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.