Six lions killed in Nairobi

Six wild lions were killed in Nairobi on 18 June after they strayed into a residential area of the capital and were hunted down by locals. The animals, which came from Nairobi National Park, had killed some goats belonging to local Maasai residents who retaliated by spearing the lions to death.

Although the Kenya Wildlife Service had been en route to try and catch the animals, they arrived too late. The six dead lions included two adult lionesses, two juveniles and two cubs.

It is the latest incident involving conflict between lions and the encroaching human population of the capital city, which surrounds the 12,000-hectare national nature reserve on three sides.

In May, rangers were forced to shoot a lioness after it had stalked an upmarket suburb of Langata neighbourhood for months. A large part of the park is unfenced to allow the animals room to move around and migrate.

Conservationists are concerned that Kenya’s lion population of 2,000 may become extinct in less than 20 years.