General
We had widespread rain in the first 15 day, this resulted in most of the wildebeest leaving the Triangle – a number crossed into the Main Reserve, the first time in three years and several hundred drowned. All the indications are that Kenya should be braced for El Niño – exceptionally heavy rains from October to December. This could potentially cause severe flooding and considerable damage to roads and infrastructure – not just in the Mara but throughout the country. We will spend the coming weeks ensuring that drains and culverts are open but still anticipate considerable damage.
The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust donated two Mahindra jeeps to the Mara Conservancy for predator protection and anti-harassment in the Main Reserve. They were taken on the 9th by Park Management, without a proper handing over, this was remedied when the Governor officially took over the vehicles on the 23rd.
We held a Board meeting on the 22nd and approved the Audited accounts presented by Deloitte’s. We also discussed an extension to our Management Agreement and a means of retaining control over revenue that is in line with the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
I took two weeks off from the 25th September and resumed on the 6th October, hence the delay in the monthly report, my apologies.
Collaboration Agreement
We have virtually completed Phase II of our road network in the Main Reserve and will install culverts in the coming weeks. We have started grading and rolling the Phase I roads, they had been very heavily used and are corrugated, with rocks coming through.
We have very nearly completed the ranger post at Olare Orok – just final touches remain.
We have drilled a borehole at Enompuai and installed a pump and water tank. The ranger post there will be our final upgrade on the semi-permanent camps.
Work is progressing well on the toilets and staff quarters at Look Out – we were hampered by a lack of water after the borehole collapsed. This has now been rectified and there is plenty of water.
We have completed all the signage on our Phase I roads and have ordered the signs for the next phase.
Grade A are progressing well on the road from Talek to Sekenani, this will greatly reduce traffic through the Reserve and make Talek far more accessible. Two of the small bridges are complete and are being used, work is ongoing on the large bridge over the Talek river and this will probably take until the New Year. Actual road works are being held up over a dispute on the road alignment from the Talek River to Sekenani.
Tourism
Tourist number dropped off rapidly from the beginning of September. Probably not that surprising, given that August was exceptionally busy – by far the busiest month that we have ever experienced, with a total of 41,992 visitors (Our previous record was in 2018 – 29,765, slightly beating 2019 at 28,819 visitors). The game viewing in August was better than elsewhere in the Mara and we had 22,553 non-paying visitors and a further 5,114 school children. Sadly, our resources and infrastructure aren’t geared for such numbers and Purungat (Mara Bridge) was particularly affected – there were days when over 600 tourists (more than 150 vehicles) crossed the bridge into the Triangle, placing considerable strain on our toilet facilities and the staff at the gate – not to mention our anti-harassment teams throughout the Triangle.
The number of visitors we have received this year to date exceeds totals for the year in every year except 2018, 2018 and 2022 – we are very close to exceeding the total for 2022, which was 121,471 – we are now at 115,641.
Wildlife and veterinary
2023 will rank as one of the worst migration years in recent times, the wildebeest started arriving in early August and had all moved off before the end of September. This seems to confirm the trend – fewer animals visiting for a shorter period each year. There are probably a number of contributing factors – improved security in the Northern Serengeti, unpredictable rains and over-tourism may all play a part.
One young female elephant – maybe 12-15 years old - was found dead near Little Governors on the 5th. There were no apparent injuries and the animal looked as if it was in good health.
Dr Takita removed a snare from a zebra on the 13th and then from another on the 15th, the second zebra had lost a front hoof. Dr Njoroge from the KWS/Sheldrick Wildlife Trust removed an arrow from a giraffe neck.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) released a pregnant female leopard into the Triangle late on the 14th. This leopard had been seen as a risk to roan antelope in Ruma National Park. She has since been seen twice.
Over 3,200 community dogs have been vaccinated against rabies along the escarpment by our team in this current campaign, we have 5,000 doses and should complete the campaign by the end of October.
Risasi, our female cheetah left her cubs aged 16 months, unfortunately one of the cubs was killed when he was injured by a potential prey animal – probably a Grant’s gazelle. Risasi was first seen with four cubs, we have one remaining. One was killed by a snake, the second by a crocodile and this last one when trying to make his own kill.
Security
A total of 22 people were arrested in September. 660 snares were recovered but we found and rescued 44 wildebeest and one topi; 57 wildebeest were butchered and 11 wildebeest and one zebra were dead.
Eleven wildebeest were found butchered on the 31st of July and then on the 1st the Iseiya team went on an all-night ambush. They managed to arrest one person from a group of three who were on their way to set snares early morning of the 2nd. Five snares were recovered. The same day, the 2nd, the Ngiro-are team were joined by the Anne Kent-Taylor scouts and managed to collect 331 snares – 10 wildebeest were rescued and 11 had been butchered.
Another all-night ambush resulted in the arrest of one person near Serengeti Ndogo in the Northern Serengeti, five snares were recovered. Three more people were arrested on the 4th, when a large group of youths were found hunting with dogs and machetes – they had already killed five wildebeest when apprehended at 6.00 am on the 5th. The Ngiro-are team managed to collect 100 snares, rescued 15 wildebeest and one topi, but found where six wildebeest had been butchered and five dead in snares. Two people were arrested at Lugga Mbaya in the Lemai Wedge.
Thirteen snares were collected on the 6th, five wildebeest were rescued and one zebra found dead in a snare. Three more people arrested at 10.40 pm on the 7th when both our teams joined forces.
The rains hampered work but the rangers continued to collect snares and managed to get 35 between the 8th and 11th – six wildebeest were rescued and two had been butchered. A further six snares were recovered on the 16th, two wildebeest were rescued; 80 more snares were collected on the 17th.
On the 19th the Ngiro-are team arrested two people in the Lemai Wedge and recovered six snares, On the same evening our Iseiya team managed to arrest three people from a group of seven near Binamu in the Northern Serengeti. This was at the end of a three day patrol in which they saw very little poaching activity. The rangers saw 20 wildebeest carcasses.
Twenty eight more snares were collected on the 20th and 21st and then on the 22nd our rangers managed to arrest all four people at 3.00 pm. They had come to hunt in the Lemai Wedge between Lempise and Kokamamge with 12 dogs. 15 snares were also collected.
Twenty nine more snares were collected on the 24th, two wildebeest were rescued and another found dead in a snare. The following day the Ngiro-are team arrested three more people at Nyakita Tone in the Lemai Wedge and recovered 10 snares. 29 more snares were collected on the 27th and five wildebeest found dead in snares.
Revenue and Accounts
Our August revenue beat all records, reaching Ksh 182,474,328 (Approximately US$ 1,258,000). It’s not surprising with the number of people visiting the Triangle. More than half our visitors to the Triangle (53%) were classified as non-paying – they had paid in the Main Reserve or Kichwa Tembo and had traversing rights.
The key points from our Audited accounts for the year ending June 30th were:
..” the accompanying financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial position in the Company as at 30th June 2023 and of its financial performance and cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) and the requirements of the Kenyan Companies Act, 2015”.
· Income was up substantially on 2022 at Ksh 439,118,696 against Ksh 278,137,163 in 2022.
· This was as a result of the recovery in tourism after Covid but also noted that the Kenya Shilling had devalued from Ksh 117 to 145 during the year.
· Expenditure increased from Ksh 252,661,539 in 2022 to Ksh 336,858,323 in 2023.
· The largest increases related to staff costs and commissions to KAPS.
· The Conservancy made a pre-tax profit of Ksh 65,646,130 placing us in a Tax position for the first time in years.
· The tax computation tabled at the meeting indicated that we will have to pay Ksh 26,232,080 in October and an additional instalment of Ksh 6,558,620. This will be the first of four instalment taxes due throughout the year.
Deloitte & Touche, our Auditors completed the annual Audit and presented the accounts to the Board on the 22nd. Key points in the Audit report were that:
· The Accounts were unqualified;
· The Conservancy made a profit of Ksh 65,646,130 after tax;
· Expenditure was Ksh 336,858,123 – up from Ksh 252,661,139.
Repairs and Maintenance
We have awarded a contract to construct six self-contained rooms for mid-level staff at Iseiya. Work has started and it should be complete by early November.
We touched up our major roads and completed the new road along the Majio Machafu Lugga.
The expansion to the Iseiya kitchen, mess and store is virtually complete, just waiting to fit in some windows.
We have received a new fuel tanker, we will need to fix one or two minor problems with the tanker. We have also received one Suzuki Jimny for anti-harassment, two more should be ready in October.
Report on focus for September
Focus for October 2023
· Open all drains and culverts;
· Complete new staff housing at Iseiya;
· Collect two new cars;
· Complete Kitchen, mess and store at Iseiya; and
· Modify new fuel bowser.
Work on Collaboration Agreement
· Complete installing new culverts;
· Resurface Ol Kiombo airstrip and grade Keekorok;
· Complete road works Phase II;
· Grade Phase I roads;
· Continue with toilet block and staff quarters at Look Out;
· Plan for rehabilitation of ranger station at Mpuai;
· Upgrade radio system; and
· Order Uni-huts for Ngararu;