According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), ten lions have been killed in southern Kenya in the last week, including six on Saturday alone, as human-wildlife violence in the region rises. A representative for the KWS told CNN on Sunday that this is "an unusually large number of lions to be killed at one time." It comes after environmentalists revealed earlier this week the death of one of Africa's oldest lions, Loonkiito, at the age of 19. According to the conservation organization Lion Guardians, he had strayed from a protected area and into a cattle pen because he was "starving," and was murdered by the livestock owner.
According to the organization, the end of a drought is typically marked by an increase in human-lion conflict because natural prey becomes more difficult to hunt and livestock owners are "particularly vigilant" after losing so many animals. Kenya is suffering from its worst drought in 40 years. The six lions who died on Saturday had killed 11 goats and one dog, according to a news release issued by the KWS on Saturday. According to the UN, the lions were all part of the Amboseli environment in Kajiado County, a UNESCO biosphere reserve near Mount Kilimanjaro. Saturday, KWS organized a meeting with people and government leaders to discuss the recent killings.
