Ewaso Lions

Lions, Livelihoods and Landscapes

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Lioness Kills Donkey

Category: West Gate | Date: Jan 25 2009 | By: ewasolions

A few days after the 3 lions killed 3 cows, I was driving in the Conservation Area in West Gate Community Conservancy, when I met the Head of Security patrolling on the main road. He said he had just heard from a herder that a lioness had killed a donkey a few minutes ago.

We drove to the scene approaching slowly so as not to scare away the lioness.  We found her hiding in the bushes very scared and nervous.  She eventually came out and got used to my presence, and then eventually started feeding on the donkey as it got dark.

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Lioness nervously hides in the bushes and watches

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Lioness coming out slowly. Notice the donkey at the bottom of the photo.  

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My first good look at the lioness as she approaches the donkey to start feeding

This was the second incidence in a week where unguarded livestock were killed by lions. Donkeys are rarely herded and are left to move wherever they want.  In this instance, they had wandered across the river into the Conservation Area and one got killed.  The herder across the river with his cows had heard the commotion and crossed over quickly, chasing away the other donkeys.

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6 Responses to “Lioness Kills Donkey”

Annie, on 26 Jan 2009

Poor donkey! But again survival of the fittest here!

sauwah, on 27 Jan 2009

when will they ever learn when it comes to livestock management. unless donkeys are made of grass, they will be food for lions and others. I assume this donkey had a quick death by this hungry lioness.

Jessica, on 27 Jan 2009

Because the donkey’s are unguarded, they are fair game for any predator. I just hope the herders don’t kill the lion for revenge. It’s their fault it happened in the first place.

ewasolions, on 27 Jan 2009

Hi -thanks for all your comments. Yes the donkey was killed very quickly according to the herder. We’ve been very busy over the past few days holding community meetings and speaking with the owners of the livestock to prevent any such retaliatory killing. I’ll be writing about this soon over the next few days.
Shivani

David Derrick, on 27 Jan 2009

I commend you for your work and research. The relationship between ranchers and predators is always touchy whether it’s in Wyoming or Kenya.

sauwah, on 28 Jan 2009

Shivani,

their letting of donkey’s roaming freely without supervision reminds me of my friend who once told me that girl children were allowed to wonder off freely on their own by the river banks and rice fields at all time. The time was in the forties in a small village in china while girls were worth much less than the boys. so if girls died or lost was one easy way to have fewer hungry months to feed for their families.

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