The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is searching for a lion that locals claim was killed in Maasai Mara Reserve by pastoralists.
Olobor, a lion that belongs to the ‘Black Rock Pride’ is missing.
According to KWS, Intelligence and Investigation teams responded to the reports by visiting the scene, but no evidence was recovered to support the allegations.
“KWS tasked the top management of the reserve together with ‘Mara Predators’- a research team whose work is monitoring lions to look for Olobor,” KWS said in a statement on Monday evening.
The agency assured the public that they would provide an accurate account of Olobor when the facts had been established.
Reports had indicated that Olobor was killed in the Mara, and there has been inaction from KWS and other authorities.
This culminated in a petition on Change.org, calling on people to boycott Kenya’s tourism over the murder of the Black Rock Pride member.
The petitioners claimed KWS do nothing when lions are killed by illegal grazers in the Mara.
In July 2023, Jesse, a majestic lion from the Maasai Mara, died after being attacked by lions from a rival pride in a territorial fight.
The lion that had been leading the Offbeat Pride for over a decade was killed by three lions from the Enkuiyani Pride.