The killing of cattle and domestic animals by lions and other animals, according to locals living close to Kenya’s nature reserves, is becoming a bigger issue as humans and wildlife continue to fight for available space and resources.
Herders in Kenya have killed six lions, a few days after they killed one of the oldest lions in the nation.
According to Kenya’s wildlife service, the six lions had killed a dog and goats in villages near Amboseli National Park in the south of the country.
Three days earlier, on Saturday, a 19-year-old male lion named Loonkiito was also killed by herders after straying outside the national park in quest of food. They were speared to death.
Big Life Foundation Kenya executive chairman Richard Bonham spoke about the deaths on Saturday. He said that the organization’s rangers had attempted to separate a group of nine lions that had attacked goats and a dog at a homestead, but six of them had refused to go.
Upon the arrival of law enforcement, an eminent veterinarian, and delegates from the Kenya Wildlife Service, the decision was made to confine the remaining lions within the Big Life Foundation premises until the next evening, when they could be securely released into the night.
“During the day, a crowd continued to grow, and tensions overflowed as dozens of people broke through the compound fence, spearing all six of the lions,” stated Mr. Bonham.
Since many people in the crowd were carrying spears, any action taken by KWS, the Kenya Police Service, or Big Life could have escalated the already volatile situation and most likely led to injuries or fatalities among people.
“While we are relieved there were no human injuries, this isolated but tragic incident is a harsh illustration of the challenges in ensuring co-existence between human and wildlife.”
“While we are relieved there were no human injuries, this isolated but tragic incident is a harsh illustration of the challenges in ensuring co-existence between human and wildlife.”
There is a compensation program run by the Kenyan government and conservation organizations for herders whose livestock is killed by wild animals, and people are urged to call the wildlife service instead of killing a straggling lion.
However, the worst drought to hit east Africa in decades is also happening there, which makes herders particularly protective of their cattle.
The wildlife service reported that it had met with the locals to try to resolve the escalating conflict, but it did not specify what, if anything, had been decided.
