Lions face a lot of conflict with humans over livestock. Humans will move out into lion terroritority and livestock will take over lion habitat resulting in lion habitat loss (LRF Threats, 2020). Humans will not protect their livestock and with loss of habitat and prey lions will find livestock and see an easy prey target, although other large carnivores eat livestock as well (LRF Threats, 2020). When a lion predates on livestock some herders retaliate by shooting, spearing or poisoning lions, and other large carnivores (Ewaso Lions Human-Carnivore Conflict, 2020).
As herders move their livestock into other areas to find better grazing they run into more conflicts with lions (LRF Threats, 2020). Livestock takes resources from the wildlife in the area resulting in a competition for natural resources between the animals (LRF Threats, 2020). This competition for resources causes prey species to decline which in turn affects the lions (LRF Threats, 2020). In some cases herders are associated with an increase in poaching and/or habitat loss due to agriculture and settlement (LRF Threats, 2020).
Ewaso Lions is an organization that studies human-carnivore conflict to develop strategies for preventing livestock depredation in hopes of reducing retaliatory killings of carnivores (Ewaso Lions Human-Carnivore Conflict, 2020). They are using this research to help the herders promote good husbandry practices (Ewaso Lions Human-Carnivore Conflict, 2020). In one study, focusing in one area, they learned it was not lions who were responsible for the livestock losses (Ewaso Lions Human-Carnivore Conflict, 2020). In this study it was learned that improving husbandry practices by avoiding densely vegetated areas, using livestock guarding guards and not leaving livestock to graze unattended are all solutions that can help reduce livestock depredation from all carnivores (Ewaso Lions Human-Carnivore Conflict, 2020).
Ewaso Lions created a Warrior Watch program where they empower young Samburu men who spread conservation messages to their communities (Ewaso Lions Warrior Watch, 2020). The men are trained on wildlife ecology, conservation, human-wildlife conflict transformation, security issues, and more (Ewaso Lions Warrior Watch, 2020). The Warriors encourage herders not to take retaliatory action against carnivores and help them recover lost livestock (Ewaso Lions Warrior Watch, 2020). The Warriors serve as a network across multiple communities which allows monitoring of lions over a wide ranging area (Ewaso Lions Warrior Watch, 2020).
For the women in the community Ewaso Lions created Mama Simba so women can also be involved in the conservation of lions (Ewaso Lions Mama Simba, 2020). Mama Simba means ‘the mother of lions’ in Maa, their local language (Rust, 2016). The Samburu women are provided with knowledge and skills to reduce their environmental impact, improve livelihoods, and help conserve and coexist with wildlife (Ewaso Lions Mama Simba, 2020). They want to ‘bring the lions back home’ so they work closely with the Grevy’s Zebra Trust on restoration activities to cut down invasive species, plant grass, and create exclusion zones with invisible fences (Ewaso Lions Mama Simba, 2020). The women have also created a literacy program for both men and women (Ewaso Lions Mama Simba, 2020). They also make beaded items to raise money for their families and communities (Ewaso Lions Mama Simba, 2020). This is the first project that has given women the opportunity to lead and be involved in conservation efforts with their voice being heard (Ewaso Lions Mama Simba, 2020; Rust, 2016).
*Lions in photograph are brother and sister lions at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, taken by Helene Hoffman. You can visit her Flickr account.
Literature Cited
Ewaso Lions. (2020). Human-carnivore conflict. https://ewasolions.org/human-carnivore-conflict/
Ewaso Lions. (2020). Mama simba. https://ewasolions.org/mama-simba/
Ewaso Lions. (2016, April 18). Mama simba programme expands [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zRCJz3UVdQ
Ewaso Lions. (2020). Warrior watch. https://ewasolions.org/warrior-watch/
Hoffman, H. (date). Early morning lion breath [Photograph]. Flickr.
Lion Recovery Fund. (2020). Threats to lions. https://www.lionrecoveryfund.org/threats-to-lions/
Rust, N. (2016, August 3). These brave women have found a way to live alongside lions. BBC
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