Did you know that there are now fewer wild lions in the world than rhinoceros? One of our key projects in Kenya is to help save the lions.

Please support the Hatters Explorer Scout Unit as we look to support vital work to preserve wildlife in Kenya, improve the livelihoods of communities in Maasai Conservancy areas and deliver a once in a life time opportunity for 55 young people. In the summer of 2026, the Hatters are going to Kenya, we’ll be staying in Maasai Conservancy areas, volunteering with the local community, scientists and conservationists. We’re getting stuck into a range of projects, all with a focus on wildlife, education, and easing tensions between humans and animals. Please help our fantastic young people to get themselves there and to make a difference.

This is going to be a once in a lifetime and life-changing opportunity for our young people and an opportunity to deliver meaningful results. Whether we are setting camera traps in the bush to record movements of big cats, supporting education programmes to protect rare birds, painting eyes on the backside of cattle (yes, really, for good reason) or collecting evidence for scientists, we’ll be making a difference and getting close to some of the most beautiful wildlife anywhere.

Our main project focuses on lions. Lions have become tempted by easy hunting of domesticated cattle in areas surrounding the national park, the result is lions being hunted and their population dwindling. We will be supporting scientists with research on lion movements by setting camera traps and tracking lion movements. The most eye-catching (pun very much intended) work will focus on protecting cattle. Lions wait for their prey to turn away from them before they attack. We will be using stencils to paint eyes on the cattle’s bottoms to give the illusion that eyes are on the lions as they stalk them. This has been trialled with good affect elsewhere.

Voluntary Activities:
> Setting camera traps in the bush to record movements of lions.
> Supporting education programmes to protect rare birds.
> Painting eyes on the backside of cattle (yes, really, for good reason).
> Collecting evidence for scientists protecting the wildlife and interests of the Maasai community.
Each person (including adult volunteers) have to raise £3,000 each to get us all out to Kenya.