Tanzania probes suspected poisoning of 10 lions in Ngorongoro
Tanzanian authorities are investigating the deaths of 10 lions found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, suspecting poisoning.
Authorities in northern Tanzania are investigating the deaths of 10 lions found inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a protected UNESCO World Heritage site, with preliminary evidence pointing to poisoning.
The carcasses were discovered on Friday in the Ndutu section of the conservation area, according to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, the body that manages the site.
In a statement, the authority said initial findings indicated the lions may have died after consuming poison. It did not say what substance might have been involved or whether any suspects had been identified.
A fuller investigation is under way to determine the exact cause of death.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to lions, elephants and black rhinos, and is also inhabited by semi-nomadic Maasai pastoralists who live alongside the wildlife — a mix that has long made the site a focal point for human-wildlife conflict.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists lions as vulnerable, with their numbers declining. The species faces pressure from habitat loss, shrinking prey populations and clashes with people.