General
We had days of light rain and the occasional thunderstorm before one very heavy storm on the 10th. We then had ten days of glorious, sunny weather before the rains returned on the 22nd for a few days. If this weather pattern continues for the remainder of the long rains we can expect them to be average, or probably below average, a welcome respite from the exceptional rains we have been experiencing for the past year and a half.
We received another donation of US$ 100,000 (Ksh 10,600,000 at the current rate of exchange) from Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS) on the 6th. They have now donated a total of US$ 490,000 – absolutely amazing. We can not thank them enough for their faith in us and for their support.
We had a large delegation from Civil Aviation (KCAA), the Airports Authority (KAA), Environmental Monitoring (NEMA) and the Meteorological Department visit the Mara from the 8th. They were conducting a feasibility study on increasing the Angama airstrip and making it into an international airport. Work will probably be undertaken in three phases, with Phase 1 resurfacing and widening the current airstrip. Phase 2 would be to increase the length of the runway from 1.26 km to 2.5 km, making a large apron and building a terminal building. Phase 3 will be to make a parallel runway of 3.3 km, sufficient to cater for 120-150 passenger jets. The Phase 2 runway will then become a taxiway. Phase 3 is very ambitious and may not happen for a number of years.
We managed to burn three blocks on the 18th. It was a very slow and cool burn, but it at least removed the old, rank grass, bringing in new and green shoots.
We met with the new Sector Warden for the Northern Serengeti, Warden Mchau on the 30th. He visited together with his seniors from Kinyangaga and Lemai M/s Shayo and Manonga. We all reaffirmed our commitment to work together and we offered to repair the approach to the Kogatende causeway. This causeway is crucial ensuring good communication between the Lemai Wedge and the rest of the Northern Serengeti and one approach was washed away in recent rains.
Research
The upper link below is an animation of the paper being prepared by Ogutu et.al on the effect of fencing on Kenya’s migrations. The second link is a narrative on the same subject.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImEeEysqugw
https://researchfeatures.com/barriers-migration-negative-impact-fences-ungulate-populations-africa/
There is another interesting paper entitled:
Report on Climate Change-Induced Conflicts and Migration in Kenya (2016). S O Wandiga, J Kaoga, J Jaoko, V H Okongo, E Boruru, C Oludhe, J Olonde, P Tolo and R Waswa. University of Nairobi’s Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation.
The paper largely deals with Northern Kenya, mainly Samburu, Turkana and Pokot Counties but many of the issues and lessons could easily be applied to parts of Narok County, particularly the eastern dryland areas of the County. We are already seeing some migration from the drier areas towards the Mara ecosystem. This exacerbates an already difficult situation and adds more pressure on the dispersal areas.
Collaboration Agreement
We are still awaiting funding to continue with the projects in the Main Reserve, so very little has been happening.
COVID-19
The latest lockdown had a devastating effect on tourism and the hospitality industry. Within days flights to the Mara ceased and international visitors virtually stopped travelling to Kenya. This was exacerbated by Britain placing Kenya on the Red List and the United States issuing a Travel Advisory. Both actions seemed uncalled for. Kenya has worked very hard indeed to control the pandemic and the figures can attest to that: Kenya has had 159,318 cases and 2,724 deaths. The positivity rate is coming down from around 20% to around 10% and 876,708 people have been vaccinated.
Tourism
The lockdown announced by the President on the 23rd March had an immediate impact and within days we saw a drastic reduction in the number of visitors to the Mara. Although the Government made a point of saying that tourists would be able to visit, as long as they had conformed to all the Covid-19 protocols, and that there were no restrictions on their local travel, tourists stopped travelling.
The Mara was virtually empty over Easter, a time when the lodges and camps were expected to be full. The trend continued for the remainder of the month, with a trickle of residents and virtually no non-resident visitors.
Staff
We continue to have a low level of attrition as security staff request transfers back to the County and one or two people just don’t report to work. We are happy to accept this, as it helps cut our costs and are currently encouraging people to take as much time off as possible.
Wildlife
Our lions are finding it difficult to find food and are turning more and more to hunting buffalo. Several bull buffalo were killed this month.
Security
We arrested a total of seven people for poaching in April, all of them at night in the Limana area of the Lemai Wedge.
We had to spend a great deal of our time and resources in stopping the morans (warriors) from killing a lion in the Triangle. There was a scare on the 5th, when we received reports that 10-12 morans were seen on the escarpment and thereafter we were on constant alert, deploying teams all along the escarpment all day.
A hippo found butchered in the Lemai Wedge on the 2nd, had been dead three days. There was no sign of the poachers. Another butchered hippo was found downstream from Daraja Mbili on the 13th, it had been dead a few days, fresh tracks were seen of people hunting another hippo on the same day, they did not succeed.
Our combined teams managed to arrest two people on the night of the 14th. They went on an all-day patrol and then set up an ambush near Limana in the Lemai Wedge. They started seeing poacher activity across the river as soon as it became dark and then around 9.00 pm they watched as a group of seven poachers approached the ambush site. Two people were arrested around midnight, the others escaped. They were on their way to hunt with torches and dogs but had not killed anything.
Our ranger teams joined together with TANAPA (Tanzanian National Parks) for a day/night patrol on the 20th. They saw nothing during the day and then set up an ambush near Limana that evening. At 10.00 pm they watched, with the Flir camera, as six people approached. The rangers were directed into position and managed to arrest five of the six; they were on their way to hunt gazelle with torches and dogs when arrested – nothing had been killed. One of those arrested had been in the group that escaped a week before.
Revenue and Accounts
Our March revenue was half of the amount collected last year but at least we were beginning to see some visitors. However, with the current lockdown and restrictions placed by Britain and the United States, April will be almost as bad as last year. All the hopes for a limited recovery this year seem optimistic and we can expect another dismal year – the projections now are for no real recovery before 2023 - 4.
Our Management accounts for the first three quarters of the financial year continue to show just how difficult things are (Park fees are 16% of the previous year, ballooning is even worse at 7.9%). We don’t anticipate any significant improvement in the foreseeable future. Our one positive is that we have managed to retain expenditure very close to our reduced budget – there is a 1.45% variance.
Table 2. Summary of Cash flow for the first three quarters of 2021/22
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Repairs and maintenance
Grade “A” completed the crossing near the Kichwa airstrip on the 5th, it is far more substantial than the original, with four 900 mm culverts and it is now half a meter higher.
We re-routed the road around Seur’s drift and managed to re-surface and grade part of the road to Nigro-are before the rains halted work.
We opened as much drainage between Kilo 2 and Nigro-are as possible.
We resurfaced parts of the road between Oloololo Gate and Little Governors and then graded it.
We opened up as much drainage as we could along the escarpment road.
We replaced the metal Braithwaite tank at Ngiro-are with a 10,000 Litre plastic tank. The original tank was badly corroded.
We replaced broken window panes, toilet cisterns and undertook minor repairs at Nigro-are.
We overhauled the engine on the “CMC” Suzuki.
Collaboration agreement
· Very little was done in the Main Reserve due to a lack of funding.
Report on focus for April
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Focus for May 2021
1. Burn another block, weather permitting;
2. Work on the road to Nigro-are;
3. Work on Annual Work Plan and Budget;
4. Work on Staff Appraisals;
5. Repair and grade the Kichwa airstrip;
6. Work on Collaboration Agreement – funds permitting;
o Maintain and repair vehicles;
o Repair roads;
o Rehabilitate housing at Musiara; and
o Start on road between Talek and Sekenani.