In 2013, Richard Turere, a thirteen-year-old inventor from Kenya, was invited to give a TED talk to explain how he created a way to prevent lions from attacking livestock. Richard lives near the Nairobi National Park, a sanctuary for endangered lions in close proximity to surrounding farms. Richard explains that cows are kept in sheds in the evenings, which makes them easy prey. In an effort to protect livestock, many local farmers resorted to killing lions, and as a result, only an estimated 2,000 lions remain in the region. One night, Richard realized that lions are scared of flashlights. This led him to create a system he named Lion Lights, which uses flashing lights to mimic human activity. Richard’s system has worked so well that many of his neighbors asked him to build one for them. Currently, Lion Lights are employed throughout Kenya.

Question

In 2013, Richard Turere, a thirteen-year-old inventor from Kenya, was invited to give a TED talk to explain how he created a way to prevent lions from attacking livestock. Richard lives near the Nairobi National Park, a sanctuary for endangered lions in close proximity to surrounding farms. Richard explains that cows are kept in sheds in the evenings, which makes them easy prey. In an effort to protect livestock, many local farmers resorted to killing lions, and as a result, only an estimated 2,000 lions remain in the region. One night, Richard realized that lions are scared of flashlights. This led him to create a system he named Lion Lights, which uses flashing lights to mimic human activity. Richard’s system has worked so well that many of his neighbors asked him to build one for them. Currently, Lion Lights are employed throughout Kenya.

Why does Richard’s invention work so well? How does it keep the lions away from the livestock without harming them? Use specific evidence from the text to support your answer.

Answer 1

Richard's invention, Lion Lights, works so well in keeping lions away from livestock because it taps into the lions' fear of humans by mimicking human activity using flashing lights. Lions are known to be scared of humans, as they see them as a potential threat. Richard noticed that lions are also scared of flashlights, which gave him the idea to create a system that uses flashing lights to deter them.

By installing Lion Lights in the vicinity of the livestock sheds, the flashing lights create the illusion of humans moving around, making the lions think twice before approaching. This prevents the lions from attacking the livestock because they associate the flashing lights with the potential risk of encountering humans. As a result, the livestock is protected without having to resort to killing lions.

This is evident in the text when it states that Richard's system has worked so well that many of his neighbors asked him to build one for them. This suggests that the Lion Lights effectively keep lions away from the livestock, as farmers are seeking to replicate the system on their own farms.

It is also mentioned that Lion Lights are currently employed throughout Kenya. This further supports the effectiveness of Richard's invention, as its widespread use indicates that it has proven to be a successful solution in mitigating human-lion conflicts and protecting livestock.

In summary, Richard's invention, Lion Lights, works so well in keeping lions away from livestock because it taps into the lions' fear of humans by using flashing lights to mimic human activity. This innovative approach effectively deters lions from approaching the livestock, thus protecting them without harming the lions.