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Predator Conservation

Right now, Kenya’s predators are in trouble. Our lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs are facing more threats than ever before, such as loss of habitat, an ecosystem under huge pressure and life-threatening conflict with humans.

Protecting Iconic Species

  • Lion

  • Leopard

  • Cheetah

  • Hyena

  • Wild Dog

"The big question is,
How many lions are there?"

“The Mara is one of Africa’s most robust ecosystems, yet it’s also fragile. The cats that live here, especially the lions, seem invincible, but they’re not. We know these lions better than some of our friends, but we cannot afford to take their survival for granted. It’s time to learn more about the challenges they face.”

Jonathan and Angela Scott
Kenya Wildlife Trust Ambassadors

Our predator conservation efforts span the three primary areas with robust carnivore populations in Kenya:

The Greater Mara

The Greater Mara

Based at the Tony Lapham Predator Hub, our flagship Mara Cheetah Project and Mara Lion Project have been at the forefront of predator conservation in the Greater Mara for a number of years now. Their research and monitoring work contributes to county and national strategies for protecting predators, as well as conservancy management decisions across the Greater Mara. While our flagship projects represent our most recent focus, we have supported a number of other Mara-based conservation efforts since our inception and our 10th anniversary year sees us redoubling our efforts to partner with other projects in the area.
Amboseli / Tsavo

Amboseli / Tsavo

Since 2007, we have contributed to predator conservation efforts in the Amboseli / Tsavo ecosystem. From supporting projects like Lion Guardians to engage local community members in lion conservation, we have been committed to investing in Amboseli, its wildlife and its people. From 2017, we will expand our predator conservation work into Tsavo by working with key partners on the ground who share our values and principles.
Laikipia / Samburu

Laikipia / Samburu

Our commitment to predator conservation across this ecosystem is represented by our long-term support of Ewaso Lions, a community project focused on promoting coexistence between people and wildlife. For a number of years, we have supported Ewaso Lions to conserve lions and other large carnivores in their local area and to foster local support for conservation. We have also supported predator research and monitoring efforts within this ecosystem, and look forward to supporting other similar work in the future.

Tony Lapham Mara Predator Hub

Launched in November 2013, the Tony Lapham Mara Predator Hub is in the heart of the Greater Mara. Dedicated to the memory of Tony Lapham, the Predator Hub represents Kenya Wildlife Trust’s commitment to undertaking innovating predator research and monitoring to inform conservation strategies. A passionate conservationist with a particular fondness for the Maasai Mara and its big cats, Tony Lapham would have been deeply concerned by the increasingly grave threats facing predators today.

A simple, efficient and highly functional base, the Predator Hub is located in Olare Motorogi Conservancy, adjoining the Maasai Mara National Reserve. It allows us, for the first time, to undertake long-term conservation-focused study of cheetah and lion together.

Thanks to generous donations from the Delta Trust and the BAND Foundation, the Predator Hub offers basic accommodation to a team of researchers, scientists and community workers, with solar power and rain water collected for re-use.