Eric Ole Kesoi Lion Guardians Co-ordinator

Eric, a Maasai from Eselenkei Group Ranch is fluent in Maa, Swahili and English and trained as a community development worker, working for an NGO in Kajiado, Southern Kenya before joining the project. He is highly respected by his community and is very influential both within his own group ranch and outside it. Eric is an excellent tracker and has participated in several successful lion hunts in the past. He is now working with the Lion Guardians project to help conserve his local lion population.
Read more about Eric

Kapande Narok
Area of work: Lenkiloriti, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Kapande has been on many lion hunts and was successful in killing a male lion. Now that Kapande works as a Lion Guardian his good relationship with other warriors has helped him to thwart many lion hunts. The community he works for has great respect for him because he often helps young herders in the grazing fields.
Read more about Kapande

Koikai Mutungei
Area of work: Olbili, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Koikai's favourite type of work is lion monitoring. He is always demanding telemetry equipment to go out tracking collared lions in the bush. He gets excited about every chance of advancing lion conservation and is totally committed to the Lion Guardians’ call of duty.
Read more about Koikai

Lenkina Ngida
Area of work: Ilchalai, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Lenkina is an extremely hard working Guardian, and gets along very well with his community. They always listen to his advice about how to live with carnivores. Lenkina has participated in many lion hunts, but he was never the first person to spear a lion (which holds a particular status in Maasai culture).
Read more about Lenkina

Masarie Ologela
Area of work: Emukutan, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Masarie is one of the senior warriors we have working for the Lion Guardians program. His name, Masarie, was given to him when he first killed a lion. He is known far and wide for his sharp spearing skills, which enabled him to kill two lions before leaving this all behind to become a Guardian.
Read more about Masarie

Mokoi Lekanayia
Area of work: Olngosua, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Mokoi is the oldest of the Lion Guardians, coming from the junior elders class, the class above warriors. He was chosen for his position as a Lion Guardian because of his exceptional dedication and hard work - he volunteered for more than six months before he was given the job. Mokoi loves tracking and was recently praised by his community for finding a lost child in the bush.
Read more about Mokoi

Olubi Lairumbe
Area of work: Kalesirua, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Olubi killed seven lions before becoming a Guardian. Among the lions he killed was a female that was pregnant with five cubs. He regretted killing this lioness so much that he volunteered to become a Lion Guardian instead of continuing to kill carnivores. He is very popular and well known among the murrans, especially renowned for his excellent singing.
Read more about Olubi

Ritei Kashu
Area of work: Centre, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Ritei is a very cheerful warrior, and was one of the first to get a job as a Guardian. He is extremely dedicated to his job and is a very hard worker, tracking lions, and helping his community with any problems they have with wildlife.
Read more about Ritei

Mushaga Kaika
Area of work: Oltiasika, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Mushaga is one of our 2 new Lion Guardians on Mbirikani. He is a very enthusiastic young warrior, who has been on lion hunts but never speared a lion. He loves walking in the bush and has excellent tracking skills, though he has never been to school so cannot read or write. However he is working hard to practise these skills and he can’t wait to help his community and the wildlife in his area with his new role as a Lion Guardian.
Read more about Mushaga

Pilenanka Sitiyo
Area of work: Ol Donyo Wuas, Mbirikani Group Ranch

Pilenanka is the second of our new Lion Guardians. He volunteered in the Ilchalai area at the start of the project in 2006, and showed great promise but was just beaten by Lenkina who still holds the position. Now he has finally become a Lion Guardians and is doing a great job. He previously went on lion hunts but never killed a lion himself. Pilenanka can read and write well and can also speak some English, as well as Swahili and Maa.
Read more about Pilenanka

Kutata Mutengere
Area of work: Iltuleta, Eselenkei Group Ranch

Kutata is from a humble background, but is the most educated out of all the Eselenkei Lion Guardians. However he is also a very traditional moran, who is strong and confident. Kutata has a likeable character and a wealth of experience, as well as great respect for his seniors. Kutata is taking a leading role amongst the Eselenkei Guardians, helping those that are less educated than himself.
Read more about Kutata

Lopono Lelakati
Area of work: Enkii, Eselenkei Group Ranch

Lopono is a very friendly and likeable character, who makes everyone feel comfortable in his presence, whether he knows you or not. He comes from a poor background, and is extremely hard working and enthusiastic. He has renowned diplomatic skills and a great knowledge of the lion migratory corridor through the group ranch.
Read more about Lopono

Melita Sonto
Area of work: Iltuleta, Eselenkei Group Ranch

Melita is a very young moran who is extremely enthusiastic and eager to work. The commitment in which he undertakes community work is second to none. Though he has never been to school, Melita highly appreciates the efforts being made to train him to read and write. Having participated in successful lion hunts in the past, Melita is now eager and willing to change this traditional practice and to protect the predatory species he once went out to kill.
Read more about Melita

Kamunu Saitoti
Area of work: Lenkisem, Eselenkei Group Ranch

Kamunu is the most experienced of the new Lion Guardians. He is extremely articulate and very smart, but has never been to school, so is now learning to read and write. Quiet and thoughtful, mature and confident, Kamunu is one of the most highly respected morans in Eselenkei Group Ranch. He has participated in many successful lion hunting sessions in the past, and has a good knowledge of lion tracking.
Read more about Kamunu