Leon Loonkito: six other lions from his pride were killed in Kenya – El Sol de México

Just a few hours from Loonkito, the oldest lion in the wild in Africa19 years old, was murdered by the Maasai community when it left Amboseli National Park in Kenya in search of food, others lions from his pride they had the same fate.

six lions were killed this Saturday by Kenyan pastors after a herd will attack 11 goats and a dog the night before, environmental officials reported, in a new incident in the country involving wild animals and humans.

“A total of 10 lions (were) killed in the Amboseli ecosystem” since last week, the statement said. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)adding that officials have met with community members to discuss the issue.

The reports of wild animals breaking into human habitats in Kenya have increased in recent years as animals come under pressure from expanding cities towards traditional places of migration and hunting.

“The herders are on high alert to protect the few animals that have survived a recent severe drought“, explained the coordinator of the compensation programs for damages of lions and other large predators of the Big Life Foundation, Daniel Sampu.

How did Loonkito die?

According to a witness to the incident who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Kenyan Daily Nation newspaper, the loonkito lion entered a community near Amboseli National Park on Wednesday night and the herders they killed him with spears before it could attack domestic cattle.

“(The lion) I was weak due to his old age and succumbed to the spear wounds to the head“said the witness.

Loonkito was a male lion known for his advanced age, 19 years old, very longer than the average lifespan of the lions of its sexwhich is around 11 years old.

Ambosel National Park is just seven kilometers from the heart of the Kenyan capital and incidents of animals that escape the plains to the chaotic metropolis of more than four million people.

Currently there are about 30 thousand lions left in Africa and their populations continue to decline, according to the latest data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

the lions were about to become extinct in southern Kenya earlier this century, but the efforts of local communities, rangers and conservation NGOs saw lion populations in the park and surrounding wildlife reserves increase sixfold between 2004 and 2020.

To avoid conflicts between lions and humans, special pens have been built to protect the Maasai’s cows from lion attacks, they give financial compensation to pastors who have lost their livestock because of these cats, and communities have been involved in tourism sector activities to improve their economies.

|| With information from AFP and EFE ||