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.

1 day ago

Kope Lion
𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓KopeLion was honoured to join the Lion Footprint Forum 2025, represented by our Executive Director, Ololotu Munka. The forum took place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.The forum focused on reducing conflict and unlocking the value of living alongside lions. Ololotu shared stories from our work in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where community-led programs like the Ilchokuti help people and lions live together.A big thank you to @wildnetorg , @lionrecovery and Maliasili for creating this important space for learning and connection.As Ololotu shared, “The Lion Footprint Forum was a powerful platform that enabled us to connect directly with diverse partners across the lion conservation space. These conversations opened up new possibilities for collaboration and knowledge exchange, which are essential to scale our shared impact.”#humanwildlifecoexistence #communityconservation #coexistence #livingwithlions #creatingconservations#lionconservation #ngorongorolion #corridoroftolerance#ngorongorocrater #kopelion #ngorongooroconservationarea ... See MoreSee Less
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6 days ago

Kope Lion
𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝The Youth Festival is part of our ongoing Creating Conversations initiative, and this year marked the final event in a series held from 2023 to 2025.We brought together 100 young people from eight different wards across Ngorongoro, creating a space for them to share ideas, discuss community issues and learn from each other.A big focus was inspiring youth to take an active role in conservation and support peaceful coexistence between people and lions. We highlighted the importance of protecting wildlife while keeping local livelihoods strong, a key part of KopeLion’s mission.Alongside powerful storytelling and talks from youth leaders, this year’s festival included hands on sessions on soap making, community savings groups, veterinary services, family planning, mental health and lion conservation.At its heart, the festival is about empowerment. Giving young people the knowledge, skills and confidence to become leaders in their communities and protectors of their environment.#humanwildlifecoexistence #communityconservation #coexistence #livingwithlions #creatingconservations #lionconservation #ngorongorolion #corridoroftolerance#ngorongorocrater #kopelion #ngorongooroconservationarea ... See MoreSee Less
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1 week ago

Kope Lion
“To watch a lion in the wild is to witness the essence of freedom and strength”George Schaller, legendary wildlife biologist and conservationist.Every scar on his face tells a story of survival. In his presence, you feel the raw power and wild spirit of Africa.We must protect these icons, not only for their own sake but for the balance of the entire ecosystem 🦁📷: @bobbyjosafaris ... See MoreSee Less
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