KWS Lion Roaring for Your Vote

The KWS lion aptly named “Rafiki Bioanuai” (Friend of Biodiversity) is among 50 other artistically done lions of the Pride of Lion Project majestically prowling the City of Nairobi. Placed at Koinange Street, Opposite GPO the KWS “Rafiki Bioanuai” is fighting it out for public votes with the other corporate-sponsored lions scattered all over the City in a bid to raise funds for lion conservation.

Rafiki Bioanuai: KWS lion placed at Koinange Street opposite GPO - Artist: Anne N. Mwiti

The lions will from November 6, 2009 be auctioned at the Nairobi National Park. “Rafiki Bioanuai” represents a kaleidoscope of all eight ecosystems that are found within Kenya’s and KWS managed National Parks including marine ecosystems. According to Mr. Ngugi Gecaga, Manager, KWS Corporate Image & Identity Manager, Kenyans particularly those in Nairobi have to vote for “Rafiki Bioanuai“ for its symbolic representation of the country’s important biodiversity.

“Our lion represents the biodiversity which houses everything else in this country.” Said Mr. Gecaga. “Rafiki Bioanuai’s head is the Aberdares forest which is the source of all of Nairobi water, all Nairobi residents need to vote for the KWS lion especially with the recent water shortage backlash” The project, a Born Free initiative, aims to use funds raised from Pride of Kenya to conserve and protect wild lions in the spiritual home of Elsa, the lioness from the classic Kenyan movie “Born Free”.

KWS will in conjunction with Born Free and other stakeholders explore a project to mitigate human-wildlife conflict through construction of lion-proof bomas to help ensure the land of Born Free remains a safe home for wild lions in the future. The project coincides with the dwindling national population of lions in the last seven years at the rate of 100 per year. From a population of an estimated 2700 in the year 2002, Kenya now accounts for 2000 individuals. The worrying percentage decrease trend threatens the lion species in Kenya in the next 20 years.

KWS will soon coordinate a long-term lion conservation strategy that prescribes actions that need to be taken by various stakeholders to reverses the declining national population.

For more information on HOW TO VOTE visit: Pride of Kenya