MWCT Celebrates World Lion Day 2014!

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust joins the rest of the world in celebrating World Lion Day on August 10, 2014! 

As we are all unfortunately aware, the global lion population is decreasing rapidly across the continent of Africa. Throughout Kenya, communities and organization are working incredibly hard to mitigate issues and increase protection of such an iconic species to the country, and its' people. It was made very clear to Campi ya Kanzi and MWCT that their help is continually needed to ensure that lions will be in existence for generations to come!

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust is finding dedicated ways to contribute to a holistic strategy in addressing increasing threats to such a vulnerable and crucial keystone species.

Specific increasing pressures are growing on the lion population, particularly on community owned Maasai land, the case for the lions resident of Kuku Group Ranch in southern Kenya, where MWCT is operating its' efforts. As the human population grows worldwide and in Kenya, lions are threatened by habitat fragmantation from human development; lack of natural prey base on the particular community land due to migrant movements to National Parks; and direct prosecution - such as the traditional ritual of lion hunting in Maasai warrior culture.

MWCT is holistically approaching these above threats through various means. By protecting vital habitats through the creation of conservancies (tourism partner Campi ya Kanzi is located entirely in its' own conservancy), combating issues like poaching with strategic anti-poaching teams and patrols, hiring and positioning wildlife monitors across the Group Ranch (particularly young Maasai moran Simba Scouts acting to keep an eye on the lions), providing environmental education outreaches to communities, as well as pioneering a wildlife compensation program, Wildlife Pays, to combat retaliation of predation on traditional livestock.

MWCT and Campi ya Kanzi are proud to say that these above strategies have continued to incentivize the Kuku Group Ranch community to appreciate wilderness with thriving wildlife as a resource to them. The lion population on the Group Ranch is a very healthy 38! We have collared 5 lions on the Ranch, allowing us to further actively protect and monitor their continued activities.

Conservation Program Update - Lion Collaring Update

It was a quiet and crisp morning, end of June as the Simba Scouts headed out on foot at daybreak to track lions. They heard the roaring the night before and were determined to find them. The pressure was on since the previous collaring attempt in April, where we went out for three full nights, and without being successful. This time we had to succeed!

Tracking the lions!

It was not long before the Simba Scouts found fresh tracks of 7 lions! They followed these tracks for a couple of kilometres up to a dense thicket in an area known as Eluai, just south of Iltilal village. The Simba Scouts decided to look around the thicket to see if there were any lion tracks coming out of the thicket. After searching for a while, and not finding any tracks apart from the ones heading into the thicket, they concluded that the lions must still be inside, resting. Lions often use dense thickets or lava forest patches on Kuku Group Ranch as a refuge during daytime to avoid contact (that may lead to potential conflict) with people and their livestock.

Conservation Coordinators Lana and Dirk work to hang the carcass in the tree

After receiving this information the plan was clear... conduct a calling station that evening in the vicinity of the thicket.

The vet busy preparing for the long night of collaring

At 4 pm, the collaring team headed out to scout the area and to prepare for the nights calling station. As the last rays of the sun disappeared behind Kilimanjaro, we started with the nights operation, starting with the distressed call of a warthog (pig squeal). Soon after, the silhouette of a lioness appeared... followed by another... and another... and another! Until all 7 lions (2 adult females and 5 sub-adult cubs) were there sitting and watching us curiously from behind a bush a couple of metres away! Our hearts started beating with anticipation as we waited for the vet to get into position to dart one of the adult females. A few minutes went by (which felt like hours) and then the call of the vet came over the radio telling us that he cannot get a clear shot on either of the two adult females from his position as they were obstructed by the bush. He did not want to take a chance and miss as this can only scare them off, so he decided to rather wait patiently for them to come closer to where the carcass was hanging in a tree next to his car.

To our disappointment, the lions lost interest and moved away! However, they stayed in the vicinity. We watched them through the night vision equipment playing and grooming one another. After some time we changed the sound to that of a buffalo calf in distress. This triggered again the interest of the lions and they made several attempts to approach us. After about 2 hours, one of the lionesses stood up and came directly to where the carcass was! It was perfect, and right next to the car of the vet!

Working to fix the collar and take measurements of the newly collared lion!

We are very delighted to introduce to you our newest member of the Kuku lion family - Neluai! Named after the area Eluai where she was collared! She is approximately 5 years old and in excellent condition. She has, since the collaring, visited our waterhole at CCRC several times and has been seen frequently with her group. Recently she has been spotted alone at our waterhole with a big male lion. We suspect Neluai to be mating with him!

Watch this space for more exciting news on our collared lions!

Neluai and a large male visit the water hole at CCRC

She is doing well! 

Conservation Program Update - Singila Update

Earlier last month, the school of the Kanzi Academy went on an school outing early morning game drive. An incredibly fortunate game drive brought them to spot 2 lionesses and 4 cubs, with help of their Campi ya Kanzi guide Parashi. 

When they came closer to the lions, they noticed that one lioness was collared and assumed it to be Namunyak. 

A sleepy Singila

Parashi informed the Conservation Team and the Simba Scouts and we went immediately out to the area suspecting it to be a different lion, as Namunyak does not usually come into that area where the lions were reported to be seen. 

We were happy happy to see her healthy and well!

Luckily enough the lions were still around, and after more than 6 months without any good observations the old lioness, Singila appeared with her new companion. The cubs had unfortunately moved into the lava rocks and were no longer visible. 

Singila is the oldest collared female lion on Kuku Group Ranch. She is approximately 11 years old, which is quite extraordinary for a lion on community land. Female lions generally live longer than male lions (as males will often be involved in territorial fights that can be fatal).

She is a well known resident of Kuku Group Ranch; it is quite extraordinary for a female lion to coexist on community land for this length of time. She is quite a well-behaved lion, and it has been wonderful to have had her around for so long.

Singila has successfully raised a few litters during her time on the Group Ranch. She has been collared twice so far, once in 2008, and once in 2011. She is recognizable by her unusual and unique "folded" left ear (seen in the photo below). We were so excited to see her recently, as it has been quite some time! We hope to continue to have more updates about this healthy lioness.

Lion Collaring Expedition - Day Three

As you can imagine by this point in the process... slowly the team started to get a little anxious, time was definitely running out. Two days without collaring a lion: the pressure was on with only a few more days left.

We decided to change our strategy so in addition to the sound playbacks, we used bait as well. We obtained two goat carcasses that were killed by lions the previous night in Oltiasika to attract lions, in addition to the call up sounds. More than an hour before dark we arrived at the calling station site close to where we saw the lion the previous night. The stomach of the goat carcass was punctured and the carcass was dragged behind the car in a 100 meter radius around the location of the calling station. After dragging, the carcass was hung high into a tree close by.

Carcass hanging in the tree behind the car of the vet

Even before we started playing the sounds, the first spotted hyena showed and we feared the area would soon be infested with spotted hyenas. Then a pair of jackals started barking in the distance and all the spotted hyenas left the area.

Night fell, and so we started playing the sound of a buffalo calf in distress followed by the pig squeal. After more than 3 hours of calling we started to worry that the lions would not come at all. Then suddenly a large growl of a lion was heard next to the vehicle. Everybody in the team that has collared a lion before knew what that meant... a lion was hit by a dart. A rush of adrenaline and excitement. We got it!

Spotlights were switched on and the cars drove around through the bush in search of the darted lion as it ran off into the long grass and dense bush for safety after being hit by the dart. Fortunately, the KWS team spotted the lion, 150 meters away from the darting site.

The KWS vet drove the car close to the lioness and poked it with the dart gun to ensure it was properly sedated before we got out of the car to start the collaring. Measurements of teeth, paws, nose-tail length, shoulder height was taken. Was had approximately 45 minutes to do the job white MWCT rangers and Simba Scouts were on the lookout for possible other lions in the area that might have come to the rescue.

Collaring team with Namunyak

It was a young lioness of about 3 years old in a healthy condition. She was named Namunyak meaning "lucky one". To further boost her condition Dr. Poghon injected some vitamins and antibiotics, and also treated her for ticks and lion lies. When everybody was finished, the antidote was given. A MWCT car was called to come with new Simba Scouts to monitor the recovery of the lioness to ensure she was not harassed by hyenas or other lions that may wish to take advantage of her vulnerable state.

Taking measurements: nose-tail length of Namunyak

After the collaring of Namunyak, the collaring team proceeded to another location where Simba Scouts had seen 5 lions earlier that day. The team stayed out calling up to 5:00 a.m. but no lions showed up, in which they decided to head back to the camp. At that time we received a message from the Simba Scouts that the newly collared lioness had fully recovered and moved safely into the lava bushland. A good sign, as this habitat is a safe hide-out for lions on Kuku Group Ranch.