Richard Turere: My invention that made peace with lions
Living with Lions: A Young Innovator's Journey
Introduction to the Setting
- The speaker, Richard Turere, introduces himself and his home in Kenya, near Nairobi National Park. He describes how the park is not fenced on the southern side, allowing wildlife like zebras to migrate freely. This migration attracts predators such as lions.
Conflict Between Livestock and Wildlife
- Richard shares a personal experience of finding one of his father's cows killed by lions, which deeply affected him as it was their only bull. He explains the Maasai community's strong connection to livestock and their belief in coming from heaven with their animals. This cultural perspective fuels his initial hatred for lions.
Community Response to Lion Attacks
- The morans (warriors) in Richard's community are tasked with protecting livestock from predators and often resort to killing lions due to ongoing conflicts over livestock safety. He notes that this has contributed to a decline in lion populations within Nairobi National Park.
Initial Attempts at Solutions
- Richard recounts his early attempts to deter lions using fire and scarecrows but found these methods ineffective as lions adapted quickly. His realization that moving light could scare off lions led him to innovate further.
Innovative Solution: Flashing Lights
- After discovering that moving lights deterred lions, Richard utilized his knowledge of electronics gained from tinkering at home. He created a system using an old car battery, an indicator box from a motorcycle, and a flashlight bulb that flashed lights around the cowshed, simulating human presence while he slept safely inside.
Impact of the Invention
- Since implementing this flashing light system two years ago, there have been no further lion attacks on his family's livestock. Encouraged by its success, he expanded this solution to seven neighboring homes and even beyond Kenya for other predators like hyenas and elephants. His invention garnered attention leading to a scholarship opportunity at Brookhouse International School in Kenya.
Future Aspirations
- Reflecting on his journey from herding cattle under planes flying overhead to being able to fly himself for TED talks inspires Richard’s ambition of becoming an aircraft engineer and pilot one day. He expresses gratitude for how his invention has fostered coexistence between humans and wildlife rather than conflict over resources like livestock.
Next Steps: Further Innovations
Plans for New Inventions
- During a conversation with Chris Anderson post-presentation, Richard discusses plans for future inventions including creating an electric fence tailored for local needs despite existing models already available; he humorously recalls past experiences where he received shocks while experimenting with electric fences before stopping those attempts due to safety concerns.