Kenya’s lions are in trouble. Over 30,000 lions once prowled the wildlands of Kenya, today only 2100 are left! About 70 lions die each year after eating carcasses laced with deadly pesticides.
So what has a pink lion got to do with conservation? Well, if you haven’t guessed it already – the poisoning of lions using the pesticide carbofuran (Furadan) is thought to be the main cause for the decline of our lions, and it could push Kenya’s tiny population over the brink and into extinction.
The first thing you notice is that the Androcles lion is painted magenta pink.
It’s the colour of the brand Furadan, which is made in USA by the firm FMC and is distributed by Juanco SPS in Kenya.
Every lion in Kenya is estimated to be worth US$ 1 million. This is why the Androcles lions mane is made up of a thick layer of cash (photocopied money under permission from the Central Bank of Kenya). Money is also why lions are endangered, the commercial value of carbofuran is one of the main reaons why this dangerous poisonous product is being sold in Kenya. After realising that Furadan is killing lions, FMC said they have withdrawn Furadan from East Africa – but it’s still available in shops in Kenya and Uganda.
The Androcles lion is bound in a silver chain, each link is labeled, with the impacts of the chain reaction caused by this pesticide. On farms it kills insects, which are eaten by rodents, birds and small mammals. Hippos, antelopes, cattle and other wildlife eat the crops covered in Furadan and when they die, vultures, hyenas and other scavengers eat the carcasses and in turn they get poisoned. Many animals die from deliberate poisoning including lions, eagles, wading birds, and animals deemed to be pests like baboons, moles, stray dogs and rats. Some birds and even fish are poisoned for human consumption – so Furadan also threatens humans. Dino Martins has told us that bees and many other valuable insects are especially vulnerable to this deadly pesticide.
Although carbofuran sold in Kenya, it is made in USA where its use has been banned there due to its deadly effects on wildlife. To break the chain we must ban carbouradan in Kenya, Africa and the world (Carbofuran is currently banned in the EU and the EPA has revoked all tolerances for carbofuran in USA).
The Androcles lion will stand on a concrete base at the Yaya shopping center in Hurlingham just a stones throw from the offices of WidlifeDirect. The base will be covered in crushed purple glass, just like the purple granules of the pesticide. Carbofuran granules are purple but is hardly visible when sprinkled on a carcass. It has no taste or smell, it kills anything that eats the carcass, including lions, hyenas, jackals, and vultures. It only takes a few granules of Furadan sprinkled on a cow carcass to kill an entire pride of lions.
We owe so many people BIG thank you’s
- Peter Greste for taking the lovely photos
- The BBC Network Africa for airing the story on World News!
- David Mascal a lion lover like no other – for the roar – you’ll hear it soon!
- Boy Genius Tonee Ndungu who is creating something we can’t talk about yet
- Elizabeth Klem, MD of the Yaya Center who gratiously agreed to host the Androcles lion for the next 2 months
- The Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya who approved the wild idea of using photocopied Kenyan currency on the lions mane (yes it’s illegal without permission)
- The Card Center in Yaya for fabulous poster pens – we’ll tell you about those later
- John Muturi, Val Leakey and Mr Mwangi and all the Friends of the Nairobi City Park who initially offered to host the Androcles lion. It wasn’t possible this time – but perhaps next time?
- Jake Grieves Cook for donation of a prize – weekend for two at a luxury camp in Masai Mara – we’ll tell you about the raffle later
- Alice and Wanja of the Born Free Foundation for their patience and amazing tolerance – you guys are amazing
and most of all
THANK YOU MARY COLLIS – an amazing Kenyan woman who worked 24/7 to get the Androcles Lion ready on time.
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Donations made here are
Feb 28th Liza H USD 11.00
18 Comments
I love Androcles! Well done by all, especially Ms. Collis. He’s beautiful.
s.
It’s a shame how we are losing these lovely beasts. I hope things work out for your project and u are blessed in all campaigns that you undertake to save these majestic living creatures.
Thanks so much for your wonderful work saving these majestic lions!
It is a shame they are suffering at the hands of ignorant people!
God Bless You for your love of saving natures creatures!
the direct and indirect deaths caused by this odorless and tasteless poison must be some now educated to the public thru out africa. poisoning too is common in Tanzania and Botswana, not sure about the exact pesticide being used there. but due to its low cost and easy access, such product is like cheap junk food being widely sold to kids or the hungry poor.
Lovely lion, powerful message!
He’s quite a masterpiece, well done for the concept and for all the great work that you do. (Kaya, my 3 year old wants one too! Any chance?)
Hi Patricia, glad to see you here on WildlifeDirect! A whole celebrity right here with us! Wow! And yes, you can make a bid for any of the lions during the auction on the 4th of November here in Nairobi.
Wonderful Mary Collis – The thought that went into this lion is very touching. The question that was asked on another blog on this on why the lion was pink – I DIDN’T GET IT! I certainly do now – the money and chains sure to get the point across. This should be voted the “Best in Show” for the message Androcles is representing!!!!
Patricia – I do hope that you talk about the lions on your radio show :>)
Thumbs up Mary….You know what I’ve just done? I’ve called my cousin up-country, he is one of the best farmers we got there… a chief too, I very often talk to him when I need advice on my small farm issues…. and yes, when I asked him if its possible to get Furadan in the shops, his exact words were…. “Yes! Actually, it is the best for containing bugs that attack banana plants, it is in any ‘good’ agrovet shop!”
Good work Mary, the lion is beautiful and more importantly, congratulations for being brave enough to tell it loudly !!!!!
Powerful message so clearly and beautifully conveyed by Mary Collis’ symbolic use of colour and cash. If her lion doesnt do the trick to make the kenya govt ban the toxic Furadan, then we will have to take to the streets in protest. If American environmentalists could get the poison banned, then we should not allow it to be dumped in Africa! Many thanks Mary!
Great stuff. Anything I can do.
Jo Lamb.
Bravo, what the right words … great idea
Congratulations WD, Mary and Born Free. This is an amazing concept, the lions I have seen in pictures look fantastic. I didn’t get the questions posted in the blog but I so get it. I have never seen Furadan before. How do we tell Agrovets and farmers to stop using it? I hope everyone is listening. Is there a petition/campaign to get the government to ban Furadan? Well done and best of luck!
Androcles rocks!! Very powerful message and I will definitely tell as many people as I can… we often do not act because we do not KNOW.
Mary !!
You are quite remarkable ! How do you manage to handle the Lion cause as well as all the other stuff that makes such demands on you !! I do hope this campaign is a success – it deserves to be and you deserve that it is also.
GD
Great stuff Mary!Congrats on the lovely lion. Great pink too!
Pam Guhrs – carr
This is a very noble cause, i was left in atter shock when i heard that we only have 2,100 lions left in the country. We really need to save this Lions. Congrats to all of you who joined hands in this noble cause plus the city look fabulous.
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