A pride of six lions was massacred by Kenyan farmers.

A total of six lions were killed by herders in Kenya on May 13 after they attacked 11 goats and a dog the night before.

There are currently about 2,500 lions living in Kenya. Photo: Phys.org — There are currently about 2,500 lions living in Kenya. Photo: *Phys.org*

Kenyan authorities said it was the latest case of human-wildlife conflict in the country. The massacre came just a day after the world's oldest lion in the wild was speared to death after it entered a livestock enclosure on the outskirts of Amboseli National Park. Ten lions have been killed in the Amboseli ecosystem since last week, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

"Discussions focused on exploring ways to reduce the risk of human-wildlife conflict, including developing an early warning system to alert communities to the presence of wild animals nearby. Authorities encouraged communities to work towards finding a final solution to the conflict, while protecting both human and wildlife lives," KWS said.

Reports of wild animals straying into human habitats in Kenya have increased in recent years as animals come under increasing pressure from expanding cities and predators. On May 12, Loonkito, a 19-year-old male lion, was speared to death by Maasai warriors. KWS once described Loonkito as a legendary big cat who had defended his territory for more than a decade. In July 2021, a lion caused a ruckus after straying from its habitat in Nairobi National Park into a densely populated area during the morning rush hour. The park is just 7 km from the center of Kenya’s capital, which has a population of more than 4 million.

In December 2019, a lion mauled a man to death outside a national park, and in March 2016, another big cat was shot dead after injuring nearby residents. An estimated 2,500 lions live in Kenya, according to the country’s first wildlife survey in 2021.

An Khang (According to Phys.org )

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