General
We had several days of rain towards the end of the month, with heavy and sustained rain on the 29th and 30th. It will be interesting to see if this is sufficient to send the wildebeest back into Tanzania.
We completed the Annual Audit and the Auditors visited the Mara on the 7th. They were particularly interested in the work done in the Main Reserve and visited many of the projects there.
We have started the Tender process for the Enkishui (Wildeye) Camp, with adverts placed in the newspapers on the 11th.
The Deputy Governor visited on the 16th and then later in the day we held a meeting with members of the community living along the boundary. We agreed to reinstitute consolation money for livestock losses on Oloisukut Conservancy – they appear not to have the resources to even cover basic costs, let alone pay for livestock killed by wildlife. We also agreed to increase the consolation fee to Ksh 30,000 (US$ 235) for cattle and Ksh 7,000 (US$ 55) for the loss of sheep or goats. There were a number of requests for dams, offices and housing which will be looked at on a case by case basis.
Collaboration Agreement.
We have been asked to construct new housing for the GSU at Angata. They have been sent there to stop clashes between the Kipsigis and wa Kuria tribes over a piece of land that both groups claim as belonging to them. We visited the site on the 2nd and have started ordering supplies. We have surveyed a borehole site and drilling commenced on the 30th.
We have spent most of the month working on the minor roads between the Talek River and Tanzanian border and have just started North of the Talek. The main roads have been damaged by the huge volume of traffic and a number of very heavy trucks carrying building materials to two new lodges. We will grade the roads once it starts raining and the soil is moist – it is a waste of time when the soil is so dry. The equipment gives us constant problems and we have hardly had a functioning grader for several months. Most of the equipment needs to be replaced and we should consider purchasing a new grader.
Work is progressing well at Enombuai and we should finish in early October. We had a few problems with water there and had to replace the water tank.
We have completed the housing at Keekorok and have also tidied up the uni-huts used by the bead ladies selling at the airstrip. We also constructed a new septic tank for the new housing and built the women their own toilet/shower.
We constructed a new septic tank at Look Out to deal with the number of people using the facility there. The current system works well but can’t cope with over a thousand users each day. We have also constructed an incinerator to deal with waste.
We repaired damaged signs and installed new ones.
We built a new latrine for the GSU camp and Zacharia.
51o Continued their training on Earth Ranger and the radio system was moved into the new OPs room at Keekorok.
The bridge over the Talek at Simba is progressing well and should be completed in early October. It will take some time for the concrete to cure and it should be opened before the end of October.
We held our quarterly planning meeting at Keekorok on the 30th. Our new, big project will be to construct housing for the GSU at Angata. This is an area with constant clashes by two different tribes over a piece of land.
Staff
Mr Neil Davidson from 51o trained our staff on the use of Earth Ranger on the 17th/18th and then Dr Jake Wall came to work on the integration of SMART and Earth Ranger. David Aruasa and Joseph Naiminda then attended an Earth Ranger meeting at Vipingo, near the coast from the 27th.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has agreed to train four of our rangers on attachment to the KWS Capture Unit for a period of three months. This will greatly strengthen our veterinary/wildlife treatment capabilities under Dr A Takita. Dr Takita herself will spend a week with the Capture Unit in translocating 50 elephant from Mwea to the Aberdares.
Wildlife
One of our most well-known bull elephants died on the 3rd, he had been seen the previous evening and seemed to be well. However, we had been worried about him for some time, he had gone blind from what appeared to be eye cancer. His tusks weighed 40 and 34.5 Kg (88 & 76 lbs).
Drs Takita treated two lions with injuries.
The wildebeest returned in large numbers, with concentrations all along the escarpment and the border. Yet again, the Talek appears to be a barrier to the free movement of wildlife into the Ol Kiombo/Musiara area. By mid-month we had thousands of wildebeest watering along the river as far as Dirisha – half way between Serena and Oloololo. A number of animals were stuck in the mud from drying pools and had to be rescued. A number of herds crossed into the Main Reserve near the Kichwa airstrip, we expect them to cross back into the Triangle at the main Serena site. If they cross back, this will be the first time in four years, and not because they had Talek in the Main Reserve.
Dogs
The puppies have been trained and will be ready for deployment as tracker dogs in October. One of the puppies didn’t make the grade. The remaining four have all done very well.
Tourism
Our overseas visitors to the Triangle dropped by 40% in August from 22,991 to 13,888. However, we received considerably more revenue that for the same period last year. The total number of guests visiting the Triangle was 23,012, 0f which only 11,564 were paying guests. The remainder – 50% - were no paying.
——-
Tourist numbers appear to be near normal for September, there was a slight drop coinciding with schools opening at the end of August, early September but numbers have bounced back.
We find the 12 hour ticket more difficult to manage than the 24 hour system we had previously. This is especially true of the rule that guests have until 11.00 am to leave the Reserve without paying; as long as they don’t game drive and use the time to pack, clear bills, have breakfast and leave. We are beginning to see abuses, with guides pocketing money to take clients on an early morning game drive. It is not helped by the fact that guests flying on a balloon don’t have to pay Park Fees , as long as they fly, have breakfast and leave.
Security
We have tried to meet the Chief Park Warden in the Serengeti, without success. He was initially very positive about a meeting but then wouldn’t answer calls or messages. It’s a shame that after 23 years of very close collaboration we stop working together.
Our rangers from Ngiro-are joined forces with their counterparts from Kenyangaga on the night of the 12th and managed to arrest two people who had come down the escarpment to butcher two wildebeest caught in snares between the two camps.
The Ngiro-are rangers arrested one person on the 16th night – he entered the Park between Ngiro-are and Kenyangaga and was carrying two wire snares. Our combined teams arrested one more person the following night at around 8 pm. He and his companion were heading to the Ngiro-are swamp to set snares, they had three snares.
The Sergeant from Lemai asked our rangers to assist in dealing with poachers who were operating close to a tourist camp in Miungu. Our teams joined up with them and managed to arrest three people who had come in to check on their snares. One giraffe had been killed.
Revenue and Accounts
Our August revenue was down by 3% on July – Ksh 319,043,620 against Ksh 329,911,286 in July.
We continue a dispute with the County Government and Governor’s Balloons over the payment of balloon landing fees. Our Management Agreement stipulates that we are responsible for revenue collection, through our collection agent KAPS. The County insist that a newly formed company called Hemlab are responsible for collection of all landing and balloon fees. This is in contravention of our Agreement. We are talking a considerable amount of money: US$ 136,000 in July and 157,000 in August. Governors flew an average of 68 passengers per day, nearly five full balloons every day.
Report on focus for September
We have surveyed a borehole site at Ngiro-are .
We worked on the new road past Army Drift, this has now been resurfaced, with culverts placed in the required spots.
We installed StarLink at Kilo 2 and for senior staff at Iseiya and also had the radio system serviced.
We have installed a pump at Hippo Pool and have started on the construction of a toilet block there. We also plan to build housing for the attendants and tidy up the viewing area.
We have received two new Suzuki Jimnys for the anti-harassment teams, as well as one new Land Cruiser. The Land Cruiser will be deployed by the rhino team, with their vehicle going to the workshops/administration.
We have managed to sell two Land Cruisers and the JCB back-hoe and are in the process of selling our old Suzuki Marutis.
Focus for October
· Continue toilets at Hippo Pool;
· Receive one new Suzuki Jimny;
· Hold Board meeting on the 11th ;
· Start new staff housing at Iseiya;
· Complete murraming minor roads;
· Drill and equip a borehole at Ngiro-are; and
· Deploy new speed cameras.
Work on Collaboration Agreement
· Complete work at Enombuai;
· Drill water at Angata;
· Possibly start on construction at Angata;
· Complete bridge over the Talek at Simba;
· Work on roads between Musiara and Ol Kiombo;
· Deploy speed cameras;
· Demolish condemned house at Keekorok; and
· Providse solar power to new houses.