General
We had a total of 270 mm (nearly11”) of rain in November, much of it in the form of heavy storms in the last half of the month; causing considerable damage to the roads and making Mara Bridge impassable for days at a time. The approach to the drift near the Kichwa airstrip was washed away in one storm, the volume of water was probably the highest we have ever seen there – a indication of the storm’s severity but more importantly the de-afforestation and overgrazing that has taken place upstream. The total rainfall for the year to date is 1,648 mm (66”), considerably more than the long-term average for the area – and we still have December to go.
Dr Hamish Currie visited the Mara between the 31st and 2nd to discuss the importation of roan antelope and the possibility of bringing some to the Partikilat Conservancy. We visited the area and found it very suitable. A senior team from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) had visited the site and written a comprehensive report. We are hoping that we can get the first batch of animals within six months – these would probably come from the surplus males at Ruma National Park. We are hoping that we can purchase additional animals from South Africa within 18 months.
The Chairman and I met with Governor Patrick Ntutu on the on 4th, to discuss a number of issues relating to our contract and the Collaboration Agreement. It was an excellent meeting and we managed to resolve most issues, including payment of balloon landing fees from Governors Balloons.
A group of us met with the Governor on the 20th to discuss management of the Masai Mara Conservation Centre, constructed by the Safari Collection to house an operations and monitoring room. We discussed management of the Centre the Earth Ranger system being established in the Mara to monitor security, wildlife, vehicles and tourism. There is a plan to install a LoRa system in all resident vehicles to monitor movement, ticketing and vehicle concentrations. This will be piloted in the Triangle begore being rolled out throughout the Reserve.
M/s Void Studios won the design competition for the Visitor Centre at Oloololo, we have been in touch with them and hope to start construction by mid-year 2025. We are very grateful to the A&K Foundation for their enormous contribution, they organized, funded and ran the competition. We are also grateful to all the applicants – we had some amazing designs and it was very difficult to reach a conclusion.
Collaboration Agreement
The Mara Conservancy has purchased a new CAT 140 GC grader that can be hired out to the Main Reserve. Both County graders give constant problems and we intend to return one of them, together with other surplus equipment.
We have been working on the road between Sekenani and Keekorok and the new grader has been deployed there and on the road to Talek. The huge number of heavy trucks supplying the new construction on Sand River is causing considerable damage to the road between Sekenani and Mara Bridge – it is being destroyed faster than we can maintain it, especially with all this rain.
We have connected water to the Angata Maternity Clinic. There is sufficient water to reticulate to other parts of the town. We have also connected water to the proposed GSU site at Angata – a few kilometers outside town.
We have started work on the uni-huts for the GSU camp at Angata.
We purchased two new Land Cruiser Pick-ups with funds raised from the sale of ex-ambulances that had been modified for the Reserve. So far, one has been delivered.
Staff
We sent 30 of our staff on an exchange visit to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia between the 11th and 16th. The staff were selected from those that did well in their staff appraisals as a reward, and hopefully as incentive to others. They came from every department in the Triangle. And on one day they were separated to concentrate on similar departments on Ol Pejeta. They were extremely well received and learnt a great deal. We hope to return the favor in January.
Wildlife
One lion was treated for deep cuts on a hind leg on the 6th, caused by a herder. The lion attacked cattle grazing illegally in the Main Reserve, near Bila Shaka – Musiara.
A young bull elephant started breaking into cheetah enclosure, causing considerable damage to the perimeter fence. Despite being chased away, it kept returning and we decided to collar the cheetah in the enclosure, in case it escaped before we were ready to release it. The cub is now 16 months old and we were hoping to release it in two to three months’ time. We have received the collar and hope to place it in December.
Tourism
The number of tourists continue to run at around 35% below last year.
Security
Two snares were recovered along the border on the 1st and five more on the 5th. We had one incursion into the Triangle on the 15th, when four people were seen entering the Reserve. Unfortunately they disappeared before they could be apprehended.
On the 16th a joint ambush with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Mara Elephant Project (MEP) resulted in the arrest of two suspected armed robbers. Unfortunately the two were not carrying firearms, there was a second motorcycle behind them, but they did have police raincoats and hats. There robbers had conducted a series of robberies around Lolgorien and were on their was to rob Mara Rianta.
The rangers gave up on an ambush on the night of the 23rd, because of heavy rain. That night poachers killed two buffalo, just in Tanzania at Konyioke.
Revenue and Accounts
Our management accounts for the first four months, July to October can be summarized as follows:
Income would have been higher if we had received our share of balloon revenue from Governors, this issue has still not been adequately resolved. The direct costs largely relate to the KAPS commission.
The major differences in expenditure were in staff salaries and repairs to infrastructure – essentially we expense all new construction, as fixed assets belong to the County.
Report on focus for November
We received our new CAT 140 GC grader on the 5th .
We used the new machine to grade the road from Iseiya to Mara Bridge before it was sent across the river.
We have completed surfacing the new roads near the border and installed culverts where necessary, we also patched a section of the main road to Mara Bridge. A section of the road between Oloololo and Little Governors was washed away in a heavy storm.
We have had problems with the solar pump at Oloololo and had to replace the pump.
Focus for December
· Complete toilets at Hippo Pool;
· Complete new staff housing;
· Plan a viewing platform at Hippo Pool;
· Maintain roads where possible;
· Place collar on cheetah; and
· Erect an electric fence around the cheetah enclosure.
Work on Collaboration Agreement
· Continue with GSU camp at Angata;
· Grade roads where possible;
· Return surplus equipment to County;
· Collect the second new Land Cruiser; and
· Order uniforms.