Nairobi, Kenya — Wildlife conservationists in Kenya said the killing of 10 lions in the past week is reversing gains made in efforts to protect the big cats' dwindling population.

In two separate incidents next to Kenya's Amboseli national park last week, herders speared stray lions to death after the animals strayed into villages and attacked livestock and a dog.

Conservationists said the killings are a blow to efforts to protect the big cats. Kenya's game parks are home to an estimated 2,500 lions according to national data, but researchers say habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict are threats to the big cats.

"This sort of incident should not draw back the gains that have been made," said African wildlife conservation scientist Philip Muruthi. "There are over 100 lions in that ecosystem, which is recovering. There is a time they were fewer than that due to conflicts."

Experts said more needs to be done to prevent deadly human-wildlife conflict.

"The major challenge is the way these protected areas have been designed," said Yussuf Wato, the biodiversity research and innovation manager at the World Wildlife Fund in Kenya. "They are small, most times they are not connected. In fact, as far as statistics go, 65% of all the wildlife live outside protected areas -- on people's lands -- and that, of course, causes challenges."

Kenyan Wildlife Service official Paul Jinaro told VOA that the state has since increased surveillance around Amboseli to monitor lions' movements.

He also said the number of cats killed was likely higher than those discovered in the two villages so far.