Mystery as ten lions discovered dead in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

A total of ten lions, possibly belonging to the same pride, were discovered dead in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

The carcasses of the ​ten wild cats were found spread across the Ndutu plains within the Endulen Ward of Ngorongoro Division.

The area is on north-western section of Ngorongoro, where the conservation area borders Southern Serengeti.

​Locals also claim a giraffe was also found dead in close proximity.

It is still a mystery regarding what exactly could have caused the mass deaths of lions inside a protected area, which is normally under 24 hours surveillance.

It is also not known if, apart from the ten victims, there could be other lions dead elsewhere in the park.

An official statement from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) said the investigations were underway.

Lions that are found on the Ngorongoro Highlands usually also move between the conservation are and the adjacent Serengeti plains.

This Pride, which was discovered dead, according to conservators, used to patronize the Masek Gorge area.

The Ndutu Lake area to the west of the conservation area has particularly strong lion and cheetah populations.

Those found inside the crater however are well catered for, when it comes to well stocked hunting grounds and normally remain within the caldera.

Apparently, more than 25,000 large animals, mostly ungulates, live inside the Ngorongoro crater, where also the number of lions is around 64.

There have also been claims that the ferocious cats could have been possibly poisoned but other observers point out that lions rarely consume carcasses of animals they have not hunted themselves.

And this is especially among the young cats who are still energetic and crave for fresh bleeding meat.

Conservators say the ten dead lions discovered at Ndutu were relatively young.

Being the only conservation area in Tanzania, Ngorongoro is a mixed protected site where the nomadic pastoralists Maasai co-exist with wildlife.

​In fact, this is the reason why some people tried to insinuate that possibly the lions were poisoned in retaliation for attacking livestock.

There are reports that, a week before, some donkeys belonging to the Maasai were ​reportedly killed by some wild beasts.