Lopirr Buddha seen here as a cub and now as a young male. Photo Roimen Lelya/Ingela Jansson
Lopirr Buddha seen here as a cub and now as a young male. Photo Roimen Lelya/Ingela Jansson

Lopirr Buddha seen here as a cub and now as a young male. Photo Roimen Lelya/Ingela Jansson

After some years of following Nosikitok and her pride in Ndutu, her collar dropped off as per schedule in December, and we needed to find a new lion to follow. Roimen was aware of some young males roaming widely and to collar one of these males would give us an opportunity to warn people of their presence on a daily basis, enabling them to keep their livestock out of harm’s way and for us to keep an eye out for the lions and protect them on their travels through NCA.

Thanks to the KopeLion team and Dr. Wambura, one of the three brothers, who are together, was collared on the 4th of January between Ndutu and the Highlands, and due to his size was given the names Lopirr, which means the large one in Maa, and Buddha at the request of the Mansharamani family who has so generously supported KopeLion work.

Lopirr Buddha is originally from the Carter Lakes pride and is either the son of Noongoile or her Aunt. The gang has been currently pretty settled in the Kiloki valley feeding on the richness of the migration passing through.

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Kope Lion

Kope Lion

KopeLion Inc. (short for Korongoro People’s Lion Initiative) is a non-profit NGO registered in USA and in Tanzania. Our mission is to foster human-lion coexistence through participatory research and sustainable community-based conservation.

Kope Lion

6 days ago

Kope Lion
It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Larmasi-A, a well known male who had been moving in and out of the Ngorongoro Crater.On the 4th February 2026 we received a mortality signal from his collar. His last recorded position was on the rim of Olmoti Crater. Our team responded immediately and located his body in the area.We reviewed his final movements and searched each recorded location for any sign that might indicate the cause of death. We observed movements of wild prey including buffalo, eland and bushbuck, as well as livestock at a further distance. However, no carcass was found and there was no evidence of a wild or livestock kill associated with his final movements.We now await the results of the post mortem report conducted by the NCAA veterinary team.We extend our sincere thanks to the NCAA team for their swift response, especially Afande Maige for providing ranger assistance, and to the veterinary team for their dedication. This was a true team effort.Larmasi-A was known for his quiet and strategic movements in and out of the crater. In evolutionary biology, so called sneaker males use stealth and timing rather than direct confrontation to gain opportunities in highly competitive systems. The late evolutionary biologist John Maynard Smith wrote extensively about these alternative reproductive strategies. Informally, such males have sometimes been referred to as “sneaky f***ers” — a blunt but fitting description of the tactic.In a system like the Ngorongoro Crater, where competition among crater born males is high, this type of strategy may represent one of the most important pathways for new genes to enter the population. Larmasi-A’s movements beyond the crater rim were therefore more than just bold behaviour, they were ecologically significant.For Larmasi-A, that quiet intelligence became part of his story. ... See MoreSee Less

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Kope Lion is with Dennis Peshut in Singida, Tanzania.

2 weeks ago

Kope Lion
𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙨 𝙋𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙪𝙩.Ngorongoro born and bred and a true all rounder on the KopeLion team.Dennis monitors lions across the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a strong focus on the crater and the highlands. He also collects end of month data from the Ilchokuti and helps track their performance on the ground.Beyond field work Dennis is a skilled mechanic and a trusted driver which makes him one of those people everyone relies on. Calm capable and deeply connected to this landscape. ... See MoreSee Less

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Kope Lion is at Ngorongoro Crater.

2 weeks ago

Kope Lion
Caturday cuteness from the Ngorongoro Crater! This curious little cub from the Mungeedge pride was beautifully captured by Mama Simba who is quickly becoming quite the photographer. We might need to start calling her Mama Mpiga Picha because she’s got a great eye and a real feel for these moments.Nothing like a lion cub to brighten your weekend and remind us why we love what we do 🦁 ... See MoreSee Less

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