Killing a lion is a rite of passage for young Samburu males

Moses Lekalau, 35, was walking home in the Maralal safari area north-east of Nairobi when the lion leapt out at him.

Exhausted by his struggle, he lacked the strength to fight off a subsequent attack by hyenas.

Mr Lekalau was eventually rescued by a passing motorist who drove him to hospital. He was airlifted to Nairobi for surgery but died of blood loss.

Terrible injuries

Mr Lekalau told doctors that it took him half an hour to spear and bludgeon the lion to death.

As a Samburu, he came from a community where it is traditional for boys to kill a lion as a rite of passage on entering manhood.

He spent seven hours in the operating theatre where doctors treating his extensive injuries were at first hopeful he would survive, but he had lost too much blood.

"Hyenas are cowardly animals that usually feed on leftovers," Kenyan Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Udot told reporters . "They must have been very hungry and realised the victim was vulnerable after the lion attack."