In the 1990s, the lion population in the Mara Triangle was more than 80 individuals, although in a few years the population was hunted by the Maasai to just 40 individuals. Local support for the protection of lions began with the implementation of a Cattle Compensation Scheme for cattle killed by predators, and has seen the lion population increase by 50% since 2001.

This success was threatened by the halting of the cattle compensation scheme in January 2008, following the collapse of tourism in Kenya due to the post-electoral violence, as there was no funding to continue with the scheme.

Cattle loss to predators is a regular occurrence among the communities bordering the park, and there have been a number of incidents when frustration levels among the communities have risen to the extent that they have hunted, so far unsuccessfully due to intervention by rangers, both lions and leopards in retaliation for loss of livestock.