KWS Condemns Maasai Morans’ Lion Killings
Maasai morans killed six lions that had invaded homes at Mbirikani- Amboseli. Near Oloitokitok in Kijiado County on Saturday, May 13.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Maasai warriors killed the lions after they killed eleven goats and a dog.
Last night, lions killed eleven goats and one dog. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. As four other lions have been killed in the Amboseli ecosystem over the past week. Bringing the total to ten,” reads a portion of a KWS statement.
Therefore, KWS Board of Trustees Chairman, Lieutenant General (Retired) Walter Raria Koipaton. And Acting Director General, Dr. Erustus Kanga, met with the local community in Kajiado South Sub County. To discuss recent incidents of human-wildlife conflict in the region.
On 13 May 2023, KWS representatives and community members will meet in Mbirikani to discuss human-animal conflicts.
On 13 May 2023, KWS officials and community members will meet to discuss human-wildlife conflicts in Mbirikani, Kajiado County. PHOTO KWS
A portion of the KWS statement read, “The KWS officials engaged the community to find long-term solutions. That will address the conflict while protecting both human lives and wildlife.”
Koipaton emphasized the need to reduce the risk of human-wildlife conflict. By creating early warning systems to alert communities of the presence of wildlife.
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The Director General of the KWS emphasized the significance of balancing the needs of local communities with the need to protect wildlife.
Dr. Kanga urged community members to report any human-wildlife conflicts to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and assured them that they will work together to find long-term solutions to the conflicts.
“KWS is devoted to protecting Kenya’s wildlife and ensuring that wildlife remains an integral part of Kenya’s heritage,” stated Dr. Kanga.
Additionally, he reassured Kenyans that KWS was working toward a peaceful coexistence between humans and wildlife in the nation.
KWS issued a statement two days after Maasai herders killed a Kenyan lion believed to be the world’s oldest in the wild.
Loonkito, a 19-year-old male lion, was speared to death by Maasai warriors on the outskirts of Amboseli National Park after wandering into a livestock pen.
According to the conservation organization Cats for Africa. The average lifespan of an African lion in the wild is 18 years.
KWS described Loonkito in 2021 as a legendary big cat warrior who had defended his territory for more than a decade.
KWS Condemns Maasai Morans’ Lion Killings
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