Items by William
Mara Triangle
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Nominees for Responsible Guiding Award 2008
Posted: November 18, 2008, 8:01 am by William
We are pleased to announce that the short-listed guides for Responsible Guiding Award are:
1. Boniface Kitonga - Oloonana Camp
2. Jesse Kamau Irungu - Mara Siria
3. Joseph Ole Kima - Kichwa Tembo
4. James Massek Kipilo - Bateleur Camp
5. Samuel Nganga - Mara Serena
6. Jairus Oluoch - Mpata Safari Club
The winner will be announced and publicised at the end of the year.
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Park Fees look set to rise in January 2008
Posted: November 15, 2008, 9:39 am by William
This actually seems more complicated than it is, so bear with me:
In 2007, park fees for most National Parks were gazetted to rise in July 2008 from $40 to $60. Following the collapse in tourism at the beginning of 2008, it was decided by the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife that the rise would be delayed and it now looks set to rise in January 2009.
The Mara Triangle is not a National Park but a game reserve, which means that the decision for a rise in our park fees will be taken by the Trans-Mara County Council. As of yet, we are not sure of what their decision will be, but it is most likely that they will follow the lead of the government and we should also see a rise in January 2009.
Once we know the decision taken by the council then we will let you know, but it's probably best to assume that their will be an increase in January 2009 from $40 to $60.
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Round III of Most Responsible Safari Guide 2008
Posted: November 13, 2008, 11:14 am by William
The aim of the competition is to encourage responsible guiding and to raise industry standards.
Sponsored by the Born Free Foundation and Kenya Airways, Mara Triangle's Most Responsible Safari Guide of 2008 will win an all expenses paid, two week safari guide training experience at South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.
Nominations for Round I are now over, and we're pleased to say that all nominees qualified for Round II and are now into Round III: The Mystery Guest.
Over the coming weeks all qualified nominees will be subject to an expert Mystery Guest who will sit in on a game drive, unbeknown to the guide, and assess each guide against the Travel Foundation's Responsible Safari Guiding Checklist.
Good luck to drivers from Bateleur Camp, Kichwa Tembo, Mara West, Oloonana, Serena, Siria, Kilima and Mpata!
We wish KTN better luck next year.
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Just $200 needed to dig toilets and improve sanitation for a whole village.
Posted: November 12, 2008, 12:17 pm by William
There's been a recent update to the site - Kisaru Maasai Community Projects - it's a completely brilliant organisation founded by Ben Longisa and is from where we have seen projects grow like the bio-gas at Enkereri Village. Another one of Ben's projects is to improve sanitation levels by constructing long-drop toilets at each Maasai boma in the area (about 40 in total).
Ben Longisa on the left.
It costs 16,000 Kes to construct one toilet, which is a tiny bit more than US $200. He has asked me if I can help him fundraise for four toilets (approx US $850) but if he can get just enough money for one then the construction will start right away and he will regularly update us with how the work is going.
To make a donation, no matter how big or small, click here. Thank you.
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Superb photos that benefit your sitting-room wall and the Mara Conservancy.
Posted: November 11, 2008, 10:35 am by William
Is your sitting room looking tired? Do your curtains look drab or your cushions need new covers?
Distract your guests from stains on the carpet by having one of these excellent prints on your wall today!
This is excellent.
I really like this one too.
Sarah and Andy Skinner have set up a website to sell their photographs, with a whopping 40% of the price going to the Mara Conservancy.
And the prices are incredibly reasonable:
Print Only:
A4 PRINT ONLY - £14.00 + Delivery
A3 PRINT ONLY - £21.00 + Delivery
Mounted with Backing Board:
A4 with BLACK MOUNT - £19.00 + Delivery
A4 with IVORY MOUNT - £19.00 + Delivery
A3 with BLACK MOUNT - £27.00 + Delivery
A3 with IVORY MOUNT - £27.00 + DeliveryImprove your homestead and help the Mara Triangle by buying your print today.
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What research is happening in the Mara Triangle?
Posted: November 8, 2008, 11:59 am by William
Well, at the moment we have the hyaena girls and the water lady.
Kate and Audrey are the hyaena girls from Michigan State University and are camped just below our main station here, in the same thicket as the Iseyia Public Campsite. They are studying hyaena behaviour and their study has been on the Narok side of the Mara for quite a while now, but they've very recently come to our side too.
They write an excellent blog which you can find here, plus photographs of very fat hyaenas.
Very fat hyaena.
Also around at the moment is Amanda and her partner Chris, who are carrying out a study on the Mara River (Chris also carries a very large beard -looky here). They're based in Narok but are often camping here in the Mara Triangle and other points along the river where they wade in crocodile infested rivers and take water samples. They also write a very interesting blog here.
J-Lo in a box.
There have been quite a few researchers here in the Triangle over the years and I'm going to see if I can track down any of their reports and store them here online as a resource for all.
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How do you convince people that chopping down trees for firewood is the best way to save a forest?
Posted: November 5, 2008, 1:57 pm by William
By showing the benefits of planting the trees first.
Teddy opens the meeting with villagers around Dupoto
Since Teddy's arrival we've been at Dupoto quite a lot. At first we wanted him to see the forest and take a look at the tree nursery but after several conversations of Teddy talking trees it was realised that maybe we could gain a lot more from his time here.
You see, tourism isn't such a reliable model for conservation (although, to be fair, a global economy doesn't seem to be a reliable model for many businesses) and, even though we are one of the most visited parks in Africa we're still facing financial crisis for many months to come. And so it seemed that although we would like to see Dupoto benefit from tourists coming to the area, it is probably a good idea to diversify the ways that revenue will come to the community.
We're still in the idea and planning stage right now, so we don't want to talk too much about something that is not yet here, but it's an idea that is now shared between Teddy, us, and the local community.
The young men question Teddy.
The idea is that instead of watching the forest fall down to charcoal makers and cultivators, why not grow the forest to provide the resources that everybody needs?
If in front of the forest the communities grow trees for commercial use, following some simple steps that will see trees grow more quickly and healthily as well as intercropping with food for humans and fodder for animals, then not only will they be able to sell the wood for extra income but they will now also have a vested interest in making sure that illegal charcoal makers do not cut down the forest - currently as it stands, it is very easy to support the idea of keeping the forest, but each morning and evening charcoal is still needed to cook.
With the Wazee behind the idea we were all very pleased.
From the wazee to the young men and the mammas, everybody was in agreement that planting trees is a good way to secure the future of the forest. It's quite a big jump for traditional pastoralists, but everybody was also very pleased that Teddy is here to share his knowledge and expertise.
Some of the young men were going to start right away with clearing some of the land by the edge of the forest, which is currently overtaken by long grass, and make way for a small tree plantation. We'll keep you updated on how things go.
Thank you also to everyone for the overwhelming response for help with the posters - no fewer than twenty graphic designers have been in touch - and we would like to thank Love in the UK for offering their time to help with this.
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Graphic Designer? Want to help encourage tree planting in the Mara?
Posted: November 2, 2008, 2:06 pm by William
At the moment there's a great chap here called Teddy who is currently managing a project for Dr Asuka which is to build a demonstration boma that is predator proof.
Teddy is the one who is about to have his head sliced off with the panga.
You will hear more about the predator proof boma shortly, and also hopefully you'll be hearing more about our trips to Dupoto, but for now I want you to know that Teddy is a tree expert and we have recently been visiting local communities and schools to look at tree planting projects and talk about trees - which is Teddy's favourite subject.
Teddy talks trees to Caleb at Olopikidongoie School
The enthusiasm for growing trees is very high in the area, and communities are keen to learn about how they can both save the forest and make money from tree planting.
One thing Teddy has noticed however is that there are a few simple steps that people could take to have a better success rate with their seedlings, which would grow quickly and healthily if followed. So the other night we wrote eight simple steps to tree planting and have already translated these steps into five languages: English, Swahili, Maa, Kalenjin and Kisii.
Now we are looking for someone who knows graphic design and is able to put into a simple visual each of the eight steps. It should be very easy for someone to do, probably an afternoon job, and yet you would be part of a campaign that would reach every school and community centre from here to Kilgoris, and probably further.
It's such a simple project but could have an incredible impact, please get in touch if you are interested in taking part.
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All Eyes on Congo.
Posted: November 1, 2008, 10:26 am by William
We have been closely watching the situation in Eastern Congo deteriorate rapidly over the last few weeks and then see things have become even worse over the last week.
In the middle of this fighting are the rangers of Virunga National Park who are fighting to stay alive.
Please find out more by visiting the official website of Virunga National Park and offer your support if you can.
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Paul Augustinus donates the full sale price of his painting, "Hunters of the Mara Triangle"
Posted: November 1, 2008, 9:47 am by William
Paul Augustinus at the end of this month held an exhibition at Tryon Gallery in London. For one of his paintings, Hunters of the Mara Triangle, Mr Augustinus and Tryon Gallery decided to donate their full percentages of the sale to the Mara Conservancy.
Paul Augustinus and Oliver Swann, the owner of Tryon Gallery, in front of Hunters of the Mara Triangle.
The selling price for the painting was £11,500, all of which will go towards our work here in the Mara Triangle.
Hunters of the Mara Triangle, by Paul Augustinus
The Mara Conservancy would like to congratulate Paul Augustinus for such an incredible painting, and thank Mr Augustinus and Tryon Gallery for their very generous contribution. Thank you.
Thank you also to all of you who donated to the Mara Conservancy through this website, you managed to raise $1,501. The target has been set again for $5,000 for the month of November and your help in allowing us to reach that goal is very much appreciated. Thank you everyone.
October's Monthly Report will be out tomorrow.
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Big Five Poacher arrested with Leopard Skin
Posted: October 29, 2008, 10:07 am by William
This morning at Oloololo Gate.
Last night rangers and Anne Kent Taylor Scouts went for an ambush targetting one of the most notorious poachers who has been escaping arrest for so many days. Last month, we laid an ambush to arrest the man with his gang and we were not able to arrest them because we were caught up in a herd of elephants. As the gang escaped they dropped the skin of a python.
With the help of the community we went to a place known as Olokipikindongoe and we managed to arrest him while trying to transport the leopard skin that was to be sold to the middle man in the Lake Victoria area - exact destination is still not yet known but we are still trying to get more information from the man. He had killed the leopard with a poisoned arrow and is an expert in removing the skin - it is completely in tact and can be sold as a trophy.
Anne Kent Taylor Scouts & Conservancy Rangers, and the arrested poacher.
This man was already arrested twice by the Anne Kent Taylor Team but during that time he was only in the business of snaring animals for bushmeat. He was prosecuted and put in jail for a few months, and later he was released only to graduate from bush meat to the Big Five skins and tusks.
He is doing this business because he knows that he will only be arrested for a few months. He has become notorious with a gang of other poachers that we are still trying to investigate. These poachers are targetting the Big Five in the area adjacent to the Masai Mara Triangle, along the ecarpment.
The Leopard skin will be used as evidence.
The Anne Kent Taylor Team and Mara Conservancy rangers are very happy with that arrest because they have been targetting this notorious man for many years.
Our worry is because of the policy that we have here in Kenya, that he may only be arrested for a few months and then return to continue the poaching of the Big Five for commercial purposes.
Elias Kamande
Care for the Wild/Anne Kent Taylor Team Co-ordinator
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Lessons in Lion Love
Posted: October 23, 2008, 11:47 am by William
1. Feign disinterest.
2. Then stare lovingly.
3. Whisper sweet nothings.
4. Flirt.
5. And then..
Go to Kimojino's Flickr photostream for the full story and happy ending.
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Canine Distemper is halted around Mara Triangle
Posted: October 16, 2008, 8:52 pm by William
Dr Asuka Takita is currently vaccinating domestic dogs against rabies and distemper in the community areas that surround the Mara Triangle and also North of the Triangle around Ol Choro area.
Last year, she vaccinated 3,200 dogs against the two dieseases, putting a halt to canine distemper outbreaks which had previously killed over 1,000 dogs in the Trans-Mara district.
Dog Handler Lesingo with local dogs.
We would like to thank the Anne K. Taylor Fund for funding the operation, and we also want to thank Intervet International for donating the vaccines.
Lesingo uses the throw net to catch a dog.
We would also like to say a big thank you to Dana and Jo Anne, who were kind enough to donate much vaccination equipment: throw net, protective gloves and syringes. Dana and Jo Anne are truly great friends of the Mara Triangle and we thank you both for everything that you have done for us.
They also donated canine footprints for Asuka's car:
What's Japanese for that certain je ne sais quoi?
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Bloodhounds bring security to Ol Choro Conservancy
Posted: October 15, 2008, 5:53 pm by William
During the month of October there have been three robberies north of the Mara Triangle, in Ol Choro Conservancy. In two of the cases, the thief was caught using bloodhound tracker dogs, which were flown in from Laikipia.
The bloodhounds arrive.
The dogs were taken to the scene of each robbery, and from there they were able to follow the track up until the house of the thief, and then lead rangers to the very bed that the man had been sleeping in.
Ol Choro Rangers follow tracker dogs.
We have now been considering for some time that it would be an asset to Mara Conservancy if we had our own tracker dogs at Ngiro-are outpost, which would be used for anti-poaching patrols - especially during night patrols as the poachers would not be able to conceal themselves in the bush.
Tracker Dogs in the area would also bring added security.
We also believe that having dogs in the Mara would bring extra security to the area, and be beneficial for both local community and tourist establishments.
The only set back is the cost. If you are willing to help support the project,if you know of a breeder who may be interested in the donation of a bloodhound puppy, please get in touch.
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A big huge dam is being built at Dupoto
Posted: October 14, 2008, 6:51 am by William
Dupoto Wildlife & Forest Association have been in touch with Arid Lands to secure a grant that is being used to fully fund the building of a damn just outside of Nyakweri Forest.
The construction of the dam.
When the dam is complete it will provide water for both people and cattle, and means that the local community will no longer have to go into the forest to collect water. This will both protect the community and cattle by providing water all year round, and will also protect the health of the forest by reducing the amount of movement through the area.
William, Wilson and Asuka.
Arid Lands also donated 20 bee hives to the local community, as well as some beads for the Dupoto Women Group. Kenya Forest Service have also donated 20 bee hives, and the honey is being sold at local markets to generate income for the community.
Further Reading:
Arid Lands Resource Management Project II
The Arid Lands Resource Management Project (ALRMP) is a community-based drought management project of the Kenya Government (GoK) that utilises a credit facility from the World Bank. The first phase of the Project was initiated in 1996 after the World Bank-funded Emergency Drought Recovery Project (EDRP), which operated from 1992 to 1995, came to an end.
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Migration Update & Short Video about Mara Triangle on National Geographic's Wild Chronicle
Posted: October 12, 2008, 9:24 pm by William
I'm not in the Mara at the moment but have just received this update from Ranger Maritim Cheruiyot:
Mara is as good as you left, wildebeest are now next to Iseyia, there has been several crossing at the nearby crossing point. Patrol activities are conducted as usual, since the two no other arrest made besides three consecutive night ops which has been conducted along the border near konyokie at maji ya Bett from friday, with the two teams i.e iseyia and ngiro-are. No signs of poachers reported only movement animals throughout the night, since there's concentration of wildebeest immigration in the place.
I've also just had the chance to finally upload a video from National Geographic's Wild Chronicles to Kimojino's Vimeo account. Although filmed in February it's still just as relevant today - we still need to find alternative sources of funding.
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Welcome to Enkutoto
Posted: October 11, 2008, 4:49 pm by William
Enkutoto Manyatta
Just three of four kilometres from Oloololo Gate is Enkutoto Village. On a slightly higher elevation than the Mara with views that stretch out as far as Iseyia and beyond, the village is part of the Mara Triangle Maasai Villages Association and is home to six families and their cows.
Wilson Naitawang' with some of the Mammas from Enkutoto
Always welcome to having visitors at the village, Naitawang' has been keen to show me around and gave me and Saruni a full cultural visit.
It was a couple of hours well spent, and a far cry from the stories tourists bring us from 'the other side', where villagers are desperate to sell you their wares because they often don't see a penny that comes in from the entrance ticket. Just the other week, when I was putting up posters for the Mara Triangle Maasai Village Association over at Purungat (Mara Bridge), a visiting lady got quite angry with me when I told her how the system worked (or didn't) on the Narok side and after spending two or three days with her tour driver she couldn't entertain the idea that he might have pocketed the money.
Enkutoto have seen some great changes since the Association formed, and despite always having had tourists to their village, with the Association in place they now have had the chance to do the following:
- Build a nursery for the small children of Enkutoto.
- Pay for all school fees at local schools, for around 50 children.
- Take persons who are sick to the hospital.
- Dig a bore hole for the village (for water).
- Develop a project of 12 Bee Hives; the honey is then sold to Kichwa Tembo.
They also have plans to send some of the young men to driving and guiding schools, to open up some wholesale shops at the local centres to sell beads wholesale and, they also want to buy a community owned car so that they can take sick people to the hospitals themselves if need be.
Wilson Naitawang' and Ben Ntaiya, who are from Enkutoto and are Committee members of Mara Triangle Maasai Villages Association.
We have recently noticed that not nearly enough of the tour operators in Nairobi recognise the Association and still send their clients direct to the villages to 'buy' their tickets there. And so we are working on making sure that every tour operator is aware of the system and purchases their tickets in advance, in Nairobi, so despite visitor numbers been down for this year there will still be visits to the villages which will fully benefit the communities.
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BBC Big Cat Diaries: The Return of Notch?
Posted: October 10, 2008, 11:29 am by William
Sarah Skinner has been a great friend and visitor to the Mara Triangle for many years now, and wrote recently to Wilson Naitoi with identification of Notch from the BBC show Big Cat Diaries as the old male in our coalition of 'Six Boys'.
Notch in September 2008, by Andy Skinner.
Certainly some of the strongest males we have in the Mara Triangle, with Notch the strongest of the group, Sarah tells us:
it was so nice to see them, and I am almost 100% they are the males that were kicked out of the pride over the river near the Marsh/paradise plains in Set 2007, that as you say used to and do cross over the river. One of them I think used to feature on the BBC big cat diary. We have done an ID on the ear patterns and whisker patterns on the dark maned boy (our favourite) and almost sure that it is the old Marsh pride male (Notch) and his sons, quite strange that he is still with his boys, they are obviously all very tolerant, more than normal!
I have attached for you to see. See what you think, we last photographed him 2 years ago so he is looking much older now. There are now 3 males in the Marsh pride (nr Gov) that took over Notch last Sept, so I can’t see him being in a hurry to cross back over, especially all the time the migration is in swing.
Notch 2006
Notch 2008?
Notch 2006
Notch 2008?
Notch 2006
Notch 2008?
Andy and I were over the moon to find him, thanks to you, and was so special that he sat and roared, that’s one cat that’s not giving up! Amazing if so as he has just been overthrown and he must be 9/10 by now - look after him, he's an old boy now!
Long live Notch and his boys!
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Migration back in Triangle, big crossings expected.
Posted: October 9, 2008, 9:45 am by William
Since the beginning of the week the wildebeest have been coming up from Serengeti, especially concentrating around the Sand River area down towards Purungat (Mara Bridge), and have made their way up to the Salt Lick and Milima Tatu area.
Yesterday we also saw many wildebeest coming towards the Mara River from the Narok side, and there was a big crossing in the afternoon. We expect more crossings today and maybe for the rest of the week.
Wildebeest start to gather on the Narok side of the river.
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Electric Dung (or reason number 1,004 on why a Maasai loves his cow)
Posted: October 8, 2008, 10:34 am by William
Yesterday Ben Longisa, who is on the committee of the Mara Triangle Maasai Villages Association, took Saruni and I up to Enkereri Village to look at the bio-gas project that has recently been installed.
Ben next to the 'outtage'.
The project is brilliantly simple:
At one end, each day, you put in two wheelbarrow's full of cow dung, along with 80 litres of water, and give it a mix.
In here, and stir.
At the risk of sounding too scientific, the slop then passes underground to this big round thing which gurgles and burps, and gives off a gas.
Saruni and Ben next to the big round thing.
The gas is then piped off into the houses and connected to a gas stove.
Ben lighting the stove.
At first the ladies of the village were slightly terrified that the gas would blow them all up. But now that they are getting used to it they seem to like it very much.
Interesting facts to know:
Cost of Small bio-gas project like one above: 4 - 500,000 KES (approx. US $6,000)
Cost of Large bio-gas project: 6 - 700,000 KES
Project above currently provides enough gas for 10 stoves.
Friends of Conservation were able to support three quarters of the project, but the other quarter came from the village themselves. They were able to initiate and help pay for this project thanks to all of the tourists who visited their manyatta and paid a full entrance fee by going through the Mara Triangle Maasai Villages Association. Pretty incredible.
The project dramatically reduces the human wildlife conflict for the village as the women with stoves no longer have to go out into the bush to look for firewood, and it also means that the trees will get a chance to grow back.
The area around Enkereri.
The other great thing is that the used up dung that comes out the other side can be squashed into briquettes which can then be sold to camps and lodges as an alternative to firewood. And of course I must not forget the title of this post, Electric Dung, as eventually when the project is able to develop, it will also be possible to generate electricity from the dung and finally bring light into people's homes.
So if you're visiting the Mara Triangle make sure you take a trip to visit the villages. Even if you've already been before, now you know that each time you go you are helping support good conservation in the area.
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Speeding Kills
Posted: October 7, 2008, 10:53 am by William
Yesterday Wilson Naitoi went on 'off' so I went with Ranger Maritim on an anti-animal harassment patrol in Cheetah I. It was a very enjoyable drive and it was great to see all of the drivers sticking to the park rules and to see that the number of tyre tracks that stray from the roads is now minimal.
Really the drivers are doing a great job and the Mara Triangle now looks so much better than it did in previous years -without the scars of a persistant off-roader.
When six-thirty came however and it was time to be back to the lodges, suddenly there was this race between the drivers to get back first -they were even over-taking each other on corners. I was really surprised and we tried to keep up to stop a few, we were going at 55 - 60 when the speed limit is 50, but we were still unable to catch up.
I'm not sure why suddenly when drivers have been sticking to park rules up until this point, that at the very end when the sun is setting and visibility is poor, the drivers decide to speed up.
This hyrax was hit by a car this morning inside the Serena compound.
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1.2 Millions Shillings Raised at Karen Blixen Event
Posted: October 6, 2008, 8:34 pm by William
Last Friday Wildlife Allies held a fundraiser at Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens, with all money raised going to the Mara Conservancy.
It was an incredible act of generosity from everyone involved and the amount raised reached 1.2 million Kenyan shillings (approx US $16,500!). We would first like to thank the Wildlife Allies commitee for all the incredible hard work that they have put in over the past couple of months organising the event - the evening was great fun and the outcome amazing. A huge thank you to Bonnie, Bev, Lucille, Nish, Jeremy, Gary, Jake and Linda - thank you so much.
Thank you also to all those who gave items for auction and for the raffle, and we would also like to thank of course all those who showed up and supported the conservancy, and thank you to all the sponsors: The Karen Blixen Coffee Garden, Cheli & Peacock, Powertech, Mr. Peter Achammer, Chairmania, Westland Florists, Karen Provision Store, Gilani Foods, Wine Masters, Ennsvalley Bakery, House of Waine and Mr. Aswhin Patel.
Apart from being a great success, the evening was an incredible amount of fun with excellent food and great company. Wildlife Allies wish to continue to raise funds for emergency issues arising in wildlife conservation in Kenya, and we at the Mara Conservancy wish them the very best of luck and will continue to support their fundraising efforts. We urge everyone else in Kenya to do the same!
Our Kenya, Our Responsibility.
There's a couple of photos over at Asuka's blog here.
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September's Monthly Report is now online.
Posted: October 3, 2008, 5:36 pm by William
Go here for the download.
If you like what you read please consider supporting our work by making a donation using the donation widget on the right hand side of this page. It is much appreciated.
Thank you.
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Dupoto Bird List, Donations Now Welcome, & Win! LOTS of Stuff
Posted: October 1, 2008, 2:59 pm by William
DUPOTO FOREST
There's quite a lot of news from Dupoto Forest which will soon follow, but for now take a look at the Bird List by Kamande over on the Dupoto Page. This is the first bird list and there is already a longer, second list which I'll put up once it makes it way to me.
DONATIONS NOW WELCOME
The keen eyed among you will notice that there is now a donation widget on this and other pages on the website. It's a simple chip-in widget that securely accepts one-off donations through paypal, which will go entirely to the Mara Conservancy.
WIN SO MUCH STUFF IT'S UNTRUE
Fancy owning 3 limited edition prints by Jonathan Scott? Or an autographed set of 3 Big Cat Diary Books? Or in fact, any of the following which will be auctioned on 3rd October at the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden Fundraiser?
- Autographed print of international award winning photograph by Angela Scott
- Set of six, signed limited edition bird prints by Peter Blackwell
- Four Guilded antique wildlife coins
- Two nights at Hemingway's Resort and two round trip tickets to the coast
- Framed, autographed, limited edition print by Nickki Theunis
- 2 Nights at Gamewatcher's Camp
- 2 Nights Turtle Bay
- 2 Nights Island Camp
- 2 Nights Karen Blixen Coffee Garden
- 1 Night Giraffe Manor
- 1 Night Ngong House
- Voucher for Serena Hotel
- + many more prizes
If you're in Nairobi you need to get yourself to the event of the year:
Where: Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens, Nairobi
When: Friday 3rd October
Tickets: 6,000 Kes - 10,000 for a pairGet in touch now for your invitation and do not hesitate to use the 'Share Article' or 'Email Article' links below to spread the word among all those who you think will enjoy the event. Karibuni!
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Please don't do this - it's really very dangerous.
Posted: September 30, 2008, 4:28 pm by William
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3 Day Patrol in Serengeti: 6 poachers arrested and a large bump to head.
Posted: September 27, 2008, 11:00 am by William
On Tuesday 23rd, rangers from Iseyia Station went out on a joint patrol with the Tanzanian Rangers (TANAPA). They have only now just got back to Iseyia, and Warden Edward Nkoitoi and Assistant Warden Naiguran are here to report on the patrol:
We left on the evening of the 23rd for a three day patrol with TANAPA. We met up with the Tanzanian rangers at Balangoja, which is a small station with just three small buildings to house rangers. Nearby the Tanzanians are building a bigger, more permanent station which will be up on a hill. Maybe 200 metres away from this small station. It will be a very good station.
On the 24th we made the arrest of two poachers at Balangoja. They were both young, aged 18 and 16.
it was the third time that we had arrested the 18 year old, the boy in the purple trousers. They had been camped out for two days and with seven snares they had killed two zebras and one eland.
On the night of the 25th we went out again and came across six poachers. We chased them for a long time but the poachers did not realise that we were split into two groups. Up ahead in the direction that they were running half of our team were laying down ready for an ambush. Naiguran and his men carried out the chase, following the men for some time and then leaving a distance to give the impression that the poachers had made their escape.
It was about four in the morning, with no moon in the sky, and so it is hard to see for more than just two or three metres. Naiguran radioed ahead to tell the rangers that the poachers were on their way. and then he and his team also prepared an ambush.
The poachers ran close to the ambush but at the last moment they could sense the rangers and turned around to head back towards Naiguran and his men. The rangers had closed in on the men, but one of the poachers was running full speed towards Naiguran and it was only when he was a couple of metres away did Naiguran realise that he was not going to slow down and they they were going to collide head on.
He crouched down and his head met with the ribs of the man at such a force that they cried out.
You can see in the above picture, the man in the middle, he is still in pain. Naiguran also was in pain and there is still a big lump on his head. We are very lucky that the man was not running with his spear.
We arrested three of the poachers, and three escaped. They had killed a male impala and caught two fish. They were not hunting with snares, only with sticks, dogs and spotlights.
Here you can see Naiguran standing while the three poachers are being interviewed by the Tanzanian ranger. He is taking down all their details ready for the men to be taken to the Tanzanian police station. On our patrol we also had a Tanzanian Police Corporal who was with us for the whole patrol, and it was he who took them to the station.
Yesterday we made the arrest of one more poacher in the Milima Hotel area. He was with a panga, three snares and a sword.
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Sick lion missing.
Posted: September 21, 2008, 6:53 pm by William
A sick male lion was reported near Kichwa Airstrip, which had not been feeding well for almost a week and was losing its condition. The vet was called but unfortunately was not available.
There haven't been any recent sightings of the lion and so we are not sure of what his status is now.
We have also informed the vet of a lion with a snare caught around his body, and an elephant with a snare around its neck.
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And the rains continue...
Posted: September 21, 2008, 5:24 pm by William
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Are there otters in Dupoto Forest?
Posted: September 20, 2008, 11:10 am by William
Asuka had some carnivore researchers staying with her last week and together they went to Dupoto Forest to check for tracks.
One of the first tracks they found was the fresh print of a leopard.
But then further along by the river they found another track..
We think it may be a spotted necked otter, which is very possible because the river in the forest runs all year long. It would be a great find as the spotted necked otter is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
A Spotted Necked Otter on flickr, taken by Charlene-SJ
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Unusually high rainfall in the Mara
Posted: September 19, 2008, 10:55 pm by William
For what used to be the dry season, there has been an exceptional amount of rain this past week in the Mara.
We've had more rain than we had in this year's rainy season, with the bottom road that runs along from Iseyia to Oloololo completely flooded.
There were deep trenches dug into the road from where vehicles have been passing in the wet conditions, and it has been up to our Road Team to work long days to keep the roads open.
A big thank you to the Road Team for all their extra efforts, lets hope that this rain does not continue...
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Fundraiser at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden in Nairobi
Posted: September 18, 2008, 9:53 pm by William
On Friday 3rd October there will be a fundraiser at Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens in Nairobi. The event organisers are currently looking for sponsors for the events, for the following categories:
Big Five Title Sponsors:
Exclusive branding of the car park; Exclusive Branding on the Invites; Branding in the Sponsors' Lounge; Branding in the Dinner Tent; 4 Corporate Tables of 8 persons; Full Page Cover Advert in the Event Programme; Pre-event Cocktails in the Sponsors' Lounge. Sponsoship Amount: KSH 1,000,000
Elephant Sponsor:
Branding in the Dinner Tent; Branding in the Sponsors' Lounge; 3 Corporate tables for 8 persons; Full Page Advert in the Event Programme; Pre-Event Cocktails in the Sponsors' Lounge. Sponsorship Amount: KSH 600,000
Rhino Sponsor:
Branding in the Dinner Tent; Branding in the Sponsors' Lounge; 2 Corporate Tables of 8; Half Page Advert in the Event Programme; Pre-Event Cocktails in the Sponsors' Lounge. Sponsorship Amount: KSH 550,000
Leopard Sponsor:
Branding in the Dinner Tent; Branding in the Sponsors' Lounge; 1 Corporate Table of 8; Quarter Page Advert in the Event Programme; Pre-Event Cocktails in the Sponsors' Lounge. Sponsorship Amount: KSH 500,000
Lion Sponsor:
Branding in the Sponsors' Lounge; 1 Corporate Table of 8; Pre-Event Cocktails in the Sponsors' Lounge; Logo in the Event Programme. Sponsorship Amount: KSH 100,000
Buffalo Sponsor:
Pre-Event Cocktails in the Sponsors' Lounge; Dinner for Twol Recognition in the Event Programme. Sponsorship Amount: KSH 50,000
If you should wish to sponsor one of the above categories, donate prizes for the raffle or attend the event, please get in touch.
More details to follow.
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Cheetah dies from mange.
Posted: September 16, 2008, 4:13 pm by William
In our August monthly report we reported on the two cheetahs, brother and sister, who had been found with mange and been looked at by Dr Dominic Mijele.
Unfortunately the operation was unsuccessful and the animals soon after disappeared for some time. Only recently had they been sighted again in the Mara Triangle, and rangers found that the sister had died yesterday near the Tanzanian border.
For the last two days the brother has been remaining with the carcass of its sister, protecting it from the vultures and hyenas.
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Celebrating the Big 100!
Posted: September 9, 2008, 2:47 pm by William
Each time Mara Conservancy rangers make 100 arrests we celebrate the occasion by having a party at the Mara Conservancy with lots of speeches and nyama choma. On Sunday we had another one of these parties but this time not to celebrate 100 arrests, but instead the $100,000 raised by Dr Asuka Takita.
Asuka and Jane at the party.
To date, Asuka has now raised $112,500 through supporters and well wishers in Japan who have persistently made contributions towards our work for the last six months. It is greatly appreciated and a sincere thank you from all of us here.
Also a great big thank you to all of those who have supported us through WildlifeDirect, you have helped raise over $60,000 and for that we are truly grateful. As those of you who receive our monthly report will know, we have recently received our annual audit for our accounts ending on 31st May 2008 and we managed to finish with only a small defecit of 110,177 Kes, approx US $1,500, which is absolutely amazing.
This was managed by making quite substantial cutbacks since the post-election violence in January, and of course from the massive support we have received from all around the world.
Celebrating the Big 100
We are very lucky that there was a return of tourists to the Mara for these past few weeks, although not as high as previous years it has been a huge help to our budget. Unfortunately I did visit all of the camps and lodges in and around the Mara Triangle last week and it seems that we will be returning to a level of uncertainty with bookings very low for the coming months.
We will of course carry on and we thank all of you for your tremendous support. A special thank you also to Anne Kent Taylor Fund, CMC Motors, Lesley Roach, US Fisheries and Wildlife Services and WildlifeDirect for all their support.
Thank you everyone.
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Dr Kashmiri, may you rest in peace.
Posted: September 8, 2008, 12:49 pm by William
We were deeply shocked to hear of the death of Dr Zahoor Kashmiri on the 2nd September. He was killed by an elephant whilst darting it in Ethiopia. Dr Kashmiri assisted the Conservancy in treating a number of animals that had been injured, or snared, in the Mara before the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Sheldrick Trust deployed a veterinarian in the Mara. He was always extremely professional in his treatment and handling of animals and never failed to respond promptly to any requests for assistance. Dr Kashmiri lived in Mombasa and would fly up at a moments notice; he never charged for his services or time and was unfailingly gracious and cheerful when assisting us.
Numerous animals owe their lives to Dr Kashmiri’s dedication and skill. We, in the Conservancy, and many others, will always remember him as a wonderful, warm person, skillful veterinarian and dedicated conservationist.
Brian Heath
CEO, Mara Conservancy
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What's the best way to stop a wildbeest crossing?
Posted: September 2, 2008, 9:15 am by William
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The lions collide as the migration continues.
Posted: September 1, 2008, 7:56 pm by William
At the time of the wildebeest is when the lions' territories often overlie. As the wildebeest move across the mara plains, following the rains that fall, the lions also follow and move in and out of each others territories.
Two male lions march towards two lionesses.
This morning in just one small area I saw fifteen lions, which started with two lionesses that had made a kill near the marram pit.
The two lionesses tuck into a wildebeest.
Further along I then saw a single male lion move into an area where there were two males and two females. I thought that the males were going to fight, but instead the females got up to leave and follow two hyaenas who were feasting on a carcass.
The male follows the female across a plain.
The female finally sits and the male approaches.
The male then forces himself on the female.
The two females look on as the male leaves.
As I was coming to the end of my patrol I came across this road block near Egyptian Goose.
And then this King was very thirsty after a feast of wildebeest.
A wonderful morning full of lions at every stop.
Wilson Naitoi
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We are away and broken.
Posted: August 23, 2008, 10:39 am by William
Dear all
I will be away for the next week and the computer monitor in the Control Room just yesterday decided to give up the ghost.
Sadly this means that you won't be hearing much from the Mara Triangle over these next few days. I will occasionally be on email, so will be able to reply to messages sent directly to us through the Contact Form.
If anyone in Nairobi, or even Kenya, has an old computer monitor lying around, please let us know.
All the best.
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US Fish & Wildlife Service have given us $50,000
Posted: August 22, 2008, 12:14 pm by William
We're very pleased to announce that US Fish & Wildlife Service have given us a grant of $50,000 to help contribute towards our rangers' salaries and day and night patrols. The grant is for a six month period, and gives us an extra $8,300 for each month. This is going to be a great help, especially as the tourist industry reports low occupancy rates for the rest of 2008.
A great big thank you to Michelle from USFWS who has helped us through the application, and also to WildlifeDirect who have also been instrumental in making this happen. Thank you.
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Dupoto Forest now open for visitors
Posted: August 21, 2008, 3:02 pm by William
Elias W Kamande, Field Coordinator for the Care for the Wild and Ann Kent Taylor Fund, went last week with community scouts and rangers from Oloololo Gate to meet with the Dupoto Forest & Wildlife Association.William Narike crouching down on left, Elias Kamande with binoculars and Mamaiyo in uniform.
Community Scouts used to patrol the area some time back, and joined up with the Association to patrol the areas where they used to witness high poaching activities. Kamande tells me that this time they saw no evidence of poachers and are really impressed with the work of the Association.Community Scouts, Rangers and Dupoto Association, patrol Nyakwere Forest.
One day patrol was not enough to cover the whole of the forest, and so rangers and community scouts will return for another two to three day patrol some time next week.
Kamande is also a very keen birder and is going to help the Association compile a list of the bird species to be found in the forest. He reports that although the patrol was carried out in midday, they were able to spot Schalow's Turaco and Ross's Turaco. Sometimes we only hear Schalow's here in the Mara, but Kamande says that it is very easy to take a photo of this bird in the forest. He also saw Luehder's Bushshrike, a lot of Greenbulls, and Nightjars.
Eventually we will be compiling a list to go on a website for the Association, but for now you can find out more about how to visit by either clicking on the Dupoto Forest photo on our home page, or by clicking here.
Apologies for the map for the Mara Triangle that wouldn't fully open yesterday - this problem has now been fixed.
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Serena Station has been wiped off the map...
Posted: August 20, 2008, 3:41 pm by William
...and instead is replaced by Iseyia Station.
It seemed a bit strange to be named after the nextdoor lodge, and so the move has been made to rename the Mara Conservancy headquarters. Iseyia is Maa for the long grass which can be found in the marshes, and is also the name we have given to the public campsite that is closeby.
We have also given a Maa name to our Outpost at Mara Bridge, which is now called Purungat.
Rangers at Purunagat Bridge, which is the Maa name for the plains across from the bridge.
There have also been some other small changes:
Serena Camp is now Iseyia Camp
The BBC Camp is now Nolmaiman Camp - which means area of the Monitor Lizards.
Nyati Camp is now Olarro Camp - named after the time when rangers found poachers in the area with buffalo meat.
GSU Camp is now Eluai Camp - named after the plain that runs from the escarpment to the hills; Eluai is Maa for something that stretches across.
It will take a while before the names become permanent, but you can already see the changes here on our new map. On the map you will see the inclusion of all campsites, as well as Ngiro-are and areas like Salt Lick, which was where poachers snared the lion on Sunday.
For those of you who have been reading our blog through a feed reader, you may not have noticed that we now have a new website with extra photo and video galleries, a forum, plus extra information for those who want to visit the area. Click here to take a look for yourself.
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One of our lions was killed.
Posted: August 19, 2008, 7:17 pm by William
Four days ago, four poachers came into the Mara Triangle and set up a camp at Salt Lick. It has been very dry recently and so many of the animals in the Triangle have been visiting that area as there is always water, and they also like to lick the salt that naturally occurs in the soil.
During the migration the Salt Lick is often full of animals, and so the lions also like to stay there and take their pick from the animals that come down to water. A couple of years ago one of the lionesses even gave birth in the long reeds and was able to sustain her litter by hunting right next to the Lick. This year a pride of two males, five females, and six cubs all decided to reside in the area.
Four days ago the poachers set up their camp and put out their snares, intending to catch wildebeest or zebra, or any type of antelope, but instead this Sunday evening one of their snares caught one of our large male lions.
Rangers, poachers, and the skin of the male lion.
The poachers' camp is on a hill which gives them a vantage point over the Salt Lick and up towards where our rangers approach. Today our rangers approached from behind and caught all four poachers still sat in their camp. They had already skinned the lion, which was laying out to dry.
The skinned lion.
Rangers found a total of fifteen snares, and as well as the lion the poachers managed to snare and kill one wildebeest. Simon Trevor, who is here filming a four part film on the Mara Conservancy, was also there, and you can see him in the video filming and asking questions to the rangers at the camp.
Even though the poachers were from Tanzania, because they were arrested here in Kenya we have taken them to Kilgoris police station.
It has been a very long and sad day for all of us here.
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Video of poachers arrested yesterday morning
Posted: August 19, 2008, 2:51 pm by William
Francis Peenko, the Acting Sargent at Iseyia Station (formerly known as Serena Station) has brought the following photos and videos of events yesterday:
Poachers with Wildebeest carcasses.
Rangers from Iseyia and Ngiro-are went out yesterday morning and arrested four poachers near the border. They had killed a total of five wildebeest.
Seventeen snares were also collected from the men. Below is a video of the arrest.
Rangers set fire to bush meat.
We have also heard over the radio today that another four poachers were caught in the Salt Lick area, and that one of their snares has caught a lion. I'm not yet sure on the status of the lion but will let you know shortly.
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Poachers and Computers
Posted: August 14, 2008, 10:20 am by William
Ranger John Kintae is telling me about the OP yesterday:
Yesterday we went out on an OP (Observation Point) at 4pm till 7pm in the Kokamange area in Serengeti, and on the way to the OP we found a young zebra caught in a snare.
It took only three minutes to catch and release the zebra, because it was still so young. There were no injuries.
It was a joint OP with Serena and Ngiro-are Teams, as well as TANAPA (Tanzanian Rangers). While they were observing they saw three poachers coming in from the villages, and so immediately we gave chase and managed to arrest two, and one narrowly escaped.
One of the poachers in front of a burn. Poachers often burn the grass to encourage animals to come and graze in that area on the new shoots.
Rangers will be going out again today on a late patrol in the same area.
Recently we have also been able to find an old computer which we have put into the control room here at the main station. This now means that all the rangers here at Serena have access to the internet, and are able to read and stay up to date with the Mara Triangle blog, and also answer any questions that you may have.
Cheryiot and Kintae in front of the computer.
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Can elephant pooh save the Mara?
Posted: August 13, 2008, 7:44 pm by William
And it's not even from our elephants.
Colleen, a great supporter of the Mara Conservancy, has come up with an innovative idea to sell journals and greeting cards made from elephant pooh, with all profits going to the Mara Conservancy.
Elephant Journals - "they're total crap."
Made from 100% elephant dung, when you buy these products not only are you raising money for the Mara Conservancy but you will also be helping elephant conservation projects in Thailand.
Greeting Cards - "send your friends crap in the post."
Go right now to Colleen's blog about Wild Eles to find out more and buy some for you and all your friends.
A great big thank you to Colleen for her ongoing support and all her fundraising ideas - Thank you!
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The Last Indigenous Forest of Maasai Land
Posted: August 11, 2008, 11:24 pm by William
"Dupoto members are proud to offer you a forest walk passing through splendid indigenous forest where hundreds of colourful butterflies are dancing in sunny spots."
A brilliant introduction to what is an absolutely stunning place.
Nyakweri Forest - the largest remaining forest of Trans-Mara.
It just so happens that Asuka's dog handler, Lesingo, is also part of the Dupoto Wildlife & Forest Association, and so Asuka got to hear about this incredible forest and went to visit a few times, and also helped to update their brochure. Then just a couple of weeks ago I went along, and then last week we took Brian up to take a look.
Covering 500 squared kilometres and dominated by huge East African Olives, Dispyros, Wild Olive, Kenya Greenheart and Manikara Butugi trees, as well as a home to Buffaloes, Zebras, Impalas, Waterbucks,and, a breeding ground for Elephants, it truly is an incredible place. And that's before you consider the 200 plus species of birds - Turacos, Trogans, Eagles, Wood-hoopoes, Hornbills, etc... - and the large melanistic leopards that have been spotted in the area.
Leopard footprints.
The forest forms part of the dispersal area for the animals of the Masai Mara Reserve, and also is very important in terms of water catchment. The Association has been around for the last ten years, and the young men have been protecting the forest and the animals against poachers and charcoal makers because they understand how much they need the forest.
Dupoto Wildlife & Forest Association
They haven't had many visitors in the last ten years - from what I gathered it was less than forty. But every penny they've made so far they've put back into making this a destination for visitors - above you see a perfect picnic spot with proper toilets behind, and they are even building a welcoming centre just before you enter the forest.
Welcome Centre & Toilets.
There is also a tree nursery, from which they've been supplying the local school. Although I'm sure they would welcome other customers.
Tree Nursery.
Dupoto means eternity in Maa and is the perfect name for the dream of the Association; to keep the forest forever. And all they need to keep the forest is for people to visit and enjoy themselves. Once they've completed the welcome centre they would like to then put the money back into the community by building a school and digging a borehole, so that local people see a value from the forest which is more than from cutting it down and cultivating. A good thing, as crop fields are now coming up to the edge of the forest.
As you can see we've put a banner up for the Dupoto Forest on our front page, and soon to follow will be a website to help them market themselves better. It would be great if we could get something going with the lodges and camps like there is for the Mara Triangle Maasai Village Association (their website has just gone live, although there still needs to be a lot more content added), which I'm sure it will as a walk through the forest is such a lovely change for visitors to the Mara after being sat all the time in a car.
We will keep you updated as things progress, but for now here are the prices and if you want to visit then get in touch and we'll pass you on to the right people.
Adult Guided Walk 1,000 KES
Child Guided Walk 500 KES
Adult Camping 1,500 KES
Child Camping 1,000 KES
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Probably the most photographed eland in the whole of the Masai Mara.
Posted: August 9, 2008, 10:08 pm by William
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An Open Cinema in Dupoto Forest
Posted: August 8, 2008, 1:31 pm by William
On Tuesday morning, Asuka and Simon Trevor from African Environmental Film Foundation went up to visit the young men from Dupoto Forest Association, and show them the film, Natural Security.
The film raises many conservation issues that affect communities all across Kenya; from the importance of marines and forests, the results of over-grazing, over-fishing, bush-meat hunting, charcoal making, and, also the importance of communities working together to benefit from their natural surroundings.
Once the film was finished they insisted that the film was shown again, and rounded up all of the children, men and women from the nearby bomas. By the end of the second showing there was more than sixty people watching the film.
We've been going up to Dupoto Forest quite regularly recently and are really impressed by the young men there who have taken the initiative to protect the trees and presere the area. As you may have noticed on the front page of maratriangle.org there is a photo advertising Dupoto Forest, and we hope to soon have a website and posters for the Association so that more tourists can find out about their work and visit what is one of the last indigenous Maasai forests.
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Which of the following 'park rules' were broken in the last ten days?
Posted: August 4, 2008, 1:20 am by William
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July's Monthly Report
Posted: August 4, 2008, 1:26 pm by William
July's monthly report is ready to download. We're working on a new format so please let us know if you are having any problems with it.
Please also make sure that if you are subscribed to the Mara Triangle by RSS that your feed address is up to date: Click here for the Mara Triangle RSS.
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"The camera is shaking because I was so afraid."
Posted: August 3, 2008, 10:34 pm by William
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Over $5,000 donated through WildlifeDirect
Posted: August 3, 2008, 9:12 pm by William
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The Tireless Support of CMC
Posted: July 25, 2008, 5:12 pm by William
Just one week ago our tyres were bald. Completely bald. But we now have brand spanking new ones on the Landcruiser, Cheetah II and Cheetah III vehicles.
Which means a lot less punctures and a happier Saitoti.
Mechanic Joshua Saitoti with Landcruiser
A huge thank you to CMC Motors, Kenya, for the endless donations in spare parts.
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The Tireless Support of CMC
Posted: July 25, 2008, 5:12 pm by William
Just one week ago our tyres were bald. Completely bald. But we now have brand spanking new ones on the Landcruiser, Cheetah II and Cheetah III vehicles.
Which means a lot less punctures and a happier Saitoti.
Mechanic Joshua Saitoti with Landcruiser
A huge thank you to CMC Motors, Kenya, for the endless donations in spare parts.
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CNN, Corporate Responsibility, & Just a Band.
Posted: July 23, 2008, 7:27 pm by William
A great big thank you to David Mackenzie and Fabien Muhire who were here last week to cover our story for CNN. You can read about it here, watch it here, and comment over here on Anderson Cooper’s blog.
The story went out on Friday, and since then we’ve had almost $3,000 in donations which is going to help tremendously. Thank you to all of you who have donated so far.
As requested, today I sent an email out to the managers of camps and lodges who use the Mara Triangle with regards to their involvement in local conservation. Once we have more information we will share this with you.
For those in Nairobi next Friday, if I was there I would definitely be going to the opening night of Kwani Literature Festival with the brilliant Ugo and the first live performance of the outstanding Just a Band; browse their site and watch their videos now.
If anyone knows of a ride going from Mara to Nairobi, let me know.
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CNN, Corporate Responsibility, & Just a Band.
Posted: July 23, 2008, 7:27 pm by William
A great big thank you to David Mackenzie and Fabien Muhire who were here last week to cover our story for CNN. You can read about it here, watch it here, and comment over here on Anderson Cooper's blog.
The story went out on Friday, and since then we've had almost $3,000 in donations which is going to help tremendously. Thank you to all of you who have donated so far.
As requested, today I sent an email out to the managers of camps and lodges who use the Mara Triangle with regards to their involvement in local conservation. Once we have more information we will share this with you.
For those in Nairobi next Friday, if I was there I would definitely be going to the opening night of Kwani Literature Festival with the brilliant Ugo and the first live performance of the outstanding Just a Band; browse their site and watch their videos now.
If anyone knows of a ride going from Mara to Nairobi, let me know.
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10 Good Reasons for You to Support Our Work
Posted: July 18, 2008, 10:49 am by William
Post-election violence in Kenya was followed by a collapse in tourism, which shows no signs of recovery in the coming months. Although we were dependent upon park entrance fees to run all park operations in the Mara Triangle, a drop in tourism isn’t a reason for you to help. Instead, here are ten good reasons on why you should support our work today.1. The lion population is increasing.
When the Mara Conservancy started in 2001, the lion population in the Mara Triangle was down to around 40 individuals, and was so fragmented that there were no strong prides that could provide support to young cubs. With ongoing cooperation from the local communities, we have now seen a 50% rise in the population to more than 60 individuals over the age of one.
2. We have arrested more than 1,100 poachers.Before the initiation of the Mara Conservancy, poaching was rife inside the Mara Triangle with permanent poacher camps inside the park’s borders, making many areas unsafe for both wild animals and tourists. Since 2001, with a security team of 40 rangers carrying out both daily and nightly patrols, poaching has been dramatically reduced. An improved ,trans-border working partnership with Serengeti rangers also better protects a larger area.
3. We collect thousands upon thousands of wire snares.Wire snares are used by poachers to trap animals such as antelopes, zebras and hippos. Unfortunately however they are indiscriminate in what they catch, and we’ve seen many casualties including giraffes, hyaenas, lions, cheetahs and elephants. By collecting hundreds of snares weekly we have saved the lives and limbs of literally thousands of animals.
4. We have the support of the Local Community.Cattle rustling was an enormous problem among the local communities, with hundreds of cattle lost each year to neighbouring Tanzania. The Mara Conservancy employed Community Scouts, equipped with radios, to report on all illegal activities including poaching and rustling. Rangers are then alerted each time rustling takes place and have been able to retrieve hundreds of cattle -saving livelihoods and improving security in the area.
5. We want that support to continue.Predators such as lions and leopards frequently kill livestock belonging to the community. Until February 2008, we compensated communities living next to the Mara Triangle for cattle lost to predators, but have since not been able to do so because of lack of funds. The Cattle Compensation Scheme kept the critical balance needed between wildlife and people, and we thank the communities for their understanding so far.
6. We protect one of the highest concentrations of predators in Africa.The Masai Mara is well known for its big cats and our work is focused on keeping these populations strong and healthy. Bad behaviour from visitors to the park can lead to a disruption in normal hunting, feeding and nursing activities, and this has become one of the biggest threats to our predator populations. Even with tourist numbers low, our Anti-Animal Harassment Patrol Teams must be out daily to ensure predator protection.
7. We work to safeguard our environment.We believe that protecting our environment is crucial to the success and prosperity of the Mara Triangle, and are always looking for new ways to limit the environmental impact of visitors without lessening the enjoyment of their time here. We work with resident guides to help improve their game drives by maintaining or opening up new tracks that allow visitors to explore the Triangle with minimal damage to the area, and support initiatives by the Travel Foundation that encourage better guiding practices which will further protect the environment.
8. We have one of the greatest spectacles on earth.Each year an estimated one and a half million animals migrate up through the plains of the Serengeti and into the Masai Mara. During their stay here, at any one time, tens of thousands of wildebeest will cross the Mara River with some of the weaker animals succumbing to the strong river currents or the eagerly waiting Nile crocodile. We are always working to protect the important and delicate river zone, and have fought against the development of camps along its edge.
9. We believe in transparency.
The Mara Triangle is a World Wonder and the responsibility of its protection belongs to us all, and we know that if we want you to be part of its protection we have to be transparent with our work. Since 2001 we have circulated our Monthly Reports, including accounts and revenue, and are also accountable to WildlifeDirect for all donations received through their website. We have also stopped corruption by employing Earthview to handle all park ticket sales, and in the first seven years of operation revenue collected from park entrance fees had tripled.
10. We want future generations to see the Mara Triangle.The Mara Triangle is one of the most incredible places on earth. If you’ve read this far then you probably already have or want to visit and we want it to still be just as incredible when you arrive. And when your children arrive. And your children’s children.
It will be many months until tourism returns to a level that will sustain our work. Please help our work to continue by setting up a monthly donation today.
Thank you.
Receive the latest news from the Mara Triangle to your email inbox by clicking here.
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10 Good Reasons for You to Support Our Work
Posted: July 18, 2008, 10:49 am by William
Post-election violence in Kenya was followed by a collapse in tourism, which shows no signs of recovery in the coming months. Although we were dependent upon park entrance fees to run all park operations in the Mara Triangle, a drop in tourism isn't a reason for you to help. Instead, here are ten good reasons on why you should support our work today. 1. The lion population is increasing.
When the Mara Conservancy started in 2001, the lion population in the Mara Triangle was down to around 40 individuals, and was so fragmented that there were no strong prides that could provide support to young cubs. With ongoing cooperation from the local communities, we have now seen a 50% rise in the population to more than 60 individuals over the age of one.
2. We have arrested more than 1,100 poachers.Before the initiation of the Mara Conservancy, poaching was rife inside the Mara Triangle with permanent poacher camps inside the park's borders, making many areas unsafe for both wild animals and tourists. Since 2001, with a security team of 40 rangers carrying out both daily and nightly patrols, poaching has been dramatically reduced. An improved ,trans-border working partnership with Serengeti rangers also better protects a larger area.
3. We collect thousands upon thousands of wire snares.Wire snares are used by poachers to trap animals such as antelopes, zebras and hippos. Unfortunately however they are indiscriminate in what they catch, and we've seen many casualties including giraffes, hyaenas, lions, cheetahs and elephants. By collecting hundreds of snares weekly we have saved the lives and limbs of literally thousands of animals.
4. We have the support of the Local Community.
Cattle rustling was an enormous problem among the local communities, with hundreds of cattle lost each year to neighbouring Tanzania. The Mara Conservancy employed Community Scouts, equipped with radios, to report on all illegal activities including poaching and rustling. Rangers are then alerted each time rustling takes place and have been able to retrieve hundreds of cattle -saving livelihoods and improving security in the area.
5. We want that support to continue.Predators such as lions and leopards frequently kill livestock belonging to the community. Until February 2008, we compensated communities living next to the Mara Triangle for cattle lost to predators, but have since not been able to do so because of lack of funds. The Cattle Compensation Scheme kept the critical balance needed between wildlife and people, and we thank the communities for their understanding so far.
6. We protect one of the highest concentrations of predators in Africa.The Masai Mara is well known for its big cats and our work is focused on keeping these populations strong and healthy. Bad behaviour from visitors to the park can lead to a disruption in normal hunting, feeding and nursing activities, and this has become one of the biggest threats to our predator populations. Even with tourist numbers low, our Anti-Animal Harassment Patrol Teams must be out daily to ensure predator protection.
7. We work to safeguard our environment.We believe that protecting our environment is crucial to the success and prosperity of the Mara Triangle, and are always looking for new ways to limit the environmental impact of visitors without lessening the enjoyment of their time here. We work with resident guides to help improve their game drives by maintaining or opening up new tracks that allow visitors to explore the Triangle with minimal damage to the area, and support initiatives by the Travel Foundation that encourage better guiding practices which will further protect the environment.
8. We have one of the greatest spectacles on earth.Each year an estimated one and a half million animals migrate up through the plains of the Serengeti and into the Masai Mara. During their stay here, at any one time, tens of thousands of wildebeest will cross the Mara River with some of the weaker animals succumbing to the strong river currents or the eagerly waiting Nile crocodile. We are always working to protect the important and delicate river zone, and have fought against the development of camps along its edge.
9. We believe in transparency.The Mara Triangle is a World Wonder and the responsibility of its protection belongs to us all, and we know that if we want you to be part of its protection we have to be transparent with our work. Since 2001 we have circulated our Monthly Reports, including accounts and revenue, and are also accountable to WildlifeDirect for all donations received through their website. We have also stopped corruption by employing Earthview to handle all park ticket sales, and in the first seven years of operation revenue collected from park entrance fees had tripled.
10. We want future generations to see the Mara Triangle.The Mara Triangle is one of the most incredible places on earth. If you've read this far then you probably already have or want to visit and we want it to still be just as incredible when you arrive. And when your children arrive. And your children's children.
It will be many months until tourism returns to a level that will sustain our work. Please help our work to continue by setting up a monthly donation today.
Thank you.
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Bedding down with the Beests.
Posted: July 12, 2008, 8:14 pm by William
Wildebeest today on the move toward Milima TatuI went round most of the lodges and camps who are in or use the Mara Triangle yesterday delivering the posters for the Most Responsible Guide 2008 Award. There were some very nice camps indeed which would have looked lovely with guests in them.
In response to the comments left on the previous post, tourism is not as high as we had hoped for July. The industry is forecasting 50% for the months of July and August, although some of the camps I visited yesterday were completely empty. Forecast for the rest of the year after August, is back down to 20%.
It is true that there are many lodges and camps in the Masai Mara with over 4,000 beds, however the Masai Mara reserve falls under two county councils; Narok and Trans-Mara. The Mara Triangle is in Trans-Mara and is managed independently from the Narok side, and is dependent on the beds (guests) in lodges and camps in the Mara Triangle, or who use the Mara Triangle.
Wildebeest massing today.
So out of 4,000 beds in the Masai Mara, only 186 of these beds are inside the Triangle: 150 beds at Serena and 36 at Little Governors. We also collect revenue from four more lodges outside of the reserve who use the Triangle for their game drive: Olonana (24 beds), Mpata Safari Club (40 beds), Mara Siria (12 beds) and Kilima (20 beds).
This means that the Mara Conservancy collects park gate fees from those who sleep in a grand total of 282 beds. Which is not much compared to the Narok side; 850 beds inside the reserve (at the last count) and about 3,000 outside. This does mean less revenue for us, but it is what keeps the Mara Triangle so unique and beautiful - even when the tourists were here there were many parts of the Triangle which you could have all to yourself.
Before the crisis hi
