Across the continent there are only 20,000 lions left in the wild. In the east African nation of Kenya there are only 2500. Thankfully, incredible work is taking place to restore the lion population there.

With only one and a half days left in Kenya, the clock was ticking and we were starting to feel the pressure of coming all the way to Africa without seeing a lion. Then, the call came.

Between our morning safari and our afternoon/evening one, we spent more than eight hours driving around Samburu National Reserve with members of the Ewaso Lions team. They spotted lion tracks, but we didn’t find the lions themselves.

We went from home to home in the Sasaab village with a veterinarian team from the Ewaso Lions organization that treated and assessed several animals. Their goal is to mitigate the spread of disease between pets, livestock, and wildlife. Several diseases have impacted wildlife, including rabies and distemper.

We first had the honor of meeting the women of the Mama Simba team. They work under the direction of the Ewaso Lions organization based in what is known as the Westgate Conservancy here in northern Kenya. They are a dedicated group of women who are on the front lines trying to restore the grasslands in the Samburu region in Kenya.

We first had the honor of meeting the women of the Mama Simba team. They work under the direction of the Ewaso Lions organization based in what is known as the Westgate Conservancy here in northern Kenya. They are a dedicated group of women who are on the front lines trying to restore the grasslands in the Samburu region in Kenya.

Within ten minutes of entering the reserve, we came across wildlife that were simply amazing to witness in their natural habitat. We saw a huge bull elephant, multiple giraffes, ostriches, a number of impala and antelope, & several species of birds. It was a fantastic way to start our time inside Samburu!