World's oldest lion killed in Kenya.
The oldest lion in Africa, the continent where almost the entire world population of this feline lives, living in the wild, was killed by Masai herders in Kenya, environmental organizations announced today.
The lion, a 19-year-old male named Loonkito, was killed with a spear after entering a cattle corral near Amboseli Park, in the south of the country, a spokesperson for the agency told Agence France-Presse. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Paul Jinaro.
“It was an old lion struggling to feed itself, and cattle are easy prey. A normal lion would have gone looking for food in the wild, inside the park”, explained Jinaro.
KWS described Loonkito in 2021 as a “legendary feline warrior” who defended his territory for more than a decade.
"It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the death of Loonkito (2004-2023), the oldest male lion in our ecosystem and possibly Africa."
The Kenyan association Lion Guardians said on its page on the social network Facebook, calling it “symbol of resilience and coexistence".
African lions typically have a lifespan of 12 to 18 years in the wild, according to the South African Conservation Group Cats for Africa.
About 2.500 lions live in Kenya, according to the country's first national wildlife census, conducted in 2021.
Wildlife incursions into populated areas have increased in recent years in this east African country, as urban development reduces their 'habitat' and areas of migration.
“We need to educate people and find a way for them to alert us so we can bring animals back to the parks,” said Jinaro.
In July, a lion escaped from Nairobi National Park, located seven kilometers from the city center, and caused panic in a neighborhood south of the Kenyan capital. He was later put to sleep by rangers who took him back to the park.
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Image: © DR
