In May, a male lion named Lemurt was speared after entering a livestock enclosure near the Nairrabala Conservancy.

The local community alerted our partners at Lion Guardians, who contacted the Kenya Wildlife Service veterinary team. Lemurt was treated the following day. Despite the severity of his wounds, no major arteries or bones had been damaged, and his prognosis was good.

That’s where our rangers came in.

For the next two weeks, Big Life’s Nairrabala rangers monitored Lemurt every day, sharing photos and video with Big Life, Lion Guardians, and the KWS veterinary team so that his recovery could be closely followed. By June 1, his wounds had healed well enough that daily monitoring was no longer needed.

And recently, we got the update everyone was hoping for: Lemurt was photographed as seen here healthy, successfully hunting, and with his pride—which includes three new cubs.

Conservation successes like this rarely belong to any one organization. They depend on communities sharing information, conservation partners coordinating their response, veterinary teams providing expert care, and rangers maintaining a watchful presence on the ground.

We’re grateful to Kingspan (whose lion logo feels particularly fitting for this story!) for supporting Big Life’s Nairrabala ranger unit through its Planet Passionate program. Their partnership helps keep rangers in the field, contributing to the network of people working together to give wildlife like Lemurt a future.

Sometimes protecting lions really does take a pride. 

📸: Joshua Clay