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The results of our 3 year Conservation Incentive Payments (CIP) trial are out.
KopeLion and the TAWIRI lion research project presented them to stakeholders, including community leaders, NCAA, TANAPA, TAWIRI, MNRT, and tourism operators, in Karatu, and to present them to all the villages that participated.
Largely supported by The Lion Recovery Fund and others, we additionally thank the 6 villages who participated, the NCA Authority, and KopeLion staff, Ingela Jansson, Adam Pekor, William Ole Seki and Ololotu Munka who poured their hearts and time into the project.
95% of respondents reported that they were satisfied with the CIP program, 97% reported that they had a more positive view of lions as a result of the CIP program, and 99% reported that they would like the CIP program to continue in their village.
Human-lion coexistence was greatest where the CIP program was piloted – during the three years of the pilot, there was not a single retaliatory lion killing, hunt, or attempted hunt in the CIP villages, despite 29 such events in KopeLion’s wider area of operations’.
Funding for education elevated the CIP programme, – a conservation intervention can only help promote coexistence if people are aware of the benefits they are earning from wildlife. Here, awareness of the CIP program was extremely high, with over 90% of respondents from CIP villages reporting having heard of the program or the fact that their village was earning money from the lions on their land. Anecdotally, we noticed a substantial uptick in both awareness of and enthusiasm for the program once the participating villages began using their earnings to support students to attend secondary school.
Download the CIP Final Report
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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.
Celebrating Our Amazing Team: Agrey Minja![]()
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Meet Agrey Minja, our dedicated finance and administration assistant at Kope Lion. Although based in our Arusha office, Agrey is fast becoming as comfortable in Ngorongoro as he is with numbers — and even with lions.![]()
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Having studied in Dar es Salaam, Agrey is currently persevering through his CPA qualification while bringing dedication, adaptability, and a strong work ethic to our team. Whether it’s managing systems, crunching numbers, or collaborating with colleagues, Agrey is always up for the challenge.![]()
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“I am proud to spend two years with a loving and collaborative team. I love the variety of experiences — mainly dealing with numbers, systems, and people.” – Agrey Minja![]()
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We’re grateful for Agrey’s hard work and commitment to conservation. Thank you for being such a valuable part of the Kope Lion family.![]()
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📷: Bobby-Jo Safaris
🎬 Movie Night in Mokilal![]()
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At Kope Lion, we know that sharing knowledge is key to building stronger connections between people and wildlife. That’s why we host educational movie nights for communities in Ngorongoro, focusing on the realities of coexistence.![]()
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Our latest movie night took place in the Mokilal community, near the Ngorongoro Crater. These events are a great way to bring people together while sharing practical insights about living alongside lions and other wildlife.![]()
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Special thanks to @dennispeshut & the team for organising a wonderful night. ![]()
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📷: @bobbyjosafaris ![]()
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#kopelion #corridoroftolerance #lionconservation
Celebrating Cassandra – Queen of the Marsh Pride![]()
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Today, we celebrate Cassandra, the dominant female of the Ndutu Marsh Pride, who was born in 2009. Reaching 16 years old is an incredible milestone for a lioness, and her journey has been remarkable.![]()
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She has faced droughts, seen the rise and fall of numerous male coalitions, and endured nomadic males entering Ndutu — yet she has remained a strong and resilient leader, raising countless cubs along the way.![]()
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Easily recognized by her short snout, Cassandra is looking fantastic for her age. The team at Kope Lion feels incredibly grateful to have followed her life from a little cub to the matriarch she is today.![]()
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Have you photographed Cassandra on your Ndutu Safari? Share your images in the comments below. We would love to see them!![]()
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📷: Bobby-Jo Safaris ![]()
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#happycaturday #kopelion #lionconservation
