Mara vet stranded!
Category: life in camp | Date: May 09 2008 | By: admin
This week we were lucky enough to have a vet from the Mara, Asuka Takita, visiting our camp, as well as Living with Lions director Laurence Frank. Asuka had come to find out more about what we do here with the Lion Guardians, and the Living with Lions program. It was great to have her here, and one thing that I really liked about her was that she speaks Swahili like a Tanzanian, who are thought to be the real Swahili language speakers!
The first time she went out of camp for a drive with Laurence and Amy, it was not very successful! They had been gone for about an hour, when I got a text on the Lion Guardian phone saying: “please bring us a lot of water, we have broken down on the plains near the air strip”. It was getting late and we had no transport at camp except for my bike and Asuka’s car, but she had the keys! Here is a photo that Asuka took of Amy and Laurence inspecting the engine, which was making strange sounds and steaming!
I went out to look for them on my bike but could not locate them anywhere, and it was getting late. It is risky to ride a bike at night here because of the soil type, so I was running out of ideas! As it got later and later they started to worry that they would have to spend the night out there! They did however have this amazing view to keep them occupied while they waited!
Luckily I found someone at the nearby lodge who had a car and very kindly delivered them water. We were very glad that we were able to bring our guests safely back to camp.
Saving wildlife with the community’s youth
Category: Community work | Date: May 08 2008 | By: admin
Yesterday I mentioned to you that I have been elected as the treasurer of a community youth group. The name of this group is Ewang’an Community Development Association (ECODA). The aim of the group is to address issues affecting the community, such as environmental issues like wildlife conservation, education, and the rights of members of this ranch.
Having elected the committee, the members of the group had an important initial task for us. They believe the group ranch resources are being mismanaged, and hence the local community is not getting their rightful share of the resources of their land. They want us to find out whether this is the case, and to report back to them about it. Here is a photo of our beautiful ranch with Kilimanjaro in the background.
One of the main reasons why local communities are killing carnivores and other wildlife is because the resources of the group are being mismanaged. I believe we have to start somewhere to bring transparency to this ranch, and my hope is that once we have done this there will be many fewer wildlife killings by members of the community, and it will be much easier for the Lion Guardians to continue to protect lions like this from being killed.
New role in the community
Category: Community work | Date: May 07 2008 | By: admin
I am now back in camp, after my time off from work with the Lion Guardians. Even on my days off I have been busy working with the community, as part of a youth association.
I never thought that my work in the community as part of the Lion Guardians program could really impress the youth to the extent that they would make me the treasurer of this youth association. But this is exactly what happened at the meeting. It caught me unawares; and as I got inside this room full of young people - both educated and un-educated, men and women, little did I know that they were all waiting for me declare which position I would prefer in this association.
After a long struggle deciding whether or not to accept this new responsibility, I eventually decided I had to go for it, since if I did not I would have let the community down, as a member of this youth group and as a murran. So, this is another responsibility that I will take on in the community. I will update you more on the group and the reasons behind its formation - it is really interesting.
Here are some of the photos I took of the meeting:
And here I am talking to the group at the meeting:
Roaring back to camp
Category: life in camp | Date: May 05 2008 | By: admin
Today I am travelling from the Laikipia Predator Project down to Nairobi, and then back to camp. I am happy to say that from my bed last night I was able to hear the amazing (although slightly scary!) sound of lions roaring. It is an incredible sound, which I have not yet experienced from camp in the Chyulu Hills, where the lions are much more elusive. Here is one of the collared lions, Nosero, roaring, for those of you not lucky enough to have heard this before in the wild.
I am not really looking forward to being in Nairobi, now that I am so used to the tranquillity of the bush, and also having just read the awful story of Iregi Mwenja who was robbed at gunpoint there yesterday after giving a talk to KWS.
I’m glad to say that very soon I will be back in camp, looking at views like this..
..and wildlife like this..
From London to Lions
Category: Uncategorized | Date: May 04 2008 | By: admin
Hello, Amy here. I am writing my first post while Antony is taking a well-earned few days off work. I have already been introduced by Antony, but I thought I would tell you a bit more about what I am doing here with the Lion Guardians, and why I think their work is so important.
I have been associated with the Living with Lions project for a while now, having made their website as part of my Masters project three years ago. Since then I have been updating the site and helping out the project in my spare time, while working as a producer.
Now I have swapped my London office, for a tent in the beautiful Chyulu Hills region of Southern Kenya, and am working as a volunteer for the Living with Lions project, which includes the Laikipia Predator Project, Kilimanjaro Lion Conservation Project, and of course the Lion Guardians. Although I am not getting a salary, there are a few major perks to the job - here I am with a male lion, which was darted by the Laikipia Predator Project last week for a collar change.
I think the Lion Guardians is a fantastic program. It is so great to see the Maasai warriors, who once used to spear lions, have now changed their attitudes towards carnivores, and have also helped to change those of their communities. It is extremely encouraging to see them bringing about real differences to the environment around them.
I am hoping to help the Guardians raise more much-needed funds through this blog. The project is always in need of donations, which among other things, go towards the costs of equipment, for example telemetry equipment so that the Guardians can track collared lions, and mobile phones, so that they can report their findings to us at camp. And of course we also need money to pay their wages! We are also desperately in need of a vehicle, as Antony’s bike is not a satisfactory form of transport, especially in the rainy season!
We know that everyone gives what they can. The problem is that we need to make more people aware of what we are doing, and the work that still needs to be done. Soon we will be starting a Sponsor a Lion Guardian campaign, and we hope that our loyal readers will help us by sending our blog address to anyone who might be sympathetic to the cause.
Thank you so much for all your donations. It is inspirational that so many people are interested in lion conservation and are willing to helping the Lion Guardians in their goal to conserve wild carnivores in Maasailand.
Children lost in the bush
Category: Community work, Lion Guardian reports | Date: May 03 2008 | By: admin
We recently received some shocking news from Lion Guardians Olubi and Mokoi. On Thursday, they were informed that three children, aged 8, 6 and 5 years old had gone missing in the bush at Olngosua. They had been herding livestock when some of the animals that they were herding got lost.
They couldn’t find them anywhere, and were afraid to go home because they were worried they would be caned. Sometimes it is left to children as young as the one in the photo below to herd cattle on their own in the bush.
Lion Guardians Olubi and Mokoi tracked them through some dense bush, and eventually found them safely the next day. Their parents were very grateful to the Guardians, and of course extremely happy that their children had been found.
The parents slaughtered a sheep, as required by Maasai tradition: if someone spends a night out in the bush, a sheep must be slaughtered to cleanse them. We are all so glad that Olubi and Mokoi were able to find the children and bring them home safely.
Photos of Kapande
Category: Donations received, Lion Guardian reports | Date: May 02 2008 | By: admin
As you heard yesterday, we recently held the monthly Lion Guardians meeting. All the Lion Guardians attended the meeting, even Kapande, who has been very ill recently.
Looking at Kapande now, I just can’t believe that this is the person I knew two months ago. His fingers look longer than usual, his ears that used to be decorated with attractive beads, and the beautiful arms with coloured bracelets are now not the ones I used to know. Here is a photo of Kapande at the meeting.
I wish I had powers over nature - my first priority would be to eliminate sickness. But I am happy that my prayers for Kapande were answered – because although he now looks different to how he used to, emaciated and tired, it is surely just a matter of days before he will be back to his normal life again, helping his community to conserve the lions.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all donors and blog readers for supporting his medical bills, and for their prayers and encouragement during this hard period for him. Kapande also asked me to pass his heart felt gratitude to you for all your support.
News from the Lion Guardians
Category: Lion Guardian reports | Date: May 01 2008 | By: admin
Every month we have a meeting where all the Lion Guardians get together and discuss last month’s successes and the challenges ahead for the next month. Lion Guardians started arriving for the meeting as early as noon the day before! By the morning of the meeting only one Guardian was still missing, and that was Melubo from Oltiasika, who had been tracking Ndelie, a collared lion at the border of Mbirikani and Kuku. He came just in time!
The Guardians shared their news from the different zones - Melubo has located Ndelie, one of our collared lions, who was with another un-collared lion. He also thinks there are others in the area, which have not been collared. Luckily, they are not causing problems to livestock owners. Another lion was reported to Mokoi by a herder who says the lion had followed his livestock, but again fortunately it did not take any of his animals.
Among other issues raised by the Guardians was an increase in their wages. They work very hard and have to meet dangerous wild animals in the course of their duties, and for these reasons they should earn more money. They have been patient for a long time waiting for a pay increase, but currently we just do not have the funds to increase their wages.
I have promised them that I will ask our blog readers for their help so that we can pay them well. Soon we will be starting a Sponsor a Guardian campaign, and we hope that with your help each of our Lion Guardians will be sponsored by a donor.
The Lion Guardians had a message for our readers; that they will protect the few remaining lions of Maasailand for the future generations, so that the presence of wild lions does not become history to their children, like the extinction of rhinos that used to roam Maasailand, that they hear about in stories from their fathers.
The Guardians took their time to thank all donors who emptied their pockets to support Kapande and their work in general. This was during traditional prayers led by Ritei Kashu; the ever-smiling Guardian. In particular we would like to thank Nathalie M, Loki Q, Lisa R, Sherri S, Pirjo I, Sau wah T and John D as well as the other anonymous donors for their kind donations over the last few weeks.
At peace..!
Category: life in camp, lion killings | Date: Apr 28 2008 | By: admin
I have made it back to camp safely now, after my journey from Nairobi. Sometimes Nairobi scares me a lot especially when I come across security men - because it can either mean there is lawlessness in that area, or that the police are hunting for criminals, and when a shoot out starts anybody could be a target. I had just boarded a Matatu to camp when two security men arrived on horses.
After talking to members of the public for a while it seemed that they were just on patrol, making sure that everything was in order. When I found that out I was able to relax, knowing that at least the government is trying to provide some security for its citizens. In all the times I have been to Nairobi I have never come across police on horseback before. I am glad they are making an effort to enforce security on the streets of Nairobi.
I am now glad to be safely back at camp after the poisoning meeting, which you can read more about here. At the meeting we also heard more news from Dr Asuka Takita about the poisoned lions in the Mara. You can read about the findings of the investigation on Asuka’s blog and on the Mara Conservancy blog.
Finding lost livestock and an interview
Category: Community work, Lion Guardian reports, Lion Guardians: how the program came to be and why. | Date: Apr 27 2008 | By: admin
I received good news that Guardian Olubi has helped find over 100 shoats that were lost on Friday evening. ‘Shoat’ is an abbreviation for combined herds of sheep and goats or what some people refer to as small stock.
The owner is one of the luckiest persons on earth because none of his shoats were killed! The shoats were recovered between the road to Oltiasika and Nonkiyiaa on Saturday in the afternoon. This area where the animals were found is known to be hyena territory and sometimes a hiding place for lions. It always amazes me that a livestock herder and owner can ‘lose’ over 100 head of livestock.
On other news, a few months ago I was interviewed by Ross from Safaritalk. He asked me about the Lion Guardian program and about WildlifeDirect. I knew all the answers about the LG program, but Dipesh from WildlifeDirect helped me answer the questions about WD. Thanks, Dipesh! The interview is now online; you can read it here
Hope you all like it! Let me know what you think…..
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Donations Received
- Nov 29th Richard V. USD80.00
- Nov 27th Hashi H. USD10.00
- Nov 26th Sauwah T. USD44.00
- Nov 26th Pauline H. USD20.00
- Nov 25th Jia L. USD80.00
- Nov 24th Irene O. USD110.00
- Nov 24th Pirjo I. USD55.00
- Nov 21st Pirjo I. USD40.00
- Nov 17th Jessica F. USD16.50
- Nov 17th Nina T. USD130.00
- Nov 12th Pirjo I. USD44.00
- Nov 9th Malcolm F. USD27.50
- Nov 9th Loki Q. USD45.00
- Nov 5th Hashi H. USD33.00
- Nov 4th Sauwah T. USD33.00
- Nov 1st Black C. USD5.00
- Oct 29th Richard V. USD80.00
- Oct 28th Richard G. USD44.00
- Oct 26th Hashi H. USD16.50
- Oct 26th Lois B. USD11.00
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