http://www.24tanzania.net/vill...-lions-in-serengeti/



Villager poisons, kills lions in Serengeti
Posted in:National



Several lions have been killed by what is believed to be poison in Serengeti District, Mara Region, officials confirmed on Friday.



The wild animals were found dead on Thursday at Park Nyigoti village in a game reserve area belonging to Ikona Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

The village borders Serengeti National Park and Ikorongo/Grumeti Game Reserves in the Serengeti ecosystem and early reports indicate that the lions were deliberately killed by a villager.

“It is true six lions were found dead out of which four were male and two female,” Acting Wildlife Officer with the Serengeti District Council, Mr Cuthbert Boma told this paper on Friday.

“There were 17 lions but 11 survived and it appears those killed died after eating animal remains that were laced with poisonous chemicals,” Mr Boma said.

Game officials from different departments including those from the Tanzanian National Parks (TANAPA) rushed to the scene after reports of the deaths to establish what had actually happened, he said.



“Samples of the chemicals have been taken to the Chief Government Chemist to establish the kind of poison that killed the wild animals,” he said.

Reports say that a livestock keeper is believed to have poisoned the lions and police have already launched a manhunt for the suspect.

It is said that the man acted in revenge after the pride had attacked and killed his cow the previous day.

Human and wildlife conflicts have been increasing in the villages located near the country’s national parks and other game protected areas in the recent years.

Residents of Serengeti District and other areas of Mara Region living near game protected areas have blame authorities for ignoring massive destruction caused by wild animals such as elephants to their crops.

By MUGINI JACOB, Tanzania Daily News

I have a novel idea - why not use sport hunting to control the excess lions? Or pay hunters to do PAC hunts?

A better idea would be to move the natives and their cattle off park land...

They almost killed 11 more Lions in this poising.

The Masai will never, ever stop killing lions by any and all means possible and at every opportunity.

quote:

The Masai will never, ever stop killing lions by any and all means possible and at every opportunity.

They are a law unto themselves and refuse to have anything with the Government, who are just at fault. I am fine with them maintaining their identity, but to the detriment of society as a whole - no way.

Government is actually to scared to get involved.

quote:

The Masai will never, ever stop killing lions by any and all means possible and at every opportunity.

A cattle rancher of the fair race in that northern area taught the Masai all there was to know about cattle dip and its other unconventional uses; it has since been employed mercilessly whenever livestock has been lost to lions.

And it won't stop either!

P.S.

They know of no other means than poison - no longer do they have the balls of their forefathers to confront a lion face to face.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
P.S.

They know of no other means than poison - no longer do they have the balls of their forefathers to confront a lion face to face.

Not all Fujo.... we still regularly hear of incidents where they speared lion, leopard and even buff for the hell of it

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
P.S.

They know of no other means than poison - no longer do they have the balls of their forefathers to confront a lion face to face.

Not all Fujo.... we still regularly hear of incidents where they speared lion, leopard and even buff for the hell of it

During the time I spent in Kitiangare, lions were killed by poisoning the carcass and only once did I hear of a spearing: when a bunch Morani went after a couple of lions that were closer to being dead than alive from poisoning.

When a goat is lost to a leopard, if they find the half eaten carcass (which they do most of the time) that cat is deader than dead within the next 24 hours by courtesy of several injected doses of cattle dip.

The only times any buffalo were speared (which we had to haul out) were the ones which fell into the waterholes in Kitiangare valley spring system and those at Langu and they certainly didn't kill them for the hell of it as they laid claim to the meat; the waterhole in the meantime and for the next several days ended up being contaminated by blood and crap from the lacerated guts until they decided to empty it.

They are pretty courageous when it comes to spearing tortoises though

Bottom line Mich, poison is the Maasai's deadliest, efficient (can wipe out the entire pride in one sitting) and most readily obtainable legal weapon on hand.

The Maasi are seen as Super Citizens, above the law and safe from any form of management or serious prosecution.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:
P.S.

They know of no other means than poison - no longer do they have the balls of their forefathers to confront a lion face to face.

Not all Fujo.... we still regularly hear of incidents where they speared lion, leopard and even buff for the hell of it

During the time I spent in Kitiangare, lions were killed by poisoning the carcass and only once did I hear of a spearing: when a bunch Morani went after a couple of lions that were closer to being dead than alive from poisoning.

When a goat is lost to a leopard, if they find the half eaten carcass (which they do most of the time) that cat is deader than dead within the next 24 hours by courtesy of several injected doses of cattle dip.

The only times any buffalo were speared (which we had to haul out) were the ones which fell into the waterholes in Kitiangare valley spring system and those at Langu and they certainly didn't kill them for the hell of it as they laid claim to the meat; the waterhole in the meantime and for the next several days ended up being contaminated by blood and crap from the lacerated guts until they decided to empty it.

They are pretty courageous when it comes to spearing tortoises though

Bottom line Mich, poison is the Maasai's deadliest, efficient (can wipe out the entire pride in one sitting) and most readily obtainable legal weapon on hand.

Fujo- Interesting post...thanks for sharing as always

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:

They know of no other means than poison
- no longer do they have the balls of their forefathers to confront a lion face to face.

Every man in any society is succeptable to time and change, that includes the Maasai.

They consider the lion a pest/threat to their livelyhood, and they poison them just like modern
white society continues to poison many thousands of animals it considers a pest or threat to human interests.
So in the case of the Maasai here as with white society which protects it livestock and crops,
it really has nothing to do with having balls or proving ones manhood.

I don't know why some people expect the Maasai to adhere to old tradition, when white society pastoralists and gov. agencies on the globe
often use the modern convenience of poison on a broad scale, so much so thats its considered normal.

because of the easy availability of Aldicarb and Carbofuran it has also been used by some African women to kill their husbands...

Are there are no provisions for the government to provide reimbursement for livestock lost to wild predators?

Seems like it would be more cost effective to buy a cow than protect a pride of lions and investigate/prosecute violations.

Every spring and winter we lose calves to coyotes and we just absorb the losses, like most do, as a cost of doing business. We don't have to worry about wolves or mountain lions on our ranch, but I understand there are provisions for reimbursement in certain circumstances. I am not sure of the details on that.

quote:

Originally posted by Kenati:
Are there are no provisions for the government to provide reimbursement for livestock lost to wild predators?

Seems like it would be more cost effective to buy a cow than protect a pride of lions and investigate/prosecute violations.

Every spring and winter we lose calves to coyotes and we just absorb the losses, like most do, as a cost of doing business. We don't have to worry about wolves or mountain lions on our ranch, but I understand there are provisions for reimbursement in certain circumstances. I am not sure of the details on that.

I believe some areas do offer compensation but that'll never stop the Masai from killing cattle at every opportunity and by any and all means possible....... Sure they'll take whatever money is offered and smile, nod and promise not to kill any more lions but as soon as your back is turned, they'll go back to their old ways.

you might just as well try to stop the sun rising and setting or the tides turning as make the Masai leave the lions alone. They'll only stop killing lions when there are no lions left to kill.