<p>A Kenyan lion named Loonkiito,&nbsp;believed to be the world's oldest, has died after he was brutally&nbsp;impaled by Maasai morans (warriors) on Wednesday (May 10) night, according to local wildlife officials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Loonkiito, who was 19 years old,&nbsp;died in the&nbsp;Olkelunyiet village, located in southern Kenya, bordering Amboseli National Park, while preying upon livestock. The village is famous for being the best place in Africa where tourists can get close to freely roaming wild elephants and other wildlife species.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lion Guardians, a Maasai-operated conservation group, took to Instagram and informed about&nbsp;Loonkiito's demise, referring to him as the "oldest male lion in their ecosystem and possibly in Africa".</p>

<p>"It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Loonkiito (2004-2023), the oldest male lion in our ecosystem and possibly in Africa. He died yesterday, on the 10th of May 2023 at 19 years old," read the caption.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He was a symbol of resilience and coexistence. We at Lion Guardians feel privileged to have borne witness to his life and his legacy. In the following weeks and months, we hope to share the extraordinary story of Loonkiito’s life with the world."</p>

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<p>The king of the jungle was killed because he ventured too close to human settlement. A combination of factors, primarily the drought and lack of food in the forest led the lion to hunt livestock as a last resort.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In desperation, lions often turn to take livestock," the group added.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-south-african-rhino-poaching-drops-conservation-efforts-are-paying-off-509865" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: South African Rhino poaching drops; conservation efforts are paying off</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-tracker-south-african-rhino-poaching-drops-conservation-efforts-are-paying-off-509865/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/this-indian-state-is-opening-up-another-sanctuary-for-asiatic-lions-as-numbers-grow-exponentially-572574#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></p>

<h2><strong>Loonkiito was an aberration&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>According to experts, most lions do not live beyond 13 years in the wild, which made&nbsp;Loonkiito an anomaly. Though it is not confirmed by the Kenyan government if he was the oldest lion on the continent, his death has certainly made an impact and shows the increasing friction between man and animals.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/this-indian-state-is-opening-up-another-sanctuary-for-asiatic-lions-as-numbers-grow-exponentially-572574"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;THIS Indian state is opening up another sanctuary for Asiatic lions as numbers grow exponentially</strong></a></p>

<p>Paula Kahumbu, a wildlife conservationist and chief executive officer of WildlifeDirect, told BBC she was pained by the death of&nbsp;Loonkiito.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This is the breaking point for human-wildlife conflict and we need to do more as a country to preserve lions, which are facing extinction," said Kahumbu.</p>

<p>Notably, apart from Africa, the majestic big cats are only found in India's Gir National Park in the western state of Gujarat.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


A Kenyan lion named Loonkiito, believed to be the world's oldest, has died after he was brutally impaled by Maasai morans (warriors) on Wednesday (May 10) night, according to local wildlife officials.

A Kenyan lion named Loonkiito, believed to be the world's oldest, has died after he was brutally impaled by Maasai morans (warriors) on Wednesday (May 10) night, according to local wildlife officials. Loonkiito, who was 19 years old, died in the Olkelunyiet village, located in southern Kenya, bordering Amboseli National Park, while preying upon livestock. The village is famous for being the best place in Africa where tourists can get close to freely roaming wild elephants and other wildlife species. Lion Guardians, a Maasai-operated conservation group, took to Instagram and informed about Loonkiito's demise, referring to him as the "oldest male lion in their ecosystem and possibly in Africa". "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Loonkiito (2004-2023), the oldest male lion in our ecosystem and possibly in Africa. He died yesterday, on the 10th of May 2023 at 19 years old," read the caption. "He was a symbol of resilience and coexistence. We at Lion Guardians feel privileged to have borne witness to his life and his legacy. In the following weeks and months, we hope to share the extraordinary story of Loonkiito’s life with the world." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lion Guardians (@lionguardians_) × The king of the jungle was killed because he ventured too close to human settlement. A combination of factors, primarily the drought and lack of food in the forest led the lion to hunt livestock as a last resort. "In desperation, lions often turn to take livestock," the group added. WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: South African Rhino poaching drops; conservation efforts are paying off × Loonkiito was an aberration According to experts, most lions do not live beyond 13 years in the wild, which made Loonkiito an anomaly. Though it is not confirmed by the Kenyan government if he was the oldest lion on the continent, his death has certainly made an impact and shows the increasing friction between man and animals. ALSO READ | THIS Indian state is opening up another sanctuary for Asiatic lions as numbers grow exponentially Paula Kahumbu, a wildlife conservationist and chief executive officer of WildlifeDirect, told BBC she was pained by the death of Loonkiito. "This is the breaking point for human-wildlife conflict and we need to do more as a country to preserve lions, which are facing extinction," said Kahumbu. Notably, apart from Africa, the majestic big cats are only found in India's Gir National Park in the western state of Gujarat. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Wild lion Loonkiito, believed to be world‘s oldest, impaled to death in Kenya

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Wild lion Loonkiito, believed to be world‘s oldest, impaled to death in Kenya