6 lions were killed in Kenya with a spear in retaliation for the killing of a herd of goats

News

By Associated Press

June 7, 2023 | 11:55 p.m

Parkeroo Ntrica lost nearly half of its goat herd to hungry lions that wandered into a pen near Kenya’s famous Amboseli National Park.

The 56-year-old’s loss made headlines in the East African country as it led to the spearing of six lions in retaliation by the Maasai people, who have coexisted with wild animals for centuries.

The killings highlight growing human-wildlife conflict in parts of East Africa that conservationists say has been exacerbated by years of drought.

At the same time, the number of predators within the parks has increased. Hunger and thirst can send them to communities.

Ntrica said the loss of 12 goats is a great loss for his extended family.

I am selling these cattle to pay for school fees. “I don’t know how I will pay the secondary school fees for some of my children,” said the father of eight.

The Big Life Foundation, which runs conservation programs in the area, provides compensation to pastoralists who lose their livestock to predators.

But the compensation is not commensurate with the market price of cows, goats and sheep.

Herder Joel Kerembeu said the compensation should be commensurate with the market price.

“Cows are very expensive and can cost up to $577 each. Sh80,000 cannot be compared to Sh30,000. We are getting very little compensation. That’s why we get angry and even though we get compensation, we go out and kill the lions.”

Rosie Lekimankusi, a mother of five, said 13 of her goats were killed by lions in the same village, Mbirkani in Kajiado County, just 93 miles from the capital, Nairobi.

“This is a big loss for us because my husband and I don’t have any other jobs,” she told the Associated Press as she stood outside the goat pen.

Her biggest fear is that these lion attacks will become more common in her Maasai village that borders Amboseli National Park.

The Big Life Foundation, which has run the compensation program for 20 years, said it could not pay the market rate but maintained the amount could not be ignored as it at least expressed solidarity with the sponsors for their loss.

“It may be as simple as just making sure your anger goes down, but it’s better than nothing,” said Daniel Ole Sambo, coordinator of the foundation’s Predator Protection Program.

He said the foundation also provides community scholarships for local children and support for medical facilities.

Human-wildlife conflict often makes headlines in Kenya, where tourism plays an important role in the economy.

Last month, one of Kenya’s oldest lions, the Loonkiito, was mauled to death while roaming outside Amboseli National Park in search of food.

The Kenya Wildlife Service said it was working on durable solutions that would address the conflict while protecting both people and wildlife.

Nitrika, a shepherd who has lost nearly half of his goats, lives in fear of another lion’s attack.

“Since the old days, we used to believe that when a lion invades your house and eats your cows, he will come back even after 10 years. You will never forget that your house was once a source of food.