Dar Es Salaam, Jan 3 (IANS): Tanzanian police detained two suspects in connection with the killing of six lions near the Tarangire National Park in Tanzania Thursday.

About 100 villagers, residing in the village situated close to the park, killed the six lions after they allegedly attacked and killed three donkeys in Olisiti village. The lions killed by the villagers were among 12 lions who had strayed from the park.

The regional police commander said police Friday detained Lembris Makau, the executive officer of Nkaiti village, and Lais Lalioni Laizer, a 54-year-old businessman for questioning, Xinhua reported.

"The suspects were in possession of firearms during the killing of the lions. We are trying to establish whether the firearms were used to kill the animals," he said.

According to authorities, two of the lions were shot dead by firearms and the other four were killed by traditional weapons.

The Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu Thursday announced the launch of a manhunt for the ringleader behind the killing of the six lions.

There has been a fall in the number of lions in the Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem with a recent survey showing that the ecosystem has been losing an average of 25 lions annually.

Findings by the Tarangire Lion Project show that 226 lions were killed by livestock keepers in Tanzania between 2004 and 2013.