photo by Dereck Joubert
Yesterday FMC, the Philadelphia based pesticide manufacturers who produce a product called Furadan, identifiable by its blue granules, banned in the USA and Europe managed to kill 5 lions and a striped hyena in the most sensitive lion area in Kenya. For many months conservationists have been appealing to their better judgement and ethical attitude towards the environment and its wildlife.
We asked them to remove this poison from lion range states but clearly that is not working. There are fewer than 200 Maasai lions left. Today we can scratch 5 more off that roster.
We are mobilizing every effort and force we have to collect as much poison as we can. National Geographic Big Cats initiative is hoping to pay Maasai for any cattle loss and to educate communities to the benefits of lions. Having FMC dig in their heels and not help nearly enough is making our job ten times harder and I fear that in this race against time, we may lose.
photo by Dereck Joubert