As the lion population in our operating area grows, so do conflicts arising from lion attacks on livestock—posing a serious threat to both community livelihoods and lion survival. Our mobile conflict mitigation program blends rigorous science with traditional Maasai knowledge and skills to resolve conflicts in real time and prevent future incidents. By proactively steering lions away from conflict hotspots and reducing community anxiety, we create lasting solutions that protect both lions and the people who share their land.
Conflict Mitigation Toolkit
GUARDIANS
Maasai warriors who patrol the ecosystem and support their communities by monitoring lions—reducing interactions and tensions between predators, livestock, and humans.
MASTER HERDERS
Skilled community herders that herd community livestock away from predators in conflict hotspots.
CONFLICT CAMPS
Our teams set up near conflict zones to coordinate rapid response efforts. These teams are experts at tracking lions as well as engaging with communities to work together to mitigate conflict.
COMMUNITY LIAISON
During the conflict, we stay in close contact with communities, gathering information and ensuring that we are helping meet their needs.
MOCK HUNTS
Inspired by traditional Maasai practices, mock hunts are used to drive lions away from communities, preventing livestock attacks and steering them out of danger zones. We employ non-lethal or non-invasive methods to reduce negative interactions between lions, livestock, and humans.
BOMA REINFORCEMENT
We strengthen bomas (livestock enclosures) to deter future lion incursions.
LION LIGHTS AND FENCES
We support bomas experiencing high nighttime depredation by installing deterrent lights to keep predators away. We also help communities install chain-link fences and develop new, cost-effective fencing solutions.
NIGHT PATROLS
We conduct patrols around bomas through the night to protect livestock from predator attacks. We use thermal cameras and drones that help us spot predators approaching in the darkness and push them away from bomas.
LION IDENTIFICATION
Our monitoring and tracking team identifies the problem lion to determine a strategy to resolve the conflict - is it a young mother struggling to feed her family? A trouble-maker that we should collar and keep an eye on?
DIGITAL DATA COLLECTION
Guardians use smartphones to track their movements and input data on their daily activities. This provides us with real-time updates with precise GPS locations, allowing for more efficient strategic planning.
LION MONITORING
After conflicts cool down, we continue to monitor the area to ensure that tensions do not flare up again.
Conflict Mitigation at Work