Support WildlifeDirect:
buy branded merchandise

Masai stopped from killing leopard.

Category: Cattle Compensation, Leopards | Date: Mar 23 2008 | By: William

I’ve just spoken to Wilson Naitoi, who reported the attempt by a local Masai to kill a lion a couple of weeks ago. This is what he told me had happened yesterday:

“I was up on the escarpment on patrol, when I received a phone call from a Masai who had my number. He said ‘Please, come right away, there are some Masai who are trying to kill a leopard.’ And so I went down to where they were, and saw that a group of men had surrounded a bush, and they were throwing stones into the bushes. There were other men standing around the bushes with their spears, ready to kill the leopard once it tried to make its leave.

“I went together with the warden from Oloololo Gate, and we tried to convince them to stop. “No, don’t kill, don’t kill the leopard,” we said. And they said, “No, we have to kill the leopard, he has already killed our goat and our sheep, and there is no one to pay.” We told them that they mustn’t kill, as we are still looking for the money, and they said “No, how do we know ? If you have the money then you must pay for our goat.”

“It took the warden some time to convince them not to kill the leopard, and he said to them that we should go back to the village to finish the talk there. We were forced to carry one of the dead goats with our car, back to Kipas village. The other goat that had been killed was taken by the leopard.

“When we were in the village we spoke again. We told them that we are looking for donors who will help pay for the goats killed. “Please don’t kill this leopard ” we said, “it is the only one that we have in the area. You cannot kill him.”

“Eventually the old men came round and they agreed that the men will not go back to kill the leopard. They said, “Once we are paid, then we don’t kill the leopard.”

Share This

21 Responses to “Masai stopped from killing leopard.”

Colleen Perrin, on 23 Mar 2008

What a relief that Wilson and the game warden were able to convince the Masai farmers not to kill the leopard. Will, what is the amount needed to compensate for this?

asuka, on 23 Mar 2008

This is just a beginning. They have let go of one lion and one leopard now and people are not going to tolerate any longer. We got to move fast, otherwise you will start hearing more and more cases of carnivore revenge kill.

asuka, on 23 Mar 2008

Will, why can we put donation button for goat/sheep, heifer, cow and bull so people got an idea on how much each livestock compensation cost and people interested in donating can click on it. In one year (2006-2007), Mara Conservancy compensated for 239 livestock attacks along the wildlife reserve border (150 leopard attacks, 67 lion attacks, 15 hyena attacks and 7 elephant attacks). Without compensation, all 239 cases could potentially result in dead carnivores.

Colleen Perrin, on 23 Mar 2008

Great idea Asuka. Those are astonishing statistics and it would be very helpful to provide donors with the specifics.

Leopard Life at Stake | Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit, on 23 Mar 2008

[…] Mara Conservancy Ranger, came to say hi to me at my house. It was then he told me the story of how people were trying to kill a leopard yesterday. It has killed one goat and carried away another one, leaving owner with loss of two […]

Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 23 Mar 2008

Will, why is the Maisi Mara Reserve not listed under the KWS lists of parks and reserves at their website. Does KWS do ANY work with protecting the mara? Second question, has a task force been set up to investigate what were the circumstances that lead up to each incidence of predation (lifestock left unguarded or to wander freely, unattended). In the past, did the herders have to prove they took reasonable precautions before they were compensated for their losses? My donation today is to compensate for one of the goats, but the root of the problem needs to be addressed, esp. with this situation now so dire. Is there anything we can provide these herders with, to keep their livestock safer from predation? The more money spent on compensation, the less there is for the rangers, who patrol for poaching.

Lisa, California, on 23 Mar 2008

Asuka, that is really a fantastic idea. Surely if a donate button can be added to this site for livestock, etc. the money will come in to help compensate the farmers for lost livestock. Lisa

Will, on 23 Mar 2008

Hello everyone.

It’s been a bit tricky which donation items to put up on the blog as everything has become an urgent priority. And Theresa is right about the more money spent on compensation means less for the rangers, and currently for next month there is not enough for salaries - which may mean that some of the rangers will have to be let go.

Although some of you have specified where you want your money to be spent, and it will be spent in this way, the rest of the donations are open which gives us much needed flexibility to pay for what is most urgent on that particular day.

However, saying all this, there’s going to be a big push this week to try and get all the rangers sponsored by various companies and individuals. For now, we just need to cover the rangers’ salaries for the next couple of months until the tourists come back, and it’s $1,000 per ranger (500 pounds a month) - I will in the next couple of hours be putting up the appropriate information on the blog.

In answer to your other questions Theresa, we are always looking for better ways for the local Masai to protect their cattle, and before this crisis hit we were planning with Asuka to do something similar to the Lion Guardians. However, this plan has been put on hold. Although, no matter how good the protection, cattle loss is inevitable when living among predators - but before there was a balance when the money gained from having predators (from tourism) helped pay for the money lost (when cattle was killed). Each circumstance when a cattle is killed is investigated by the Conservancy.

The Masai Mara is a National Reserve, not a National Park, which means that it is held in trust for the people and managed by the local county councils, as opposed to the Kenya Wildlife Service.

asuka, on 23 Mar 2008

Before the livestock compensation scheme was started by Mara Conservancy, local people were eliminating predators through their own means (physical killing, poison arrow, etc). Yes, it is illegal, but the reserve management prior to Mara Conservancy did nothing to compensate for any livestock loss so local community were left to protect their animals on their own. Listed 239 cases which was compensated by the Mara Conservancy are ALL investigated cases and ONLY cases which happened WITHIN 5km range from reserve border. Meaning that there are hundreds of other livestock attack cases occuring outside the 5km radius which is not compensated by anyone. In these area, large carnivores are eliminated whenever there is wildlife-livestock conflict.

Judy in CA, on 23 Mar 2008

Dear Will,
Seems like this reserve should be a top priority with a back up plan in place when such a crisis occurs. Are any of the big ngos (AWF, WWF, etc) stepping in to help during this crisis with funding to intervene while the tourist industry recovers? For ranger salaries and basic needs to stop the killing? I am disappointed that East Africa is again under such incredible threats to wildlife after recovering from severe poaching in the 80’s. I visited the Mara in 1996 and it is one of Africa’s jewels! I hope it can be saved and protected! Thank you for your amazing work.
Judy in CA

Dana-Phoenix Arizona, on 23 Mar 2008

I am very distrubed in reading this. If there is not a program to educate the Masai about their livestock protection I fear that there will be NO predators left in the Mara area, let alone the Mara Triangle. I understand that their livestock is their lively hood and the land is held in trust for the people. If it was not for the commitment of the Mara Conservancy compensaton progam in the past years there would be, I fear, no predators at the present time.

I have seen in, since visiting the Mara since 1995, a very evident decline in the predators. This past September we saw much fewer lions on the Mara Triangle side. I know the Triangle area is large, but in just three years, we needed to travel far and wide to see these beautiful creatures. We did see one leopard last year - although these guys are very elusive I know. I pray that this leopard is not the one mentioned above.

Will, I would like to know the percentage of the gate ‘fees’ are given to the local councils. Gate fees are down, therefore, the councils are not getting their cut and they are not getting compensated for livestock losses. It all boils down to, I know, to tourists supporting the Mara Triangle. Are tourists slowly coming back now to the area? Are resevations at the camps there for the migration season since you stated “for the next couple of months”? The migration season alone can’t support the area. I can’t believe, for all the hundreds of thousands of people that have visited the Mara are not stepping up to the plate and helping the Conservancy out. You have alot of dedicated donors on this blog, but obviously this small group cannot support the $50,000 a month to run your operations.

Will one of the new ’seven wonders of the World’ have a short lived life because no ones cares?

I know I am rambling here, sorry! Please let us know how much is needed for the compensation of the goat and sheep? I will donate as much as I am able. Next donation will be for the Rangers. God, I hate to have to make a decision between a animal and person.

Will, on 23 Mar 2008

Hello Judy

Unfortunately it can take quite a lot of time for large NGOs to release funds in an emergency; although this hasn’t stopped us from applying to various organisations. Unfortunately none of them have yet said yes.

Will, on 23 Mar 2008

Hello Dana

The lion population has actually been increasing steadily on the Mara Triangle side, since 2002 the population has grown by 50% to over 60 individuals over the age of 1. Leopards are harder to count, and we haven’t yet had an official census on the cheetahs, but death due to human intervention is now practically unheard of.

The local council receives 55% of the entrance park fee. The Mara Conservancy is meant to receive 45% from each park ticket, however 9% of this is given to the organisation who handles all of the transactions and tracking of entrance fees, which leaves the Conservancy with 36%. It is with part of this 36% that we paid for the cattle compensation scheme, not with the council’s money.

Actually, the Mara has been packed with tourists for Easter weekend. However they are mostly all Kenyan, and I spoke to the manager of the lodge next-door (probably the busiest here in the Mara) and they said they are back down to just 20 people tomorrow.

Normally the migration period, and the high season over Christmas, brings in enough money to help us through the low seasons - which is what we are currently in now. Because this Christmas was a disaster, we do not have the funds to carry us through this low period. We remain optimistic in believing that the tourists will start coming back for the migration.

Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL, on 23 Mar 2008

Will, thanks for answering my questions. I think everyone would agree wherever the funds are needed the most, that’s where it should go.

Dana-Phoenix Arizona, on 24 Mar 2008

Will - I just donated $100.00 to go towards the compensation for the sheep that was killed by the leopard.

Also, thank you for answering my questions also.

Colleen Perrin, on 24 Mar 2008

Will, that sponsor a ranger option you’ve just added is really great. I’m so glad to see you have one already sponsored but it’s very effective. It took me a while to see it so if anyone hasn’t checked out that page, it’s great. This site looks so great!

Kenya safari, on 25 Mar 2008

I still believe that the introduction of paying volunteers would be great for the conservation effort. It would also provide for labour as well as funds. Soon there might not be any safaris to go for because Kenya’s masai mara would be gone.

Dana-Phoenix Arizona, on 28 Mar 2008

Will - Can you please tell us if the monies donated for the goats/sheep death by the leopard have been passed on to the owners? Thanks! Dana

Thank You Friends of Mara Triangle | Mara Triangle, on 29 Mar 2008

[…] that yesterday a lion had killed three cows in Kawai village. Dana, I saw your recent comment on this post with regards to the cattle compensation scheme and I will post about this […]

sauwah, on 30 Mar 2008

Can you please tell me what has happened to the men who had illegally killed the two lionesses and one sub adult lioness since the killings? The two served just two months and paid only thirty. But what about the two’s killing of the innocent young lioness? No social or verbal disapproval at all?

If the government truly wants to stop all killing of lions ( the innocent or unlucky ones ), instead of making the criminals pay such little fee, have him pay a cow for each lion killed for the first offense. As for the second time, two cows instead.

Will, on 31 Mar 2008

Hello Sauwah

I think the killings you are talking about are the ones on the other side of Maasailand. Near where the Lion Guardians are:

http://lionguardians.wildlifedirect.org

Trackback URI | Comments RSS

Leave a Reply