The Maasai People – Human Wildlife Conflicts
Wildlife Protection in Kenya
Matthew Ma
My Experiences in Lion Protection
I have been engaged in Lions Protection in Kenya twice, one is in 2018, and in the summer 2024, I revisited to Kenya to continue my efforts for protecting the lions in Kenya.
Recently, the level of human-wildlife conflict in West Africa, particularly in Kenya and Tanzania, has arisen to level 2, where people started to dislike a specific specie.
This strong dislike feeling among the Maasai people against the lions and other prime predators has caused massive killing and elimination of these animals.
I have been engaged in Lions Protection in Kenya twice, one is in 2018, and in 2018, and in the summer 2024, I revisited to Kenya to continue my efforts continue my efforts for protecting the lions in Kenya.
Recently, the level of human-wildlife conflict in West Africa, particularly in particularly in Kenya and Tanzania, has arisen to level 2, where people people started to dislike a specific specie.
This strong dislike feeling among the Maasai people against the lions and lions and other prime predators has caused massive killing and elimination elimination of these animals.
Lions VS Massai People
The Maasai live in permanent settlements and raise cattle for a living. Their large herds caused severe soil erosion on the Maasai Mara, reducing the grassland's herbivore population. With fewer herbivores, lions and other predators struggled to find food and turned to the Maasai’s cattle and property. This led the Maasai to dislike predators, especially lions.
Since cows are very expensive to the Maasai families, they are the most expensive property of the Maasai people. In that way, it is reasonable for the Maasai people to be angered and take revenge for their cows and goats that got killed by lions.
The Maasai people don’t always hate lions and sometimes even admire them, despite the damage they cause. In Maasai culture, male warriors once had to kill a lion to prove their bravery and readiness for marriage. Many older warriors did this in the late 20th century. However, lion hunting is now illegal. The relationship between the Maasai and lions is complex, as they both admire and resent them.
Solutions
Several solutions can help ease human-wildlife conflict.
First, setting up fences to protect Maasai cattle can reduce lion deaths, but it requires significant funding, costing about $2,000 each. This is the way I helped protect the lions in 2018
Second, increasing tourism and creating private conservation areas can reduce soil erosion and boost the lion population.
When the Maasai rely on tourism for income, they tend to raise fewer cattle, which is easier and more sustainable.
Additionally, they are motivated to protect lions to attract more tourists. This year, I joined a team to help the lions by this method.
The Fence for Preventing Lions
Other Animal Protection Efforts
This is the tombs of black rhinos that be killed by people
The injured black rhinos in animal shelter
Thank You