Ewaso Lions

Category: West Gate | Date: Nov 14 2008 | By: ewasolions

In August, Raphael and Joseph decided to make a permanent base for themselves, especially after the Echo Lima Camp was closed.  They made a traditional Samburu house in West Gate (actually near the gate itself) neighbouring many other homesteads.

Raphael and Joseph’s house on the right with my tent behind it

This has now become a second base for us.  If I am working just for a few days in West Gate, rather then setting up the entire camp, I normally camp here at the outpost, as we now call it.

Raphael and Joseph outside their house

Reading with the warriors

It is a very different life here compared to the Echo Lima Camp.  The goats from the manyattas (villages) move out early mornings and come back at around 4 pm each day.  The cattle have recently come back with the arrival of the rains. We hear children singing every night from their houses, elders sit under trees and talk late into the night, women are often walking down to the river to fetch water and children are running around and playing.  The outpost also gets many visitors daily.  It seems to be a hub for all the warriors in the area and children too.

Kanani, a young girl who lives nearby, often comes to the outpost.  Here she is looking at some photos in a recently published article in the Komba magazine called Predators of Samburu.

Tags: Community, Conservation, Kenya, Lions, Samburu, wildlife