania
Living with Lions and Panthera are collaborating to expand the successful Lion Guardian model to areas in Tanzania where lion populations are in decline due to conflict with local people. Serengeti Lion Research Project and Panthera asked that we consider the Ngorongoro Conservation Area as the first location for the expansion. We decided to give it a try! I…
Eric is in Tanzania!
The Lion Guardians program has been extremely successful at preventing lion deaths, and we have received many requests from other countries to tell them more about it. This month, the Lion Guardians Blog will be on a brief hiatus while Eric is investigating the plausibility of expanding the Lion Guardians program to Tanzania. We can’t…
Sikiria’s price of double courtship
Sikiria is one of our favourite collared lions with interesting movement patterns. He has travelled no less than 5,635 kms before settling in one area in Oltiasika. His area of choice has all the characteristic and positive factors for a lion’s permanent territory. It is abuzz with different prey species not to mention its proximity…
Lions aren’t the only carnivore affected by poison
Fossil records reveal that more than 20 hyena species roamed the earth as recently as 10 million years ago but most of these species are now extinct. Currently, only four extant members of the carnivore Hyaenidae exist, the spotted, brown and striped hyenas, and aardwolves. Brown hyenas are only found in South Africa, while striped…
Lion Guardians 2010 Annual Report Ready
We are pleased to tell you that the 2010 Lion Guardians Annual Report is ready. We have had an incredible year, and have expanded our lion monitoring and community work south of Amboseli National Park. There are currently 29 Lion Guardians monitoring lions and mitigating carnivore conflict in their communities. Please follow this link to…