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One of the vultures that was poisoned\/Hand out<\/p>\nOne of the vultures that was poisoned\/Hand out<\/p>\n
Seven
\nlions lay dead in the open plains of Kitenden earlier this week, their once powerful bodies stilled by
\npoison meant to avenge a livestock loss. <\/p>\n
Around them, at least 13 vultures also perished as they ate the poisoned lion flesh\u2014casualties of a conflict that continues to pit people against wildlife in Kajiado county.<\/p>\n
Conservation officials fear the actual death toll on vultures could be higher, as scavengers often travel long distances
\nbefore succumbing after eating poisoned carcasses.<\/p>\n
Amboseli Conservation Area chief park warden Joel ole Nyika said investigators are still piecing together when
\nthe poisoning occurred.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not have the exact date when
\nthe poisoning incident happened, but the carcasses appear to be from about two
\nor three days ago,\u201d Nyika told the Star on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Killing vultures and other protected species, such as elephants, is also a crime. It\u00a0can include a fine of as much as Sh20 million or prison terms, including life imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Lions are considered an endangered and nationally treasured species.\u00a0Poisoning lions, including for retribution, is a serious crime and is punishable by hefty fines and\/or imprisonment under Kenya’s\u00a0Wildlife Conservation and Management Act of 2013.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Preliminary findings suggest the
\nlions were poisoned after attacking livestock, a familiar cycle in which
\nfrustrated herders lace animal carcasses with toxic substances to kill
\npredators in retaliation.<\/p>\n
Kenya is home to an estimated 2,512
\nlions, according to the 2025 national wildlife census. Yet the species face mounting pressure from shrinking habitats, illegal killings and escalating
\nhuman\u2013wildlife conflict.<\/p>\n
The poison meant for lions rarely
\nkills only its intended targets. Vultures, drawn by the promise of an easy
\nmeal, descend on contaminated carcasses and die in large numbers.<\/p>\n
Kenya hosts eight of Africa\u2019s 11
\nvulture species\u2014white-backed, white-headed, hooded, R\u00fcppell\u2019s, Egyptian,
\nlappet-faced, bearded and palm-nut vultures. Four of these are listed as
\ncritically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature
\n(IUCN) Red List.<\/p>\n
Over the past three decades, vulture
\npopulations in Kenya and across Africa have plummeted due to poisoning\u2014both
\ndeliberate and accidental\u2014habitat loss, collisions and electrocution from
\npower lines, cultural practices, illegal trade and weak enforcement of wildlife
\nlaws.<\/p>\n
Yet vultures play a vital, often
\noverlooked role. By rapidly consuming carcasses, they keep landscapes clean and
\nhelp prevent the spread of deadly diseases such as anthrax, rabies and tuberculosis
\nto wildlife, livestock and humans.<\/p>\n
The poisoning in Kitenden came days after another tragic reminder of the human cost of wildlife conflict.<\/p>\n
On the evening of December 18, 2025,
\n35-year-old Early Childhood Development teacher Eunice Maora was killed by an
\nelephant near her home in Lairupa village, Elangata Wuas location, Kajiado
\nWest.<\/p>\n
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)
\nofficers, working alongside the National Police Service and local
\nadministrators, confirmed the cause of death and
\ntransferred her body to Kajiado County Referral Hospital mortuary.<\/p>\n
In the days that followed, KWS
\nconducted intensive aerial and ground operations to track the elephant
\nresponsible. The animal, found to be injured and posing an imminent threat, was
\nlawfully eliminated under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013.<\/p>\n
KWS said it extended condolences to
\nMaora\u2019s family, colleagues, learners and the wider Lodokilani community, while
\nengaging local leaders, including area MP George Sunkuya, and sensitising the
\nfamily on the compensation process.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe remain deeply concerned by this
\ntragedy and reaffirm our commitment to strengthening human\u2013wildlife conflict
\nmitigation while protecting lives and promoting peaceful coexistence,\u201d the
\nagency said.<\/p>\n
Despite the interventions, tensions
\nremain high. Reports indicate two more elephants have since been killed,
\nsignalling a deterioration in relations between communities and wildlife
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n
Data from 2009 to 2024 paints a
\nstark picture of a growing national crisis. Over the 15-year period, Kenya
\nrecorded 57,006 human\u2013wildlife conflict incidents.<\/p>\n
Crop destruction accounts for the
\nlargest share, with 32,480 cases, followed by livestock predation at 15,940
\nincidents. The numbers surged sharply in recent years, peaking at 8,272
\nincidents in 2023, before slightly dipping to 7,883 in 2024.<\/p>\n
Conservationists warn the
\nsituation in Amboseli worsened months after the park\u2019s management was placed
\nunder county control, disrupting long-established conservation partnerships and
\ninvestments in the ecosystem.<\/p>\n
For communities living on the edge
\nof protected areas, the conflict is personal and painful. For conservationists,
\nthe deaths of lions and vultures signal a deeper ecological unravelling\u2014one
\npoisoned carcass at a time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"One of the vultures that was poisoned\/Hand out Seven
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