National Geographic Society

P.O. Box 98199

Washington, DC 20090-8199 USA

38.90531943278526, -77.0376992225647

800-647-5463

Inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888

Learn More »

Connect With Us

Main Navigation

Livestock Enclosures

A boma in the Masai Mara was fenced with funding supported by the Big Cats Initiative.

Photograph by Anne Kent Taylor

Livestock Enclosures

Grantee: Anne Kent Taylor

About the Project

Big cat populations in East Africa are rapidly declining due to retaliatory killings by pastoralists who are increasingly intolerant of livestock predation. In the Masai Mara, the problem threatens one of Africa's most famous and important lion populations.

Big Cats Initiative grantee Anne Kent Taylor is working with local Masai communities to significantly reduce predation by securing livestock in enclosures, or bomas. This project expands an existing project in the Mara that has effectively reduced human-lion conflict, including revenge killings of big cats.

Kent Taylor and her team are creating 200 Masai bomas with 8-foot (2.4-meter) chain link fence barriers, to be completed over the next two years. They have experienced a 100 percent success rate with the 70 bomas created previously.

Education and Outreach

To gain understanding and support, Kent Taylor holds community meetings, shows conservation films, and teaches conservation in the schools. The team encourages local participation in the program by employing and training Masai field personnel. All technical knowledge gained from the project will be shared freely with conservationists and communities facing similar challenges. Conservationists in three other key lion strongholds have already adopted the methods of Kent Taylor and her team.

Tiger Poachers Sentenced in Thailand

Poachers in Thailand were recently sentenced to the longest jail terms ever delivered for poaching in Thailand.
Photos: Jaguars Spotted in Bolivia

Camera traps recently helped conservationists identify 19 jaguars in a national park—a record number for a single survey in the country.
Should Ohio Animals Have Been Shot?

The shooting of tigers, lions, and monkeys in Ohio raises new questions about the growing number of exotic animals kept as pets in the U.S.
Photos: Afghan Snow Leopards Rebound

A surprisingly healthy population of snow leopards is prowling the mountains of Afghanistan, new camera-trap pictures reveal.

Big Cats Initiative Grants

Photos

See All Animal Photos »

Tonight on Nat Geo WILD (all times ET)

Get Closer.

Nat Geo WILD brings you intimate encounters with nature’s ferocious fighters and gentle creatures of land, sea and air .

This RSS reader requires javascript to be enabled.

Watch Full Episodes

Dog Whisperer

Can't get enough of the new Dog Whisperer on Nat Geo WILD? Get your full episode fix with past season catch up.
Swamp Men

Welcome to Billie Swamp Safari, an untamed wild animal park in the Florida Everglades, located on Seminole land.
Dangerous Encounters

Join the adventure by land, sea, and air with Dr. Brady Barr as he travels to some of the wildest places on Earth.

From the Nat Geo WILD Blogs

Featured Shows

Fish Tank Kings

Saturdays at 10P et/pt
Go inside the world of building custom aquarium exhibits for the rich and fabulous.
Dog Whisperer

Cesar Millan helps dogs—and their humans—overcome behavorial problems.
Animal Underworld

MON MAY 28 8P et/pt
Henry Rollins explores the complex relationship between humans and animals.

Featured App

Howling Mouse App

Meet the cutest, deadliest critter to have its own app!

Shop National Geographic

Big Cats DVD Collection
$29.95
"Great Migrations" Book & DVD Set
$84.95 $39.95

SHOP NOW »

Cause an Uproar

Animals

Special Ad Section

Newsletters

National Geographic Magazine

How to Build a Dog

Scientists have found the secret recipe behind the spectacular variety of dog shapes and sizes, and it could help unravel the complexity of human genetic disease.
Dog DNA Photo Gallery

Scientists have found the secret recipe behind the spectacular variety of dog shapes and sizes, and it could help unravel the complexity of human genetic disease.