Loonkito, a 19-year-old lion, was speared to death by Maasai moran warriors in Kenya on Friday.
Loonkito had been killed after targeting livestock in regions near Amboseli National Park, which the lion called home.
"It was an old lion that had issues getting prey on its own and livestock is easy prey," Amboseli National Park, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) spokesman Paul Jinaro told ABC News. "A normal lion would go for wildlife inside the park."
KWS had previously made statements describing Loonkito as a "legendary big cat warrior." It was considered highly remarkable for Loonkito to have successfully defended his territory for such an extended period.
Mirroring the sentiment, Lion Guardians described Loonkito as “a symbol of resilience and coexistence.” Adding that they “feel privileged to have borne witness to his life and his legacy.”
African lions in Kenya
In the wild, African lions usually live up to 18 years old, according to Cats for Africa. In 2021, a wildlife census found that there were 2,500 lions in Kenya.
Animals and humans crossing into one another’s boundaries is a frequent problem in the region. In 2021, a lion wandered from Nairobi National Park into a crowded neighborhood, according to ABC News. While in 2019, a man was mauled to death by a lion just outside of the park. In 2016, a lion attacked a nearby resident and the cat was later killed.
The Lion Guardians later added to their Facebook post a comment that stated that “the end of a drought is habitually marked by an uptick in human-lion conflict as wild prey recover and become more difficult to hunt. In desperation, lions often turn to take livestock. Since livestock owners lost so many of their animals to the drought, they are particularly vigilant in watching over their remaining animals."
"Unfortunately, Loonkito was caught up in this dynamic as he was starving and jumped into a corral in the middle of the night - this was a tough situation for both sides, the people and the lion. Livestock owners lost so many of their animals to the drought, they are particularly vigilant in watching over their remaining animals. Unfortunately, Loonkito was caught up in this dynamic as he was starving and jumped into a corral in the middle of the night - this was a tough situation for both sides, the people and the lion.”
The KWS announced that six more lions have been killed after they attacked goats and a dog near villages close to Amboseli National Park, as reported by Reuters. The KWS also announced on Saturday "Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident as over the last week four other lions have been killed." KWS said its officials met with the local community to try to find a solution to the conflicts between the animals and villagers, although there has been no confirmation on what was agreed.
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