2014 ANNUAL REPORT
FROM CONFLICT TO COEXISTENCE
Our Mission
Ewaso Lions is dedicated to conserving Kenya’s lions and other large carnivores
by promoting coexistence between people and wildlife. We use sound science to
help guide the long-term conservation of lions. We work hand in hand with local
communities to provide education, training, and improved conservation practices
that help people and wildlife. Ewaso Lions works across community conservancies,
protected areas, and private lands.
Leadership
Shivani Bhalla
Founder and Executive Director
Paul Thomson
Managing Director
Dr. Alayne Cotterill
Research Director
Jeneria Lekilelei
Field Operations and Community
Manager
Heather Gurd
Conservation and Research Manager
Moses Letitiya
Head of Security
Cover photo: Jack and Rikki Swenson / www.expeditiongallery.com
Ewaso Lions
The Ewaso Lions Field Team
Jonathan Torgovnik
When I started Ewaso Lions in 2007, my goal was to gain insight
into northern Kenya’s lion population while addressing its steep decline.
Nearly eight years later, I am proud to see how we’ve grown into the
organization we are today that tackles this and so much more.
The last 12 months have been the most instrumental in the history of
Ewaso Lions. Our team has worked immensely hard to deliver real interventions for lion conservation on multiple fronts – despite escalating
challenges where we work.
All our programs continue to benefit from robust scientific research and
evaluation. At the core of our work is the recognition that conservation
needs to be owned by the local people who live alongside lions. We invest
in children – the wildlife leaders of the future; in women – the heart of
the community; and Samburu warriors – the backbone to promoting
coexistence between lions and local people. Jeneria, our Field Operations
and Community Manager, recently told me, “Lions are my life. Lions
are my cows now.” To me, Jeneria perfectly embraces the new ethos of
conservation, and he instills it in our entire team.
To all of you I want to say Thank You for walking side-by-side with us on
this journey. With your support, the Ewaso Lions team will continue to
work – together with local people – to protect Kenya’s lions.
Last night in my tent, I heard lions calling for the first time in years – a
sure sign that they are beginning to feel safer in community areas. There
is true hope for their future.
Shivani Bhalla
Founder and Executive Director
1
2
Tony Allport
In 2014 we recorded
and responded to 97
incidences of humanwildlife conflict.
On seven occasions,
Ewaso Lions warriors
intervened and
prevented people
from killing lions.
Encouraging Human-Lion
Coexistence
Warrior Watch
Tony Allport
ENGAGING SAMBURU WARRIORS
IN LION CONSERVATION
Through our flagship Warrior Watch program, Ewaso Lions
promotes coexistence between people and lions, and
reduces human-wildlife conflict by engaging Samburu
warriors. Through our network of warrior conservationists,
we have a better idea of wildlife numbers and distributions,
poaching, and conflict over a wider area and on a much
larger scale than we could before. On seven occasions,
Ewaso Lions warriors intervened and prevented people
from killing lions. We currently have 15 active members in
the Warrior Watch program working across 10 locations
within four Community Conservancies. This year, we expanded the program into two new conservancies, Nasuulu
and Kalama. Warriors report on wildlife sightings, respond
to incidents of human-wildlife conflict, and alert herders
when lions are close to livestock. Each week we hold
“Warrior School”, where we provide warriors with educational lessons, including reading and writing. This year we
hired a new Education Officer to teach the warriors, develop curriculum, and chart long-term learning. Ten of our
warriors are now able to read and write proficiently. Eight
warriors can use GPS and record field data themselves.
Rapid Response to Conflict
Ewaso Lions
REDUCING CONFLICT IS A WIN-WIN
FOR PEOPLE AND WILDLIFE
Conflict between local people and lions is driving down lion
numbers across Africa, and is an especially critical issue
where we work in Kenya. Although lions are our flagship
species, we conserve all large carnivores, including spotted
hyenas, leopards, and wild dogs. This year, we recorded
and responded to a total of 97 human-wildlife conflict
incidences, mainly attacks on livestock by carnivores. Following these incidents, our field team and warriors visit
conflict sites, locate missing livestock, and demonstrate
methods to avoid future conflict. We recommend that
herders avoid dense vegetated areas while grazing and
stay close to livestock at all times. Our team is trained in
conflict mitigation and transformation. We have found that
most herders will agree not to retaliate against carnivores
simply by having the opportunity to voice their feelings
and values to our empathetic team.
3
4
Ewaso Lions
Our field team has
identified every
individual lion and
mapped each pride
structure in our study
area. In Samburu,
we currently monitor
40 lions, up from 11
in 2007.
Research that Drives
Conservation
Monitoring Lions
CHARTING THE GROWTH AND DECLINE
OF NORTHERN KENYA’S LIONS
Susan McConnell / www.susankmcconnell.com
Ewaso Lions
Ewaso Lions was the first scientific project to study the lion
population in the Samburu region of northern Kenya. Since
2003, we’ve monitored the resident prides of Samburu,
Buffalo Springs, and Shaba National Reserves, and the lions
that pass between these protected areas and the surrounding community lands. We currently monitor 40 lions
in the Samburu region, up from 11 individuals in 2007. Our
field team identifies each lion using the whisker spot pattern which is unique to each individual. The lions are given
a name in the local language and their family history is
mapped. In 2014, we recorded the birth of seven cubs.
This year was cause for optimism as we witnessed lions returning to the Conservation Area in Westgate Conservancy.
After an almost two-year absence, their return indicates
that lions might feel safer in the community area due to
increased tolerance by the local people. This highlights the
importance safe refuge for lions and other wildlife outside
parks. In order for Kenya’s lions to persist, creating space
for them in community areas is key.
Expanding Into Laikipia
NEW STUDIES LOOK AT EFFECTS
OF PEOPLE ON LIONS
This year marked an exciting milestone for Ewaso Lions as
we launched a new research program in Laikipia. Samburu
and Laikipia make up one connected ecosystem, and home
to Kenya’s third largest lion population. Joining our team
this year, Dr. Alayne Oriol-Cotterill is our new Research
Director and an accomplished lion biologist, bringing over
20 years of lion research and conservation experience. Our
Laikipia studies look at dispersing lions – young adults who
leave their pride – so that we can identify areas on the
landscape that are key for lion movements. We also seek
to determine how human activities impact lion physiology
and energy expenditure. This research will pave the way
for bringing community-based conservation programs to
Laikipia in the future. Securing these ‘corridors’ for lions
will ensure continued movement of lions between Laikipia,
Samburu, and beyond, thus maintaining connectivity and
the resilience of this important lion population.
5
6
Ann Martens
“We believe that a long time ago all
wildlife belonged to the women and then
they were released to the wild. No one
brought them back. Now because women
are involved in conservation, we will
conserve them in the wild.”
– Mparasaroi Lemantaan, Sasaab Village
Inspiring and Engaging
Communities
Lion Kids Camps
Ewaso Lions
GIVING KENYAN CHILDREN THE CHANCE
TO EXPERIENCE WILDLIFE FIRST-HAND
Ewaso Lions puts local people at the center of our lion
conservation programs. We believe the long-term survival
of wildlife depends on finding ways people can coexist with
them. A key part of our strategy is creating positive attitudes
and tolerance towards wildlife. We do this by turning negative perceptions of wildlife into positive ones. Through our
Lion Kids Camps, we take Kenyan children on game drives
to experience animals most have never seen before in a fun,
safe way. We use film, drama, classroom education, story
telling, and role-playing games to teach and inspire. In 2014,
we held two multi-day Lion Kids Camps in Samburu and Laikipia. A total of 65 children ages 7-15 participated; many had
never seen a lion or rhinoceros before. The Lion Kids Camp
experience appears to have changed these children’s lives.
This is what the Lion Kids Camp is about – teaching conservation education to those who have never had the chance
before. These children are Kenya’s future wildlife leaders.
Empowering Women
Ewaso Lions
MAMA SIMBA PUTS CONSERVATION IN
THE HANDS OF SAMBURU WOMEN
Samburu women have rarely been included in conservation
activities in northern Kenya. Yet, they play an important role
for the environment by looking after livestock, fetching water,
and collecting firewood. Women are tasked with protecting
livestock, especially during the dry seasons when warriors and
husbands are away. After seeing the success of our Warrior
Watch program, women from a nearby village approached us
for conservation training and education. Mama Simba – which
means “mothers of lions” in Kiswahili – was born.
Ewaso Lions provided two workshops for women on the
importance of conservation, safe herding practices, and
identifying wildlife by their tracks. We took 32 women on a
game drive in the National Reserve, so they could experience
wildlife safely and positively. Each week, the women gather
at a local classroom where we teach them how to read, write,
and do arithmetic. We held two litter removal campaigns in
local villages involving 266 women from five locations. They
collected 4,346 plastic containers and 15,922 pieces of plastic, which were taken away for recycling. We then provided
the women with reusable shopping bags.
7
8
Lions Return
New Warriors
After an almost two-year
absence, lions returned to the
Conservation Area in Westgate
Conservancy. This indicates
that lions might feel safer in
the community area due to
increased tolerance by the
local people.
We expanded our flagship
Warrior Watch program into
two more community conservancies, Nasuulu and Kalama.
On seven occasions, Ewaso
Lions warriors intervened
and prevented people from
killing lions.
Lions Increasing
Brighter Futures
Ewaso Lions has identified and
actively monitors 40 lions, up
from 11 in 2007. We recorded
and responded to a total of
97 human-wildlife conflict
incidences.
We held two Lion Kids Camps
which provided conservation
education to 65 Kenyan children. We gave full scholarships
for four secondary students
and one college student.
Engaging Women
Top Honors
We launched our new Mama
Simba program which empowers Samburu women in conservation. We took 32 women
on game-drives and held two
litter removal campaigns in
which 266 women collected
15,922 pieces of plastic within
their communities.
Shivani Bhalla was named a
National Geographic Emerging
Explorer and won the prestigious Whitley Award. As
a result, we’ve been able to
strengthen our programs
and shine the light on Kenya’s
lion crisis.
Ewaso Lions
2014 HIGHLIGHTS
FINANCIAL
STATEMENT
Statement of Revenue and
Expenses (in US $)
CALENDAR YEAR ENDING 2014
REVENUE
Donations, Grants, Royalties
Interest Earned
Total Revenue
$652,305
$1,748
$654,053
EXPENSES
Programs
$148,863
General & Administration
$5,435
Fundraising$4,736
Total Expenses
$159,034
Change In Net Assets
$495,019
This is an unaudited financial statement. Complete
financial reports available upon request.
2014 Total Expenses
Fundraising
3%
Programs
94%
General and
Administration
3%
Ewaso Lions is an independent nonprofit organization and relies on donations and grants to
run our operations. In 2014, 94% of the funds
raised went to support our conservation programs, 3% went to General & Administration,
3% of the funds went to Fundraising.
We are deeply thankful for the many donors
– individuals and organizations alike – who
support Ewaso Lions.
9
Kenya
Ewaso Lions Study Area
Namunyak
Sera
Meibae
Ewaso Nyiro River
Westgate
Kalama
Samburu
Mpus Kutuk
Naibunga
Buffalo
Springs
Lekurruki
Il Ngwesi
Shaba
Nakupurat
Gotu
Nasuulu
Leparua
Ngare Ndare
Ewaso Lions Camp
Laikipia Base Camp
National Reserves
Community Conservancies
Commercial Ranchland
www.ewasolions.org
facebook.com/EwasoLions
twitter.com/ewasolions
email: [email protected]
PO Box 14996, Nairobi 00800, Kenya
Design: Monica DuClaud. Project Management: Paul Thomson. Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, processed chlorine-free.