Living with lions : Laikipia Predator Project
Through working closely with ranches such as Loisaba, LPP has found that some lions are chronic livestock killers, while others rarely, if ever attack cattle. Whenever an attack occurs, it is usually possible to identify the lion responsible, because of the large number of collared individuals. The researchers are building up a record of the characteristics of lions that become ‘problem animals’ and the kind of conditions under which lions are most likely to prey on livestock. It is important to find out when and how lions learn these habits so that the best strategies for their conservation can be discovered. The three main goals of the project are:
So far 169 lions have been collared and monitored in Laikipia over a 10 year period, with at least one member of all known lion prides in the area having a radio collar. The latest technology GPS collars are now being placed on specific lions in the Loisaba area to get previously unknown data of where these lions go under the cover of darkness. At Loisaba it is possible to radio track collared lions with the guides and be part of cutting edge lion conservation research.
Find out more about ‘Living with Lions’ in Laikipia at www.lionconservation.org
