NAROK, Kenya – Lions in the Mara ecosystem face many threats, including habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching.
Against this backdrop, the Mara Predator Project, better known as the Mara Predator Conservation Programme (MPCP), monitors lions in the Northern Masai Mara conservancies.
The project Y News has gathered that it builds an online database of lions to map their home ranges, monitor reproduction, and identify population trends.
They use collar technology and Lion Ambassadors (LAs) to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
LAs are local community members who respond to alerts when collared lions approach protected area borders or livestock areas.
When lone male lions are frequently exposed to threats
Males that have left their “home” pride but have not yet found or created a pride of their own, known as dispersing sub-adults, are generally nomadic for years, travelling great distances and frequently encountering people and animals.
“So, we use lion collars to help warn us of any issues and lessen the effect of any conflict because they are the primary lion demographic linked to human-lion conflict,” says the organisation in its research and conservation report.
The World Wide Fund for Nature-Kenya (WWF-Kenya) assists with the initiative.
Y News understands there were only 2,489 lions in Kenya as of 2021, the year the results of the most recent National Wildlife Census were announced.
To make well-informed decisions that influence lion conservation programs and guarantee the survival of this endangered species, WWF-Kenya and MPCP rely on data from tracked lions.
The MPCP is based at the Tony Lapham Predator Hub in Olare Motorogi Conservancy.
Positioned opposite Iseketa Boma, their base is very near the border with Naboisho Conservancy.
Why the lion collars are of importance in the Greater Mara
As such, the programme is perfectly located at the interface between wildlife and the surrounding communities.
“Sub-adult males are also largely responsible for connecting sub-populations of lions and maintaining genetic diversity within a population. In an ever-evolving ecosystem like the Greater Mara, lion collars will help to identify priority landscapes for protection,” the report further reads.
Considering that two of the major threats facing lions are human-lion conflict and habitat fragmentation, the programme focuses on dispersing male lions when it comes to collaring, as they provide the most relevant and useful information for conservation planning.
“Without collars, we would never understand exactly what is happening to this vital demographic of lions in the Mara.”
Also, the local Maasai communities play an important role in conservation efforts. Programs encourage sustainable land use practices, such as rotational grazing and drought-resistant crops.
