A recent incident of Lions killing several cattle in Kenya’s Masai Mara has led to reprisals from the local herdsmen, who laced a carcass with pesticide. Two of the lions succumbed to the poison and a third was trampled by buffalo, being too weak to escape. Happily, a further eight lions appear to have recovered from the poisoning and are now doing well.

The news made headlines as the Lions in question where from the Marsh Pride, which was the focus of the long running BBC programme Big Cat Diary. The lion’s plight was discovered by a BBC film crew who noticed several lions going into spasm’s. The herdsmen are being charged with using chemicals to deliberately kill wildlife.

The incident highlights the tensions that arise from farmers trying to make a living sharing land with large predators. While it’s natural to feel sympathy only for the lions, iconic wildlife like this can only be protected by supporting and understanding the needs of the people sharing their environment.