Fury as one of world's oldest lions speared to death aged 19 by herders
A lion long believed to be the oldest of its kind in the world at 19 has been killed by herders after straying too close to live stock.
The animal, known as Loonkiito, is said to have strayed too close to a pen in the Amboseli National Park on Wednesday when a group took action.
They used spears to push the ages predator away from the cows and he died owing to the wounds to his head.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) spokesman Paul Jinaro said: "It was an old lion that had issues... getting prey on its own and livestock is easy prey.
"A normal lion would go for wildlife inside the park."
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The lion is said to have strayed too close to livestock
Predators have been forced closer to humans because of the expansion of cities in KenyaA source told Gulf News: "The animal entered the cowshed around 9pm and the owners attacked him with spears before he attacked the animals.
"It was weak due to old age and succumbed to the spear wounds in its head."
Conservation group Lion Guardian hailed the majestic beast as a "symbol of resilience and coexistence" in an emotional Facebook post.
It read: "It is with heavy hearts we share the news of the passing of Loonkiito (2004 - 2023), the oldest male lion in our ecosystem and possibly in Africa.
"He died yesterday, on the 10th of May 2023 at 19 years old. He was a symbol of resilience and coexistence.
"We at Lion Guardians feel privileged to have borne witness to his life and his legacy.
Loonkito is said to be the oldest lion in Africa (Lion Guardians/Youtube)"In the following weeks and months, we hope to share the extraordinary story of Loonkiito’s life with the world.
"The end of a drought is habitually marked by an uptick in human-lion conflict as wild prey recover and become more difficult to hunt.
"In desperation, lions often turn to take livestock. Since livestock owners lost so many of their animals to the drought, they are particularly vigilant in watching over their remaining animals.
"Unfortunately, Loonkito was caught up in this dynamic as he was starving and jumped into a corral in the middle of the night - this was a tough situation for both sides, the people and the lion."
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Predators such as lions have strayed closer to humans in recent years in Kenya as they face growing pressure from the expansion of of cities into their traditional hunting grounds.
Several people reacted to fury at the news.
One said: "These situations always make me sad, while I know it's a complicated situation. I won't lie that I am annoyed and if I am honest, I have more attachment to the Lions.
"To me, losing livestock is just part of the gamble you take in raising cattle near these areas.
"It's like living in Florida and not expecting to deal with a hurricane."
Another added: "I am deeply saddened by this news."
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