LION GUARDIANS NEWSLETTER: ISSUE 12/NOVEMBER 2018
Karibu
Sopa, Hujambo, Hello!

As we reflect on the last several months, one theme keeps coming up: sharing (which is appropriate, given that the holiday season is almost upon us!). Sharing and collaboration really are critical to wildlife conservation. After all, at Lion Guardians we are constantly amassing information: data about lions’ behavior, understanding of community-driven partnerships, and lessons learned about what works – and does not – when it comes to protecting lions and helping communities. And while all this knowledge informs our own model, sharing it opens up new opportunities for progress. For instance, by sharing our knowledge of lions’ movements via LINC , we are helping researchers conserve lions continent-wide in real time. And by collaborating with multiple stakeholders to bring the new national poisoning response protocol to life, we are helping to build a standardized strategy to deal with a critical problem.

Knowledge sharing is one of our main pillars , and we are constantly learning what an extraordinarily powerful tool it is. And your willingness to share with us – whether it’s your time, donations, or simply your support - is crucial to what we are able to accomplish. Read on to learn what your support has helped to make possible!

It takes a community to conserve lions and preserve cultures, we are grateful that you are a part of ours.

Ashe Oleng, Asante, Thank You!
Support Us

  • Giving Tuesday is November 27, and we want to hear from YOU about why you support Lion Guardians. To participate, simply fill out this short form.

  • With your help, Lion Guardians could get up to $30,000. Help us win Zoo Atlanta’s “Quarters for Conservation” campaign by texting the word “Lion” to +1 (855) 996-9668. Vote as often as you would like until next May!
News From the Field and Beyond
Lion Guardians Games 2018
Once again, this year’s Lion Guardian Games brought Guardians, Ilchokuti ( Kope Lion ), and Lion Defenders ( Ruaha Carnivore Project ) together for an incredible few days of laughter, camaraderie, and joy . The participants enjoyed both collaboration and competition, ranging from sharing stories from the field all the way to a fierce tug of war competition! The joyousness of the festivities had participants springing into spontaneous celebrations to commemorate victories and togetherness. Thank you to Kope Lion and Ndutu Safari Lodge for all their efforts in organizing th e Games !
Aiding the Efforts of WCS Uganda
In July, Leela and Salisha visited Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park to help WCS Uganda develop a strategy to deal with a spike in retaliatory killings. After meeting with over a hundred community members, as well as holding one-on-one sessions with local leaders, stakeholders, and WCS Uganda team members, we submitted a set of recommendations that we hope will pave the way for a long-term community-based conflict mitigation effort.
World Lion Day Celebrations
To celebrate World Lion Day, we held two exciting community events in August. First, nearly 100 community representatives, students, and warriors attended a discussion we held on lion conservation at a local church. A few days later, we hosted a tree planting event at a local primary school. A huge group of students, teachers, and community members celebrated the importance of conservation and distributed 20kgs of Seedballs - or about 10,000 seeds! This will act as a pilot project as we plan tree planting activities across our areas of operation.
A Journey Awaits
We are thrilled that Stephanie, our cofounder and Director of Science, will be part of the newest cohort of the Homeward Bound program. She will be joining 94 other women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine on a year-long leadership program that culminates in a three-week journey to Antarctica. We are proud that she was chosen from a record number of applicants (you can view her video here !), and we know Lion Guardians will benefit greatly from the skills and connections she discovers along the way!
National Lion Census
To develop a cohesive long-term strategy for lion conservation, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has embarked on a National Lion Census to gather data on lion populations across Kenya. We are honored to be helping conduct the census, and over the past few months, our monitoring team has been working day and night alongside Guardians and KWS Amboseli Park staff to find all the lions they can in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem. It has been a spectacular success thus far, with 136 individuals found and photographed, nearly 100 of them over the age of 1!
A Visit from our Board
Every other year or so, we are blessed with a visit from the Lion Guardians U.S. Board. This year’s visit was particularly special - not only did we add a new board member, but we also hosted family members of the Board! It was truly a family affair. We made incredible memories, including watching pregnant N’genoi climb to the top of an acacia tree and interact with an eagle-owl! We had nights of celebrating, where Guardians danced together with the Board, sharing their gratitude for all the board members’ support. We are so grateful for the hard work and inspiration that the Board infuses into the entire organization.
Our Team is Growing
To more effectively prevent and mitigate conflict in our operating area, we have hired four new Guardians - Kuya Kipampa, Lepilal Kikardi, Lolepo Saitoti, and Nchoke Tipape - who will help us monitor various zones in the Olgulului Group Ranch. In their interviews, each impressed us with their respect for wildlife and their desire to serve their community. We are thrilled to have them on board and are looking forward to getting to know them better. You can read more about them on our blog .
New Guardians Kuya (above), Lepilal, Lolepo, and Nchoke
Need that perfectly unique holiday gift?
We are selling a small number of retired hunting spears which hail from the communities where we operate. Each of these powerful tools has been wielded by local Maasai warriors to hunt both predators and prey, and some of the spears have been beaded by local Maasai women. A portion of the proceeds will benefit our operations. To purchase a spear (~$330), please email alejandra@elephant-family.org .
Privacy Policy
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