Lion Lights - Tumblr Posts

In Kenya, where lions are killed to protect livestock, inventor Richard Turere has developed a system to ward off lions and other predators from livestock using renewable energy-powered light sequences.

 After testing several ideas, Turere’s invention, known as Lion Lights, is based on a simple concept, replicating the human presence that keeps lions away. Using changing sequences of flashing lights, the lions cannot become comfortable with the patterns. The system typically runs on solar energy but can also be coupled with wind power when the weather is cloudy or there is little sun.

The renewable energy light system has attracted international attention and has been implemented in several other countries beyond Kenya, including Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Argentina and India, where it has helped deter various species of animals, such as hyenas, leopards and cheetahs.

As word of his technology spread, other community members began requesting the system for their properties, and now over 2,000 homes in Kenya use Lion Lights. Since Lion Lights were installed, no lions have been killed in the area. A recent animal census at Nairobi National Park has seen an increase of 15% in their lion population.

As Turere explains: “Our motto at Lion Lights is that there is no existence without co-existence. For us to be able to live in this world harmoniously, we’ll have to find a way of living peacefully with each other, humans and wildlife.”