Houston – Houston Life gave viewers a first look at a powerful new project that highlights the people in Kenya who are working every day to save lions. The special, produced by KPRC 2 in partnership with the Houston Zoo, follows a community-led conservation effort that’s helping restore critical grasslands and rebuild lion prides.
- Related: Saving Lions: Journey from Houston to Kenya | Day 1
- Related: ‘Mama Simbas’ are regrowing grasslands and saving lions in Kenya | Day 3
- Related: PHOTOS: Warriors saving lions in Kenya, PLUS an elephant encounter 🐘| Day 4
- Related: From lions to dogs: Caring for animals in northern Kenya | Day 5
- Related: The animals we found while searching for lions in Kenya | Day 6
- Related: Lions… at last! Our team finds the big cats on their last full day in Kenya | Day 7
One of the standout groups featured in the documentary is the Mama Simbas, a team of local women who are taking the lead on restoring the habitat lions need to survive. Their work is reshaping the landscape and proving how essential women are in conservation efforts across Samburu.
The special also follows KPRC 2 anchor Keith Garvin and the Houston Zoo’s director of wildlife conservation, Taylor Rhoades, who traveled to Kenya in June to document how this partnership with Ewaso Lions began and why it matters. Garvin said the experience was one of the most meaningful of his career, not only because of the wildlife but because of the people who make the work possible.
Rhoades explained that conservation starts with communities, and Ewaso Lions proves that. The organization is entirely community-driven, with local families, elders, and young people working together to protect wildlife. Programs like Lion Kids Camp help teach children about the animals they live alongside, creating the next generation of conservation leaders…