DAR ES SALAAM, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Ten lions were found dead in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro wildlife reserve this week and preliminary findings suggest they may have been poisoned, the area’s management authority said.
The deaths raise concerns over the conservation of lions in one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife ecosystems. Poisoning has been a recurring threat to large carnivores across parts of East Africa, often linked to conflicts between predators and livestock owners.
The lions were discovered on September 18 in the Ndutu area of Endulen Ward in Arusha region, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority said in a statement released late on Saturday.
“Preliminary findings suggest the animals may have died after ingesting poison,” the authority said, adding that it had launched an investigation to determine the cause and identify those responsible.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Tanzania, is one of the country’s leading tourism attractions. It is home to a wide range of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffaloes and endangered black rhinos.
Last month, police arrested four suspects in an investigation into the deaths of 18 elephants across the border in Kenya.
(Reporting by Nuzulack Dausen; Writing by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by Christina Fincher)
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