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When you imagine lions, you probably picture big prides sprawled across open savannas.
But in northern Kenya’s Samburu landscape, lions live a very different life, often alone, slipping quietly through a patchwork of people, livestock, and shrinking wild spaces. It is a hard place to be a lion… and an even harder place to protect them.
For nearly two decades, Shivani Bhalla, founder of Ewaso Lions, has been working alongside Samburu communities to understand and safeguard this uniquely challenging population of lions. What started as her desire to learn why lions were disappearing has grown into a powerful example of coexistence - one where warriors, women, and even young herders play a central role.
In this episode, we talk about the realities of living with lions, the deep cultural knowledge that makes conservation possible, the heartbreaks and wins that shape Shivani’s days, and the unexpected visitor who reminded us - mid-conversation - what coexistence looks like in real time.
Highlights
- Why do Samburu’s lions live so differently from the ones we see in documentaries?
- What made young warriors shift from hunting lions to protecting them?
- How did a group of local women convince Shivani that they could restore habitat better than anyone else?
- Who was Nana, the lioness whose story continues to shape an entire landscape?
What YOU Can Do
- Spend time in nature. Reconnecting with the natural world, even in small, everyday ways, builds empathy and a desire to protect it.
- Help others access nature. Support programs that give children and communities the chance to experience wildlife positively.
- Speak up for local green spaces and wildlife. Your voice can influence how your community values and protects nature.
- Support community-led conservation. Funding essentials like salaries, fuel, medical care, emergency response, and habitat work helps organizations like Ewaso Lions stay effective.
- Champion efforts grounded in local leadership. Programs created by the community, like Warrior Watch and Mama Simbas, are the ones with real staying power.
Resources
Want a free guide to help you become a force for nature? Get it HERE!
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What difference for the world are you going to make today?
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