Baraza

Although the political crisis in Kenya may be over or at least reduced, tourist and tourism revenues have not and will not snap back. The cancellation of flight routes, closure of hotels and tour companies, and booking cancellations all took place over a few weeks. Restoring confidence in Kenya as a tourism destination however, will take years and massive investments in marketing Kenya.

While in the Mara I had long discussions with the CEO of the Mara Conservancy, Brian Heath.

His dream was and is to make the Mara economically sustainable from tourism revenues. I thought you’d like to read some of the extracts of his February report to get a good understanding of the scale of the problem. Notice how long the security section of the report is!

Tourism

February has been another disastrous month for tourist visitations. There was a short period in the middle of the month when people began to return and it looked as if the situation might be salvaged to some extent. However, the stand-off between the two main political parties and renewed threats of mass action throughout most of February meant that tourists are still very reluctant to visit. We may be lucky and maintain the expected 30% of our original estimates for the coming months but can not foresee any significant improvement in tourist visitations before July.

Security

Ten poachers were arrested during February, 9 of them were Tanzanians and the tenth a Luo poacher who had been arrested before. This brings the total to 1,013 poachers arrested since June 2001.

The Ngiro-are team arrested one poacher on the evening of the 9^th. He was one of three people entering the Lemai Wedge to hunt along the escarpment near Kinyangaga.

Some meat was found stashed in a tree near Ol Kurruk by a routine patrol between the community scouts and our rangers on the 15^th. The following day we mounted a patrol in the Sankuria forest and arrested one Luo poacher, he had been in the forest for six days and had killed a zebra and a waterbuck. Three wire snares were recovered.

The Ngiro-are team arrested two wa Kuria poachers on the 19^th as they were traversing the Lemai Wedge, on their way to hunt hippo along the Mara River. They informed us that they had met with another group of poachers, also on their way to hunt hippo on the Narok side of the river. The following day we mounted a joint patrol along the Narok side of the river but found no poacher activity.

The Ngiro-are team arrested one poacher as he and his companion came down the escarpment to hunt in the Lemai Wedge late in the evening of the 22^nd. They recovered four wire snares.

The Ngiro-are team were asked to assist the rangers from Kinyangaga on the 24^th. The rangers had confiscated some wa Kuria cattle for illegal grazing in the Lemai Wedge and were taking them to Kinyangaga when they were accosted by an irate mob of wa Kuria, trying to recover their cattle. The situation became tense, with arrows and bullets fired at the rangers. Our rangers assisted in getting the cattle into the Kinyangaga compound and then withdrew. The wa Kuria continued firing into the compound. The Tanzanian rangers managed to apprehend one person with a firearm, only to discover that he was a policeman from the local village.

The Ngiro-are rangers found a temporary poacher’s camp at 9.00 am on the 25^th in a water-course between Ol Dono Nasipa and Konyoike – about half a kilometre into Tanzania. The five poachers were the group we had been looking for on the 19^th on the Narok side of the river. They had camped upstream from the search area, had killed one hippo and were on their way home after drying the meat. All five were arrested, four by the Ngiro-are team and the fifth after they were joined by the Serena rangers. Three wire snares and three heavy pears were recovered.

Revenue and Accounts

In January we had to re-calculate our budget, based on possibly receiving only 30% of our anticipated revenue. Although we implemented most of our cost-cutting measures in January our January Profit and Loss account indicated that we have a shortfall of Ksh 1.576 million (US$ 22,500 at the current rate of exchange.

We have been very fortunate in receiving support to meet our projected shortfall and would like to thank the following for their support. I would particularly like to single out Asuka for her support; she has raised US$ 29,000 in three weeks through her articles and blog for the Mara Conservancy. This shows the power of the Internet in raising funds if the message is right.

CMC Motors - 2,500,000 (approx US $ 40,000) for vehicle service and spares for one year

Asuka - 2,030,000 (approx US $ 23,000) Donations through her blog

Anne Kent-Taylor Fund 1,050,000 (approx US $ 12,000) donation for community scouts and security allowances

WildlifeDirect 700,000 (US $ 10,000) Donations through the blog

Care for the Wild 70,000(US $ 1,000) Donation for anti-harassment

Mc Phelps and family 70,000 (US $ 1,000) for Cheetah 1 (patrol team)

Total Raised to date 6,420,000

The exchange rate is about 1$=Ksh70Brian also noted that the Masai who had been laid off by hotels had returned to their villages where they were now herding livestock. These include diploma holders who just can’t make a living anymore in tourism.

We interviewed Dixon qualified in hospitality, who had returned to the village to herd cattle, a job normally reserved for boys. He was not alone, there were hundreds of cases like his. He was very bitter not about the hotel that fired him, but with the Kenyan leaders who are ignoring the suffering of so many as a result of the violence that followed the election dispute.

If the Maasai cannot get jobs in the tourism and wildlife sector, they will do what they need to do to survive- increase their herds in the Greater Mara ecosystem. This is perhaps the greatest threat to wildlife which migrates through the entire ecosystem which includes the Serengetti in Tanzania. Cattle, sheep and goats all compete for the same grazing as the wildlife…if we lose the Greater Mara, it will only be a short time before we lose the Mara as a consequence. The harmony between the Maasai and wildlife is on the verge of shattering as a result of this crisis. You can learn more about the Maasai wildlife interface in Asukas blog (she deals with livestock diseases that could affect wildlife) and at this website called reto-o- reto which means ‘I help you, you help me’. It’s a research project all about finding better land use management for pastoralists.

For the Mara Triangle the lack of funds means that planned developments have been put on hold. Only essential road works are being done (anyone who has been to the Mara knows what why roads maintenance is so critical).

These workers were on a break - the machine had broken down! Most of the road working machines are lying idle now.

Roads can wait but patrols cannot.

Despite all the cost cutting, we are now facing a situation where patrols are threatened. If patrols are halted, poaching will escalate and could go out of control, this we must prevent.

Before I go, this one’s for Theresa, Sheryl, FJP and all the others who love donkeys. This foal was absolutely tiny and adorable. Enjoy

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I am back at home, close to Nairobi. It’s going to be a late morning to work as my son is not well. I don’t mind the delay, my house in one of the most spectacular spots over looking the Great Rift Valley. My view is awesome, I get to birdwatch with a cup of tea in my hand or just spend hours gazing all the way into Tanzania across smokey mountains.

As lovely as it is here, I do feel a dull heaviness, I’m missing something deeply. The truth is that my heart is still in the Mara. I can’t believe how deeply I have fallen in love with that spectacular place, the people, the wilderness.

So here are my ten top secrets to why I love the Mara

1.The beauty is breathtaking. Can you imagine dressing like this every single day?

2.If you are not naturally beautiful, you can spend the entire day in the spa and blame the mud mask for your bad smell.

3. You can be fat, short, stubby, naked and still be proud… it’s not only about the big cats you know (anyone know who this friendly animal is?)

4. Adorable Asuka aka Mara vet– Her stories will make you laugh and cry, you can’t help but love her (she is the first field person that I have ever met who can get away with wearing cute outfits in the African bush).

5. I adore the small guys - don’t you wish you could just hug them?

6. Siesta’s over looking the world. The Masai live on the escarpment overlooking the Mara - it is a view to die for every morning.

7. Food….the buffet is to kill for. We saw five different predators on our first day!

8. No one minds your spots. One can get ridiculously close to these cheetahs who have world fame in the BBC’s Big Cat Diary

9. Tanning weather all year round. I thought this guy was sick and drew attention to Simon who had a good laugh at my ignorance.

10. You can reserve the worlds best viewing points. Leopards are so secretive that sightings are usually the no. 1 wish of every visitor. Seeing this spectacular chap at close range in full daylight was like dying and going to heaven. Leopards are so lazy that they just sit there ….actually, he slept through most of our encounter and looked up when we started the engine to leave….I snapped this shot just before he closed his eyes and curled up like a kitty, covering his face with a paw. Others were not so lucky. An american family we met had spent days looking for leopard and when they finally did spot one, the kids exclaimed with such excitement (naturally) that it terrified the leopard which took off before they could get a single photo. You can imagine their sweet but sour feelings….I felt a bit guilty showing them this photo.

I actually took all those photographs, recorded podcasts, and video plus so much more in three days. It felt like a dream….you know what it’s like when you first fall in love? Euphoric yes? You feel like you’re the only one feeling it….

Then I met an Austrian lady who so infatuated with the Mara that she leaves her home in England and lives for six months at a time at a lodge in the Masai Mara each year – and she has been doing this for years! There’s no competition, her love for the mara far exceeds mine. I feel pathetic, how can I compete with my three days? My last trip to Mara was 3 years ago! I feel like a little like a mistress - stealing a few moments with the Mara from time to time!

I have to remind myself that I was in the Mara Triangle for work not play, to learn more about the crisis that Kimojino is blogging about, and find new ways to help him and the Mara Conservancy secure the Mara Triangle for the longterm. It’s unthinkable that we could lose the Mara because of a collapse in tourism brought on by politics of a few egocentric individuals who would like to be called ‘leaders’. As Kenyans and global citizens, we all can help the Mara survive the crisis - I hope my pictures and podcasts convince you. Book your flight today … or make a donation on the Mara blog to secure this precious heritage for your next visit.

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Last week I spent three days in the Masai Mara and went on patrol with the rangers of the Mara Conservancy to catch 7 alleged hippo poachers that were believed to be in the area. While on patrol we had a few ‘adventures’ and dramatic though amusing incidents. Though I wasn’t there, the five poachers were finally caught two days later with a dead hippo which Kimojino reported here.

This podcast and these photos document an extraordinary and rare incident that I’ve never heard of before and nobody that I know has ever observed a warthog killing a full grown lion! Listen to this new post here

The incident took place during a break in the middle of the patrol – we broke off to investigate a report of an injured lioness and what we found was almost too amazing to be true.

A ten year old lioness, killed by a warthog. She looked pregnant. That’s the broken off warthog tooth. Can you see the tiny wound in her neck? Surgical! Only after we turned her over did we notice the pool of blood beneath her.

The brave Masai rangers couldn’t resist getting a few photos with the slain lioness

Here’s the proud lion slayer in a hole just a meter from the dead lioness. Impressive teeth no?

Being the coward I am I wouldn’t put my head in it’s hole (thank God!) but stuck my camera in and took into one but 2 photos with the flash. She or he didn’t budge a millimeter despite all the noise and flash… we were convinced she/he was dead. Can you see the missing tusk?

Here is the deadly tusk - source of much exclamation and awe.

Though I’m very sorry for the lioness I cant help wondering what the heck she was doing? Putting her head into a warthogs hole??? Everyone knows that the first law of African savanna bush, don’t ever EVER stand in front of a warthogs hole. Now you know why.

I hope you enjoy the podcast

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Friends,

Today I’m going to try a much awaited experiment and upload a podcast -

I recorded this in the Mara Conservancy last week where I spent three days finding out more about the effects of the collapse of tourism on this world renowned conservation area.

I hope you enjoy sound trip which hopefully will give the visually impaired a feel for the Mara which is among my most favourite places in the world.

I’m attaching photographs to help you visualise the patrol. These 5 minutes reflect what happened during the 4 hours anti-poaching patrol in which we were searching for 7 hippo killing poachers. Kimujino has more on the arrest of these poachers on his

This is the sign between the Mara Reserve and Transmara Reserve which together make up the Masai Mara

A hippo slide

On patrol looking for footprints on the soft earth

Hippo in the Mara river

Can you see the new born hippo by his mothers legs?

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The post election violence caused by the disputed outcome of December 27^th presidential elections has completely rocked Kenya and everyone is hurting. We have had to close the office many times to avoid getting caught up in riots. Some people are scared and are just moving altogether.

This family used a cloth donated by USAID to cover their pick up as they moved away from a trouble spot in Nairobi

Hundreds of children, women and men have died violently as neighbours and even familes have turned on each other, hundreds of thousands are suffering after being displaced, losing property and their livelihoods.

Only a few businesses have from the trouble

People are tired, scared and desperate.

I pass this billboard everyday - it was erected in happier times, its so out of touch now!

Everyone here in Kenya is pinning their hopes on Koffi Annan’s mediation genius. It seems has made a major breakthrough by getting President Kibaki and the main opposition leader, Mr. Raila Odinga to actually meet over the crisis. We’re yet to find out what actually transpired in those meetings …. But at least they are both talking peace.

Today’s front page news that Koffi Annan had succeeded in getting Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga together has brought smiles back to faces

You’d think something catastrophic had happened - newspaper stands were crowded this morning

While peace may soon return to the violent hotspots around the country, it will be years before the vibrant tourism can recover which has direct implications for wildlife conservation. The scenes of violent demonstrations and confrontations with police which have been frequently screened on international TV networks have wrecked untold damage to the tourism industry. I met with the head of KWS Mr. Julius Kipn’getich this week, he told me that visitation to the parks had dropped by 90%. Hopefully the parks which include Amboseli, Tsavo, marine parks, Lake Nakuru and Mt. Kenya will get some promised government support but I’m personally a bit skeptical that government will come through with significant help, they have a reputation of not following through with promises. For example, only this week showed that they would be unable to follow through with free secondary education country wide as promised.

Things are slowly returning to normal. Most schools are now open - this little girl’s father gives her a ride on a specially adapted chair

Trade is going on and this guy was weaving dangerously through traffic to get his produce into the city!

Jake Grieves Cook, the Chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) told me that the disruption to tourism is the worst disaster for industry that Kenya has ever faced. The KTB and related organizations are working overtime to reverse the negative image of Kenya and lure tourists back because the parks are actually not affected by the trouble in the country.

The British Travel Advisory was amended on Saturday so that it is no longer a blanket “non-essential travel” warning against the whole of Kenya and applies only to specific locations which his on similar lines to the US and German government advisories. This may bring slow relief – we expect it over coming months or years, but with only 10% visitation at a time when over 85% occupancy in hotels was expected has driven the industry to take extreme measures. Some hotels have even closed down and all businesses are hurting.

We are already seeing a cascading effect. Tourists have stop coming, hotels are closed, staff have been laid off, transport, supplies and other service contracts are canceled.

With no tourist plying the roads, all the roadside business will lose out, women who supply farm produce lose markets, and nobody has money to send home to rural areas. Tens of thousands have fled cities for rural areas where there are no jobs and no food. We predict that the protected areas will be unable to sustain anti-poaching activities and poaching will escalate.

Brian Heath of the Mara Conservancy, has raised an alarm and we are compelled to respond. The Mara has always been close to Richard Leakey’s heart - it is, after all, Africa’s greatest nature preserve . We believe that there is a looming conservation catastrophe that can only be averted with a well prepared program to raise funds. In response we intend to launch a major program to save this wildlife spectacle which was voted the worlds 7^th Wonder just two years ago.

The Maasai Mara is home to the worlds most famous wildlife spectacle and beautiful people

Yesterday we launched a press release which was picked up by some papers here. We are going to ensure that the Mara Conservancy blog raises 160,000 dollars in the next 5 months. To achieve this we urgently need 16,000 dollars immediately to set up a sub station in the Mara that will enable Brian Heath to produce materials for blogs that will be as effective, if not more so, than gorilla protection blog. In 2007 we established camps in Bukima and Mutsora to enable blogs to operate from the bush. These blogs raised 350,000 dollars which has tremendously improved the protection of mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park. We are certain that we can replicate this for the Masai Mara to avert a wildlife disaster of similar magnitude to losing mountain gorillas.

In our press release yesterday, we stated ‘The damage to the local economy means many people are expected to turn to poaching wildlife for the bushmeat trade, causing irreparable damage to the ecosystem. With its millions of animals, the Maasai Mara is especially vulnerable; over 900 poachers were arrested in recent years. In 2007 alone nearly 500 wire snares were collected, 15 animals rescued and 46 animals were found either dead in snares or recently butchered. The tourism crisis has lead to reduced manpower for surveillance which will lead to an immediate rise in poaching’.

Wire snares like these are made from any source of wire - fences

Traditional means of poisoning and shooting wildlife is also a threat

As are modern weapons

Snares are indiscriminate and cause unimaginable suffering to many species

Dr Kashmiri (center) responded to an alarm from Brian Heath (right) and with help from the Ann Kent Taylor Foundation saved this lioness and this baby elephant below

He now has a permanent limp but is fine

We know that the Mara depends on tourism because the entrance fee contributes to the protection of wildlife and management of the conservation area. We’re hoping that would be visitors will still be willing to contribute the equivalent for a 4 day safari, about 80$ to ensure that the Mara is protected and therefore survives this crisis.

We need to raise Ksh 10 million in 5 months to protect the wildlife in the Mara. That translates to 158,000 dollars. We can raise this with only 2,000 people donating 80 dollars or with 615 people give us 50 dollars each month for 5 months. We’d appreciate your help with circulating this information and helping to raise this money.

The mara is home to the worlds most famous wildlife spectacle, losing it because of political unrest in Kenya would be a global tragedy. Please help us. Paula

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