Authorities in Tanzania are investigating the death of 10 lions found in the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The carcasses were discovered in Ndutu on September 18, according to a statement issued on Monday by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA).
“The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) regrets to inform the public that ten (10) lions were found dead on September 18, 2026 in the Ndutu area,” the authority said.
The NCAA said early findings suggest the animals died after “ingesting poison” and noted that an inquiry is ongoing “to determine the cause of the incident and identify those responsible.”
Home to about 25,000 large animals, Ngorongoro is known for having the world’s densest lion population, according to UNESCO.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists lions as a vulnerable species, facing threats from habitat loss, declining prey and clashes with humans.
The conservation area has been at the centre of disputes between the government and pastoral communities since an eviction programme began in 2022. The government says the human population there has surged from around 8,000 in 1959 to more than 100,000, encroaching on wildlife habitats.
The discovery comes after a similar wildlife incident across the border in Kenya, where at least 20 elephants have died in the Amboseli ecosystem since June from suspected pesticide poisoning.
While Kenya has in the past recorded cases of elephant poisoning linked to poaching and human wildlife conflict, officials say the current scale is unprecedented in decades.
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