Lion Guardians

Category: Community work, Lion Guardian reports, lion research fieldwork | Date: Feb 18 2008 | By: admin

I received a report yesterday that a pride of ten lions attempted to break into a boma on the west side of the group ranch in the Mbirikani town area. I took my motorbike and went to investigate if any of these lions happened to be one of our collared lions. The area had received rains the day before so the soil had consolidated and the lion’s tracks were not very visible. But the people of Mbirikani area are seeing a lot of lions recently. A resident of west Mbirikani reported coming across eight lions feeding on a wildebeest carcass close the road which heads into Amboseli National Park. Such news is sweet music to the Guardian’s ears. When I met Mokoi (Guardian from Orngosua area near to Mbirikani town), he was very excited. Olubi (Guardian from Kalesirua area, south of Mbirikani town) wanted to go tracking as well but my motorbike is small; it can’t fit three people. Olubi was still happy, even though he couldn’t go tracking with Mokoi and me. He left us waving and smiling, but commenting that I should buy a bigger bike or a small car.

Mokoi and I did not pick up any signal and we were sure that these are a pride of new lions in the area. Last year at this same time, our collared female Birdie with her cubs were in this area. I talked to one local of Mbirikani and he told me that this is the time of the year they used to go for lion hunts (Olamayio).

Here is Mokoi tracking for collared lions