• World Lion Day raises awareness of the iconic species. It was a tribute to 'The Life and Times of King Lion Sam', a Nairobi National Park celebrity killed by younger lions early this month.
• Africa's lion population declined from 200,000 in the last century to about 20,000 today.
Image: REUTERS
World Lion Day on Monday was marked by tributes to 'The Life and Times of King Lion Sam', a Nairobi Park celebrity killed by younger males this month.
It was a day of celebration, mourning and commitment. Celebration because the magnificent carnivores are the beloved, iconic symbol of endangered African wildlife.
Mourning because not only is Sam gone but also, more importantly, the population of African lions has fallen from 200,000 last century to about 20,000 today. In some good news, Kenya has an estimated 2,489 lions, compared to the 2018 estimate of 1,970.
Determination because experts and animal lovers called for a concerted effort to end wildlife tarde, including trade in trophies such as lion hide, teeth, claws and bones for traditional Asian medicine and jewellery.
The Kenya Wildlife Service joined the rest of the globe marking World Lion Day to raise awareness of the threats to the majestic big cat.
Sam was found dying on August 1 near Karen Dam, mauled by younger males. He had strayed from Nairobi National Park. He died on August 3.
Sam ( 2005 – 2020) was born of Ujanja, one of the dominant lions in the Kingfisher pride at the Nairobi National Park.
He had two brothers, Simbeo and Cheru, and a half-brother Mohawk - another celebrity lion, so-called because of his black 'mohawk' mane. He was shot after he wandered from the park, was surrounded, tortured and stoned for hours - and finally broke out of the vicious cordon to escape. He pounced on a boda boda rider.
He died on March 30, 2016. "Sam was the grandson of Redd, another dominant ‘king’ of his time,” KWS said.
Sam was named after KWS senior warden Samuel Ng'ethe who was in charge of the Safari walk back then. He is deceased.
Cheru was also named after another KWS senior warden called Cheruiyot, also deceased.
Mohawk was powerfully built, popular with the lion ladies and he sired many cubs.
He was one of the most photographed lions in the park, seemingly not bothered by people in cars all looking at him.
Lions' dispute over territory is an integral part of their maturity and dominance.
When Sam and his brothers came of age, they did what most young males did - they ‘dethroned’ and ‘excommunicated’ their father Ujanja.
Ujanja fled from the park into a private farm nearby. He was accompanied by a female and disappeared for more than a year. He reappeared looking healthy and vigorous.
Following the death of Simbeo in 2015, Mohawk in 2017 and finally Cheru at the beginning of this year, Sam became the oldest and most dominant male in Nairobi National Park.
Sam led a pride of 12 lions.
Sam, Cheru and Mohawk carried the legacy of their fathers before and went on to form the formidable Ivory Trio.
On the morning of August 1 Sam was found in weak condition at the Karen Dam.
“He had suffered multiple wounds on the back, neck, legs, groin, face and neck believed to have been inflicted after a vicious fight with other younger males a few days earlier,” KWS said.
He died of his wounds and died of septic shock on August 3. He was 15 years old.
KWS said Sam was a gift to the world and an unrivalled legacy in the wild.
The Service said the three lions were the powerhouse of Nairobi National Park until their deaths.
On Monday, Tourism CS Najib Balala said his ministry is engaging the community to increase the number of lions in the country.
“The problem is that lions needs space and they need to hunt. Sometimes there is conflict between the community and wildlife. We need to c-exist as a people with wildlife,” Balala said in a recorded message.
The ministry has already launched a recovery plan to sustain a viable population of lions and spotted hyenas in healthy ecosystems.
According to the plan, 41 per cent of the lions' range falls within Kenya’s national parks and reserves.
About 41 per cent are in conservancies, while 18 per cent are outside the protected areas or conservancies.
The plan, which will run for 10 years to 2030, was launched at the Masai Mara Game Reserve by Tourism CS Najib Balala on Thursday.
On Monday, World Animal Protection warned that the King of the Jungle may soon be extinct if urgent measures are not taken.
Edith Kabesiime, campaigns manger at World Animal Protection, said, “African lions are facing human and nature-induced threats, hence the need to prioritise their protection. We have witnessed the population of lions in Africa declined in the last decades as human beings occupy their habitat.”
Statistics from the International Union for Conservation of Nature indicate Africa's lion population declined from 200,000 in the last century to the current 20,000.
Lions live in 26 African countries. The continent has lost about 90 per cent of the carnivores from their original habitat.
Climate change, removal from their habitats for entertainment and poaching to satisfy the traditional medicine industry contribute to the decline.
Their shrinking prey base linked to massive hunting has increased their risk of death by starvation.
Captive breeding of lions that has intensified in some parts of Africa is also a threat to their survival.
Animal welfare is often not a priority.
Lack of adequate water, food, space, shelter and medical care is a stark reality in most commercial breeding farms.
The African lion has been categorised by IUCN as a vulnerable species because of poaching.
Experts say wildlife trade is not sustainable.
They call for a ban on international trade in lion trophies and enforcement of anti-poaching laws to reverse the declining lion numbers.
Tennyson Williams, World Animal Protection country director said, “Policy makers need to consider a total ban on wildlife trade. There is need for coordinated global action to save Africa’s wild populations.”
(Edited by V. Graham)