Ten lions found dead in suspected poisoning case at Tanzania wildlife reserve

• Ten lions were found dead in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro wildlife reserve, with preliminary findings suggesting poisoning as the cause.
• The deaths highlight ongoing conflicts between wildlife and livestock owners, threatening lion conservation in East Africa.
• The authorities have launched an investigation to confirm the cause and find those responsible amid rising wildlife poisoning incidents.

DAR ES SALAAM – Ten lions were found dead in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro wildlife reserve this week and preliminary findings suggest that they may have been poisoned, the area’s management authority said on Sept 20.

The deaths raise concerns over the conservation of lions in one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife ecosystems. Poisoning has been a recurring threat to large carnivores across parts of East Africa, often linked to conflicts between predators and livestock owners.

The dead lions were discovered on Sept 18 in the Ndutu area of Endulen Ward in Arusha region, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority said in a statement released late on Sept 19.

“Preliminary findings suggest the animals may have died after ingesting poison,” it said, adding that it had launched an investigation to determine the cause and identify those responsible.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Tanzania, is one of the country’s leading tourism attractions. It is home to a wide range of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffaloes and endangered black rhinos.

In August, police arrested four suspects in an investigation into the deaths of 18 elephants across the border in Kenya. REUTERS