General
We had two weeks of rain at the beginning of the month. There were some days that were completely overcast, with drizzle for most of the night and day. The rain then returned towards the end of the month. It is very frustrating, the rains have not been particularly heavy but the ground is so saturated this it is virtually impossible to use any of the grass tracks and each time we repair the major roads they get damaged again.
The Mara Conservancy signed the first Management Agreement with the then Trans Mara County Council 20 years ago on the 22nd of May. We started operations on the ground on the 12th of June 2001. We will be holding our next Board meeting on the 11th June in the Mara and are planning to celebrate 20 years in the Triangle the following day, with a party for staff, leaders and the community.
It is a time for us to remember those with the foresight to establish the Conservancy. Those who worked so hard for two years to achieve what was then considered impossible, a private not-for-profit company managing a Protected Area – the Conservancy has proved that a Public/Private partnership can work in conservation and the model is now being touted for some National Parks.
The vision was first discussed between two of our current leaders in Narok, Governor Samuel Tunai, Kuya ole Kijabe and the late Willie Roberts. The Governor and ole Kijabe were very concerned about the ability of the County Council of Trans Mara – in control of the Triangle at the time – to manage, and felt that within a few years the Triangle would cease to exist as a viable portion of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. They approached Willie, who had been working in the ecosystem, and who established the first Conservancy in the area – Ol Choro Oroua. We can’t forget the team that Willie brought together to negotiate, plan and ultimately manage the Triangle; Drs Chris Thouless and Mark Stanley-Price, Giles Davies, the late Alan Root and to a lesser extent myself. George Orr was our first revenue collector and set the standard. We would never have succeeded without political support and must recognize the role that the late John Naiguran, then Clerk to the Council, ole Saiyua – Chairman and Julius Sunkuli – an MP and the Minister for Internal Security – all played. Without them, and the support of the late President Daniel arap Moi – we would not be here today.
Two clients of James Robertson’s Leslie Roach and Alison Jones donated US$ 300,000 – absolutely crucial in giving us the start-up capital required. We continue to recognize this amazing support and thank them to this day.
We have had so many other supporters: James Robertson was on the Board for years, Nigel Pavitt, Simon Trevor and Andrew Jackson sat on the Board and our current Chairman, Martin Forster gave us tremendous support when we were getting started. M/s Shadrack Seiyio, Lankemua Naiduya and John Korinko have served on the Board for years and been invaluable in bridging the gap between the Conservancy and local community. Other Board members: Justice (Rtd) Jonny Havelock, Ninian Lowis, Robert Carr-Hartley and Lena Munge all put in valuable time and ensure a high standard of accountability and governance.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) helped us through difficult times and more recently Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS) has enabled us to weather most of the Covid-19 storm.
Research
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) launched a country-wide wildlife census on the 7th, but actually started counting the Mara ecosystem on the 6th. This is a very important exercise that will give us a good indication of the threats from encroachment, and wildlife trends within the ecosystem. One of the most important aspects of this census will be to map out settlement and fencing – already the subject of numerous papers, including the one cited below. Hopefully, this exercise will provide the data necessary for making informed decisions that can lead to amending the Wildlife Act (2013) and addressing the important issue of landowner rights and responsibilities over wildlife on their land.
Fencing is our last stronghold before we lose it all. A political ecology of fencing around the Maasai Mara national reserve, Kenya (2019). T G Weldemichel & H Lein. www.elsevier.com/locate/landusepol 0264-8377
Why the preoccupation on fencing? It, together with the proliferation of camps, lodges and settlement are all contributing to the constriction of wildlife habitat and reduction in populations.
Unless addressed urgently the Mara will end up as a few islands of wildlife habitat – maybe one or two key conservancies and the Reserve. But even those key and best known conservancies are under real threat – just look at the settlement around Mara Rianta and Talek, both mushrooming towns, not to mention the development between Musiara and Talek. The exponential increase in housing, camps and livestock bomas along the Reserve boundaries are also a real threat to the free movement of wildlife in and out of the Reserve. Illegal grazing is now a perennial problem for the Main Reserve. Millions of US dollars are going into securing the Pardamats – ostensibly to remove fencing, but the reality is that fences are being put up much faster than they are being pulled down. We in the Triangle are not immune, the escarpment has become the new frontier – to be exploited by speculators, brokers and developers. Every month we are hearing of new camps being proposed, and in some cases built.
An interesting paper that may help explain the pressure to hunt lions is listed below. It is several years old but relevant, given the pressure we are facing at present.
Beyond ritual and economics: Maasai lion hunting and conservation politics (2013). M J . Goldman, J Roque de Pinho and J Perry. Fauna & Flora International, Oryx, 47(4), 490–500 doi:10.1017/S0030605312000907
The paper looked at two communities; one around Amboseli and the other in Tanzania, around Manyara.
It explains what happens when a lion is killed by morans as part of their culture:
“In Kenya there are two owners: the first one to grab hold of the tail of the lion while it is still alive, and the first to spear. In some sections the owner of the lion receives a new name (enkarna olowaru) in recognition of his achievement. However, in all cases it is the age-set as a whole more than the individual that is credited with the kill. The lion tail and front paws are taken as trophies and carried by ilmurran on the tips of their spears throughout the olamayio celebration, which involves the entire community (men, women, elders, ilmurran and young girls)”.
But also talks of retaliatory killings; because of predation but also in order to make a political statement – as occasionally happens around Nairobi and Amboseli National Parks. It lists Interesting approaches to combat the killing of lions around Amboseli and these include: compensation (as we do) but also employing morans as “lion Guardians.
Collaboration Agreement
We continue to be hampered by a lack of funding, indeed the debt to the Conservancy keeps growing at a time we can least afford it. We did manage to do some work in the Main Reserve.
· We repaired a wash-away near Mara Sarova and opened up a blocked culvert there;
· We opened a number of blocked drains in order to get water off the road;
· We assisted in moving the ranger post near Mara Simba;
· We filled in some large pot holes between Sekenani and Mara Bridge; and
· We repaired the windmill and water supply to Musiara Gate.
There is a lot of pressure to repair the airstrips at Keekorok and Ol Kiombo and hope to do that in early June, once we receive tubes and tyres for the equipment..
COVID-19
The lockdown was relaxed at the beginning of the month, allowing for movement in and out of the five restricted Counties. This did have a slight impact on visitors to the Mara, with a few more visitors travelling. The curfew was also relaxed slightly – now from 10.00 pm to 4.00 am but restaurants and bars have to be closed by 7.00 pm. Schools reopened on the 10th and it will be interesting to see whether this causes a fourth wave.
To date 170,647 people have tested positive from 1,809,890 samples. Total fatalities now stand at 3,157 – a small fraction compared to other countries with a similar population. Nearly a million people have been vaccinated (969,498) and the Government is about to start administering the second dose at the beginning of June.
Tourism
April was a disaster with only 181 non-resident visitors. May looks to be much better, with a few tourists arriving each day. All the projections are for a busy high season and most of the camps and lodges are saying that they will be fully booked in July and August.
Staff
We held a wardens’ meeting on the 2nd to discuss a number of issues including: finances, transfers to the County, staff discipline and our collaboration with Tanzania.
Wildlife
We have had hundreds of elephant throughout the month and the burnt areas attracted herds of topi, buffalo and eland, with a few zebra and Thompson’s gazelle. One cheetah was seen on a regular basis and leopard sightings were good.
Security
We have gone another month without a single arrest, March was the same.
The teams came across tracks near Daraja Mbili and followed them to Konyoike, in the Lemai Wedge on the 1st. There they came a buffalo that had recently been killed and butchered, there were donkey tracks so it would appeared that they used a donkey to carry the meat.
Eight wire snares were collected by a joint TANAPA/Nigro-are patrol in Limana on the 2nd.
We had another incursion by morans (young warriors) on the 9th, attempting to kill a lion. They failed. However, it was very apparent that people bringing in cattle to the salt-lick the previous day had reported the whereabouts of lions and this had triggered the attempt. We have now banned the salt-lick until the morans graduate – this may not be until August, or even later. We are currently have to spend so much time, effort and resources in protecting our lions – at the expense of our other work.
The Iseiya team found one snare at Limana on the 13th, a topi had been caught in the snare and then eaten by lions. A day later the Nigro-are rangers found another five snares and where a wildebeest had been butchered in the same area.
Revenue and Accounts
Our total collections for April amounted to a paltry Ksh 2,932,820, of which the Conservancy retained Ksh 1,319,769 – insufficient to cover costs for three days. However, we can expect a much better situation as we head into the high season.
Repairs and maintenance
We repaired, graded and rolled the Kichwa airstrip at the beginning of the month.
We graded a number of roads, including the circuit towards Nigro-are and the Mugoro by-pass. We have now started on the lower road to Purungat.
We opened drainage wherever possible.
We did a small burn on the 1st, the area was still very green and waterlogged.
Our tractor driver drove into a flooded water course on the 12th and submerged the tractor. Water got into the engine and transmission, necessitating an overhaul. He was suspended for three months for negligence.
All the bolts holding the crown-wheel sheared on the front axle of the JCB, it has been repaired.
Collaboration agreement
We have still not received any funds but were asked to assist in a couple of areas.
· We repaired a damaged culvert between Sarova and the Talek junction, this had been virtually washed away in a heavy storm;
· We opened a number of drains on the main road to Keekorok and filled in a few large holes on the road;
· We repaired the fence around the workshops at Sekenani;
· We repaired the water supply to Musiara and cleaned out the culverts at Double Crossing;
· We sent the tipper lorry across to move a ranger post.
Report on focus for May
Focus for June 2021
1. Hold Board meeting on the 11th;
2. Cut grass tracks and repair crossing points on these tracks;
3. Open a new route into Kishanga and clear the camp site;
4. Undertake repairs to buildings at Nigro-are;
5. Grade major roads and resurface sections as necessary;
6. Celebrate 20 years in the Mara on the 12th;
7. Start on kitchen at Partikilat;
8. Plan for solar power at Partikilat;
9. Start on road down the escarpment;
10. Work on Collaboration Agreement – funds permitting;
o Repair Keekorok and Ol Kiombo airstrips;
o Repair roads;
o Rehabilitate housing at Musiara; and
o Start on road between Talek and Sekenani.