Conservation biologist Shivani Bhalla, a fourth-generation Kenyan, is working to safeguard the future of Kenya’s rapidly declining lion populations. She is founder and executive director of Ewaso Lions, a conservation organization that uses scientific research and community outreach to promote coexistence between people and lions who share habitats. It is the only organization that focuses on lions that live both inside and outside protected areas in northern Kenya. There are now fewer than 2,000 lions in Kenya, and they could vanish within two decades if habitat loss and conflict with humans continues. Ewaso Lions’s innovative community outreach programs, which involve young tribal warriors as well as women and children, are helping foster local support for conservation. Her team has dramatically changed local attitudes, and the lion population she monitors has grown to its highest numbers in a dozen years. In 2014 Bhalla won the The Whitley Award given to individuals in recognition of their achievements in nature conservation. Bhalla talks to Grin on her work.
- Conservationists often speak of their ‘conservation philosophy’, about how they see the world and how they see it in relation to man — what would you say is your conservation philosophy? Could you please describe it in detail?
Coexistence is my conservation philosophy- man (and woman!) and wildlife finding ways of living together. It is a word often misused though where everyone talks about wildlife coexisting with people but yet in my opinion is rare to see. Nowadays in the world, I believe it is becoming harder and harder to have coexistence. Wildlife are struggling to survive with people as they face increasing challenges. Land is constantly being taken away from wildlife. Development although necessary in this rapidly changing world, often does not take wildlife in to consideration and habitat loss remains a key threat to numerous wildlife species including lions. Lions struggle to find ways of living with people and often are fenced in, or confined to small isolated protected areas.
We are fortunate in northern Kenya. We have a wild, unfenced landscape, where wildlife are free to roam. It is this free movement of wildlife that promotes coexistence between people and wildlife, as long as the local people are engaged in the conservation process. Leaders often make mistakes by excluding local communities from conservation. Yet, it is these communities that live with wildlife and in our example in northern Kenya, they have strong cultural connections to wildlife. Giving communities ownership over their own wildlife is what leads to coexistence. We must remember that communities have lived with wildlife for generations. The challenges of doing so have increased, yes, but is still possible.
The future of lions, the symbol of Africa, is uncertain. Lions are becoming more rare outside protected areas, and if action is not taken they will probably only persist in large protected areas. Lion populations across Africa are becoming more fragile and the threat to lions is real. With lion numbers having fallen so dramatically in the past few decades, the continent is faced with their possible fatal fragility especially with there being so many small and isolated populations across Africa. Habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict are issues that need to be addressed as a priority. Finding solutions that are realistic and achievable is of paramount importance. Kenya’s wildlife is a unique natural resource, whose destiny ultimately is in the hands of the local people who live alongside these animals. Conservation, not just of a single species, but of whole ecosystems must be pursued in close collaboration with local people. This is the conservation philosophy that I live by.
2. In all your years of working with lions, what has been your most striking insight into the relationship between animals and man?
When I first moved to Samburu, almost 15 years ago, I saw that every time lions left the safety of parks, most would not come back as they were killed or they would return quickly. This is because lions were never really safe outside protected areas. But things have changed now. The creation of Community Conservancies has led to the local people taking ownership over their land and resources. Our project, Ewaso Lions, has also engaged with warriors, women, children and elders for almost 10 years. We encourage them to tolerate lions, and continue to live with lions. Our team is primarily made up of warriors and women and it is because of their hard work and perseverance, and the partnerships we have forged together with other stakeholders in the area, that safe areas for lions have been created. We now see lions leaving the parks and living permanently outside with the local people. We have a beautiful lioness called Naramat, who left the safety of Samburu in 2011 and has lived outside since then. She has successfully raised cubs by herself in the human occupied landscape. She has shown that lions are able to live with people if the local people accept lion presence and are willing to live with lions despite the losses they may face through livestock depredation.
3. What has been the most moving incident or anecdote of your career?
I have so many examples of this. But perhaps one of the most inspiring times of my career has been working with the Mama Simba women. They had seen how we had worked with warriors, through our Warrior Watch programme, for years. And they wanted to be a part of it too. They would show up in our camp weekly, asking me to involve them in lion conservation. They said they could play just as important role in lion conservation as the warriors do. It took us a while, but the women’s themselves came up with the programme — Mama Simba — which means Mother of Lions in Kiswahili. They have taken full ownership of the programme and now finally have a voice in conservation. They have become real leaders in their community and are often now given the opportunity to speak about conservation at community meetings. Every time I am with the ladies, I feel inspired and get excited about the future for lions. I feel hopeful hearing their stories and how dedicated they are to ensure that lions will remain safe in northern Kenya.
4. We of course, all of us, grew up with the idea of the lion as the King of the Jungle, and you have mentioned the influence of Born Free on you. Could you tell me why the lion, according to you, in a unique animal?
I grew up watching the film Born Free and reading the books as well. I found the lives of the Adamsons fascinating. They drove around in their Land Rover, through the wide landscapes of Northern Kenya protecting lions and other wildlife. Growing up — I wanted to do exactly that. Drive around in a Land Rover and protect wildlife. Although I don’t drive a Land Rover now, I am pretty much doing exactly what I have wanted to do. I was fascinated to see that they had named a lioness Elsa. Naming a lioness was something foreign to me. I have always had pets since I was a child but I didn’t think it was possible to name wild animals and follow their lives as well. But Elsa taught me that each and every single lion has a role to play. And every lion has its own personality. And every single lion is important. I have learned over the years that it is indeed true that lions have different personalities. Elsa was the first lion named in Northern Kenya, but we now have over 50 lions named according to their personalities, that are followed daily to ensure their safety.
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