It is very difficult for a lone Lioness to protect her kill from hyenas. Lions are under increasing pressure from the threat of hyenas taking over the territory. As our local Lion prides have been fragmented since the drought hyenas noticeably have increased. The last few nights we have seen this Lioness and another lone Lioness having a difficult time holding on to their kill. At least this time the Lioness had a full meal before she lost her kill.

Last night on patrol we found a Lioness walking through the bush.and she suddenly started running.She had heard a Leopard killing an Impala.When we caught up with her she was under a tree in some thick bush. We looked in the tree and found a Leopard standing on a low branch. It was perfect Ears Mother.As we looked further up into the tree we were so surprised to see a small Leopard cub.It was about four months old.

The Kenya Wildlife Service anti poaching team followed clues given to them by our Maasai community. They were after two poachers and one got away but dropped his weapons. KWS took the tusks from the elephant .This poacher confessed that they had been operating within Masai Mara for over five years.We hate to imagine how many animals have suffered and died at their hands.

Lion protection and conservation education are so important in these Maasai communities and having the Maasai understand the value of Lions for their future . Recently in a school visit we found many of the children only know Lions as the enemy because in the night when a herdsman leaves part of a herd out and some are lost the next morning they naturally blame the Lion or Leopard when in fact it was the herdsman’s fault.

We at Predator Aware are here on site every day and when we get reports of Lions and Leopard we try and follow it up right away.On night patrols we listen for Lions and when we are lucky enough to hear them we go straight in the direction of the Lion sounds to get records and information on which pride they are, how many male or female or young are within the pride.On Monday night the pride was in our camp so we did not have to go far.The sound was incredible and the Lions were running all around our tents.

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Predator Aware: Lionesses walking in the night

To create local controlled ownership and responsibility for maasai communities in the future of habitat protection, wildlife conservation and livestock security setting a base for community tourism development in partnership with the tourism sector and other communities. To create long term sustainable security for pastoral communities.