One of world’s oldest lions killed by herders in Kenya

AFP | Nairobi                                                                 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A Kenyan lion believed to have been the world’s oldest in the wild has died after being speared by herders, wildlife officials said on Friday.

Loonkito, an iconic 19-year-old male lion, was speared to death by Maasai morans (warriors) after straying into a livestock pen in the outskirts of the famed Amboseli National Park, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) spokesman Paul Jinaro told AFP.

“It was an old lion that had issues... getting prey on its own and livestock is easy prey,” Jinaro said. “A normal lion would go for wildlife inside the park.”

African lions typically have a lifespan of up to 18 years in the wild, according to the conservation group Cats for Africa. KWS in 2021 described Loonkito as a “legendary big cat warrior” who had defended his territory for over a decade.

Conservation group Lion Guardians eulogised Loonkito as “a symbol of resilience and coexistence.” “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Loonkito (2004 - 2023), the oldest male lion in our ecosystem and possibly in Africa,” the non-profit said on Facebook.