Loeku comes close to Isiolo town
Since the arrival of the 4 new males in April, we have seen a marked change in the movement patterns of Loeku and Lguret.
Fortunately, Loeku – the four-year old son of Nashipai – was collared in February and, as a result, we have been able to closely monitor his movements through daily collar downloads. This data showed how Loeku moved out of Buffalo Springs, where he had been resident for a while, and headed south to Isiolo town. Unfortunately, he then became stuck inside a farm and was forced to move back towards Buffalo Springs and the community conservancies south of here. Eventually, Loeku moved around the big hills and headed to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. However, his time here was also short-lived; after just 48 hours he headed straight back towards Westgate Conservancy.This is the first time that we have been able to accurately document this vital corridor connecting Lewa to the north.
Whilst in Westgate, Loeku united with Lguret (who was captured on our camera trap a few times!) and both males have remained together since then. The two males have been staying very close to the Ewaso Nyiro River, hiding in thick Salvadora (toothbrush tree) bushes inside the Core Conservation Area.
The next few months will be critical for these males. We are especially keen to see how 4-year old Loeku tries to find a new home with females, and how 11-year old Lguret will survive in this challenging landscape, surrounded by people and with a limited food source.
The collaring work is part of a study looking at dispersal in young male lions, and is being done in partnership with Lion Landscapes.
