need to add title here

Poisoned

July 26, 2009 4:50 PM

The lion, already down as much as 85 percent in numbers from just 20 years ago, is now in danger of becoming extinct because people are poisoning them with a pesticide to protect their cattle.

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by AnnSeymour July 29, 2009 6:11 PM EDT
The lion poisoning appals me. People like Ian Craig, who owns animal conservancy Lewa Downs, are today's true heroes. They alone stand between African animals and extinction. We,of course, should stop sending pesticides to Africa, though killers will find another way. Game preserves appear to be the only solution. Those of us who love big cats truly suffer over stories like this. - Ann Serymour, author of "I've Always Loved You," a true story of ww2 in the Pacific.
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by wyo_biologist July 29, 2009 10:27 AM EDT
As stated in the article, there is little incentive for native peoples to protect wildlife as they receive little or no income from eco-tourism. Lions killing cattle in Kenya represents an economic loss to the owner(s) of the predated livestock. If these lions have no economic value, then they have no future outside of the National Parks within Kenya or any of the African range states that have lion populations. In those countries that have established sustainable harvest quotas for mature male lions, the lion has tremendous economic value, with the hunting thereof providing a source of employment for local natives and, perhaps more importantly, a source of hard currency associated with each lion harvested. Where African wildlife outside of the National Parks has an economic value directly related to the hunting industry, wildlife thrives and the local communities have a vested interest in ensuring that the wildlife populations are protected from poaching and illegal harvest. Countries such as Kenya that have banned hunting have removed the economic incentives necessary to protect the native wildlife and said wildlife has virtually disappeared from those areas outside of the parks. Moreover, any animals that venture outside of these parks are fair game for poachers plying the bushmeat trade and, in the case of lions, from livestock owners trying to protect their herds from depredation. In order for wildlife to co-exist with man, particularly in the developing nations, the wildlife must have value and must contribute to the local economy thereby giving the native peoples in these regions an incentive to preserve and protect their wildlife heritage. Robert M. Anderson, Certified Wildlife Biologist
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by em1987 July 28, 2009 1:51 AM EDT
The shallow concerns of the people poisoning the lions only adds to the carelessness of it all. How did the cattle and lions co-exist prior to the use of poison? It is not just about perserving tourism but it is about respect of nature and man to live in harmony. These people are playing God and doing a **** poor job of it. It is very asinine to poison the lions: the ripple effect of disaster it unfolds is harming more than just lions and the potential extinction of the creature is going to affect the entire food chain and habitat. If people are not allowed to hunt lions they definitely should not be allowed to use poison. The poison should be outlawed because pesticides on plants are potentially harmful to humans too. It is a lose-lose situation that should be remedied by a peaceful co-existance between man and the natural world, where humans do not take on the role of God. These people are ignorant to the detrimental affects and should be more mindful as well as take responsibility for their actions.
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by fongfongchu July 27, 2009 11:52 AM EDT
I suggest the companies who make pesticides to add ingredients which would produce odor or bad taste to prevent people used it for other uses such as poisoning animals.
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by aguuled July 26, 2009 9:41 PM EDT
Africa needs to grow out of tourism dependancy, and start growing its population and building and developing these lands. The west has already done this in their countries, and Africa should do the same and not remain a large zoo for the pleasures of Western visitors. A lot of Europeans who travel to Africa often come back with tales of disdain towards Africans, and stories mocking how undeveloped Africans are and this perpetuates the racism that is so common in western countries.

Notice the common reference in all similar type of these stories: "lost tourist dollars" as if Africa is incapable of generating wealth beyond this, it wreaks of absolute bigotry!

Africa should join the west in this consumer driven, suicidal mission to destroy this planet, maybe like the dinosaurs we owe to make room for another species to develop.
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by rdyajko July 26, 2009 8:44 PM EDT
It's unbelievable that in a story about lions being poisened there is no comment about the fact that hunting has been banned in Kenya for many years.What hunting does is give the animal a value that can be passed on to the native villages so that poisening doesn't happen. It also allows for employment of the natives and give them a position of good paying employment which otherwise is hard to find.The animals when not hunted also give them more reason to prey on non game animals because they learn that when they visit an area they shouldn't be(villages/farms) there are no consequenses.The take off from hunting is only mature males and has no effect on the population.Kenya is well kknown for it's inability to manage there game populations due to the corruption in the government and all the aid/animal rights groups that underwrite there corrupt positions.R. Douglas Yajko-Past President ,Safari Club International
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by Heyyou00 July 26, 2009 8:43 PM EDT
Grrr, who is the archnemisis here? First of all, why dont we go into Africa and control population if we want to save the lions? If they are so special, the only true way is to create areas where humans do not occupy. If the poison is not available, guns/spears/rocks will protect these poor people who are just trying to raise their families. I live in Colorado, if the rattlesnake was threatened to intinction, I would not care if I found one in my back yard. My kids vs rattlesnakes(read mountain lions or buffalo)...if anyone wants to complain about this crap, either donate money to the families that raise cattle to teach them software programming skills or ****. Its what they do....feed their kids or kill lions with the most efficient means to protect their families
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by FatmanLittleboy July 26, 2009 8:19 PM EDT
Regarding the poisoned wildlife in Africa... We lost the Honeybees here in Haldimand County, Ontario Canada 3 years ago... I normally buy about 80-100 pounds a year of unpasteurized honey from the local beekeepers, as we don't eat white sugar... There has been no Honeybees, so no honey for me and the wife... The United Nations forensic labs in Milan, Italy say the bees have AIDS from pesticides AND herbicides... "Better Living Through Chemistry" MY ASS.... I'm so glad the Free Farmers of the poorer nations of the world have rioted to protect their RIGHT to refuse to use these chemicals against the wishes of their CORRUPT Goverments who have made deals for bribes with the Herbicide/Pesticide Manufacturers... That's how powerful these unscupulous, unconcionable, unethical LICE who run these companies are... The DEATH of 20-25% of the PHYTOPLANKTON in the oceans in the last two years, leaves us about five (5) years, before we all SUFFOCATE, agonizingly slowly along with all other life on the planet, including, of course, those blood-sucking lice... HAR, HAR, HARR
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by FatmanLittleboy July 26, 2009 8:19 PM EDT
Regarding the poisoned wildlife in Africa... We lost the Honeybees here in Haldimand County, Ontario Canada 3 years ago... I normally buy about 80-100 pounds a year of unpasteurized honey from the local beekeepers, as we don't eat white sugar... There has been no Honeybees, so no honey for me and the wife... The United Nations forensic labs in Milan, Italy say the bees have AIDS from pesticides AND herbicides... "Better Living Through Chemistry" MY ASS.... I'm so glad the Free Farmers of the poorer nations of the world have rioted to protect their RIGHT to refuse to use these chemicals against the wishes of their CORRUPT Goverments who have made deals for bribes with the Herbicide/Pesticide Manufacturers... That's how powerful these unscupulous, unconcionable, unethical LICE who run these companies are... The DEATH of 20-25% of the PHYTOPLANKTON in the oceans in the last two years, leaves us about five (5) years, before we all SUFFOCATE, agonizingly slowly along with all other life on the planet, including, of course, those blood-sucking lice... HAR, HAR, HARR
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by FatmanLittleboy July 26, 2009 8:19 PM EDT
Regarding the poisoned wildlife in Africa... We lost the Honeybees here in Haldimand County, Ontario Canada 3 years ago... I normally buy about 80-100 pounds a year of unpasteurized honey from the local beekeepers, as we don't eat white sugar... There has been no Honeybees, so no honey for me and the wife... The United Nations forensic labs in Milan, Italy say the bees have AIDS from pesticides AND herbicides... "Better Living Through Chemistry" MY ASS.... I'm so glad the Free Farmers of the poorer nations of the world have rioted to protect their RIGHT to refuse to use these chemicals against the wishes of their CORRUPT Goverments who have made deals for bribes with the Herbicide/Pesticide Manufacturers... That's how powerful these unscupulous, unconcionable, unethical LICE who run these companies are... The DEATH of 20-25% of the PHYTOPLANKTON in the oceans in the last two years, leaves us about five (5) years, before we all SUFFOCATE, agonizingly slowly along with all other life on the planet, including, of course, those blood-sucking lice... HAR, HAR, HARR
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