Lion Collaring in Kuku Group Ranch


written by Seamus Maclennan, researcher with Living with Lions

The need for the conservation of lions in Maasailand

Lions are in trouble, across the African continent. Their numbers have dropped dramatically in the last 10 years: from an estimated population of 100,000 lions, in the entire Africa, to anyway between 18,000 to 14,000 today. It has been found by experts in the field that East Africa holds at least half of the world’s lions. The main threat to their survival is the sharing of their habitat with a growing human population: no herder can cohexist with predators. Maasai are herder and their killing of lions is motivated by the will of protecting their livestock. Adherence to the traditional Maasai lion hunt (Olmayo) also plays a role.

Tourism operators and game scouts recorded a sudden increase in the incidence of lion killing during 2001 and 2002 on group ranches between Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks. As an interim measure The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust mobilized game scouts and began negotiations with community members to reduce the lion killings.

In addition to implementing a livestock compensation, it was agreed that detailed knowledge of the Kuku lion population would be necessary. As of April 2007 MWCT has begun collaboration with the Kilimanjaro Lion Conservation Project, a group of researchers / conservationists based on neighboring Mbirikani group ranch, where a similar livestock compensation scheme was introduced in 2004.

A partnership between Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and Kilimanjaro Lion Conservation Project

In response to the concern expressed by conservationists the Kilimanjaro Lion Conservation Project was established on neighboring Mbirikani Group ranch in March 2004. The aims of KLCP are to investigate the causes of lion killing, understand lion population dynamics on Maasai group ranches and to help to design conservation interventions to save the remaining lions on this ecosystem.

MWCT has initiated a partnership with KLCP. Most of the costs of monitoring, collaring and associated equipment are being met by donations to MWCT, while KLCP is providing the technical expertise to carry out the research. The aim is for employees of the MWCT to eventually be capable of carrying out most of the day-to-day research activities.