ISSUE FOUR/NOVEMBER 2014

KARIBU FROM LION GUARDIANS!

Sopa , Hujambo, Hello!

The last six months have been an incredible ride for all of us at Lion Guardians; with the official launch of our Training Program, Leela being selected as a 2014 Top Ten CNN Hero and with substantial progress made in our expansion efforts into Tanzania, there certainly has not been a dull moment to speak of.

We are not the only ones who have been busy though, and we want to thank all of you for your ongoing support - for spreading the word about Lion Guardians and for your generous donations. Your Facebook posts and Tweets, as well as the emails you are sending to your friends and family, are helping us get the votes we need to make Leela this year's CNN Hero of the Year. Your donations have given a boost to our LINC matching funds campaign, which will make lion conservation and our efforts even stronger. Thank you!

We hope that you find this newsletter interesting and informative and will share it with friends and family so we can continue to grow our community. It takes a community to conserve lions and preserve cultures, we are grateful that you are a part of ours.

Ashe Oleng ('Thank you' in Maasai)

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Dr. Leela Hazzah & Dr. Stephanie Dolrenry

Executive Director and Director of Science

FEATURED PHOTO: RUAHA GUARDIANS BEING TRAINED BY AMBOSELI GUARDIAN

Our training transcends borders and cultures. Here Kutata, a Maasai warrior from Kenya, trains a group of Barabaig warriors from Ruaha, Tanzania.

NEWS FROM THE FIELD & BEYOND

New Faces

The Lion Guardians family is growing! Over the last six months, we have added eight new Guardians in Kenya, and three new senior staff.

The Young Brigade: Eight of these young iltuati

became Lion Guardians this year

We are also proud to officially launch the new Lion Guardians logo.

The Lion Guardians Training Program

Over the last six months, we have held several training courses at our camp. We held a Guardians Training in June, a Community Visit in August and a Project Managers training in September - we are pleased to be getting such great use out of our new training center.

"The small class size allows for easy interaction and in-depth conversations with trainers, participants and Lion Guardians' senior management."

-Alex Chang'a - WAP Mikumi National Park, Tanzania

Zero Lions Killed in Our Areas of Operation

We are happy to report that there have been no lions killed in our areas of operation since we last reported in May. It seems the measures we put in place after losing Len'gan'ga in April are working.

FEATURE STORY

Why we want to "Make the LINC"

The mystery of the two lions who appeared in our coverage areas in 2013 continues to intrigue Guardian Kamunu. "Do you know where Loosinkiron and Lorngojiyne came from? Have you figured it out yet?" he asks when we accompany him on reports.

We are baffled too. For almost two years now, we have wondered where these two male lions came from. Loosinkiron and Lorgojiyne arrived in Eselenkei in early 2013 and since then have managed to oust the resident male lion, Ndelie, and mated with all the females of Eselenkei Group Ranch (Selenkay, Nenkii, Meoshi, Noldupai, and now Nanu).

MEET A LION GUARDIAN

Introducing Lion Guardian: Olamayiani Saitoti

Meet Sakita Ole Saitoti, better known by his lion name - Olamayiani. Olamayiani is the younger brother of Kamunu, one of our most respected Lion Guardians, and is already following strongly in his footsteps. In his first week of volunteering early this year, he stopped a lion hunt! Enjoy the video below which tracks Olamayiani's training days and gives you a glimpse of his effervescent character.

THANK YOU

A healthy ecosystem requires diversity, with each species playing a different but key role to ensure the sustainability of the ecosystem. A successful organization needs the same. The impact of Lion Guardians is the result of many, and each role is critical to our success.

It takes a community to conserve lions and preserve cultures

-
we are grateful you are a part of ours.

In This Issue

Featured Photo

News From The Field & Beyond

Take Action

VOTE FOR LEELA

A vote for Leela is a vote for lions, communities and conservation.

MAKE THE LINC

Donate Today and Double Your Contribution

Did You Know?

Lions in non-protected areas have to "grow-up" much quicker than those in protected areas.

For instance, a male lion (in a non-protected area) will disperse from its natal territory on average at the age of two. However, in protected areas, lions stay on in their natal territories for much longer dispersing only after the ages of three to four and half.

In The News

Publications

Global Ecology & Conservation: Impact of severe climate variability on lion home range and movement patterns in the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya

Biological Conservation: Carnivores, culture and 'contagious conflict': Multiple factors influence perceived problems with carnivores in Tanzania's Ruaha landscape

Media

Mother Nature Network: From hunters to protecters: The Lion Guardians and a story of changing perceptions

CNN: Transforming lion killers into 'Lion Guardians'

CNN: 5 can't-miss Tanzania experiences

2014 Events Calendar

November: CNN Hero of The Year announcement

December: Launch of new website & Giving Tuesday

Support Us

East Africa's lions and the communities that live with them need our support.

Please consider bolstering our efforts in the field today with a donation.

There are several ways to support the Lion Guardians program:

Sponsor a Lion Guardian ($120/month for a Lion Guardian or $150/month for a Regional Coordinator)
Adopt a lion (Cub - $250/year, Sub-adult - $500/year, Adult - $1000/year)
Help us buy needed equipment by visiting our Wishlist on Amazon
Make a one-off donation

Our U.S. fiscal sponsor is now officially called "Lion Guardians U.S."

Quick Links

Lion Guardians Website

Sponsor A Lion Guardian

Adopt a Lion

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