Conservation Program Update: Nanumyak Helps to Recover Ivory!

Some really wonderful news from our Conservation team! We had noticed that one of our female collared lions Namunyak had not moved for 2 days, as seen on our GPS map. She had been up in the cloud forest high up in the Chyulu Hills in one position. We were slightly uncomfortable with it and feared that she might been caught in a poachers snare or that something had happened to her.

The beautiful Namunyak (right)

So we arranged an operation one morning last week with the rangers and tracked into the forest to the place we last received a GPS location point from her collar. Once we got to the place we smelled a carcass... and heard a soft growl a couple of metres away in the dense bush. On closer investigation we found it... a carcass of a big elephant! We were so relieved to know that Namunyak was actually doing just fine and that the reason for her t be in one position for two days was because she and her group were feasting on an elephant carcass!

Head Ranger Muterian with the removed tusks

The carcass was about a week old and already partially eaten by the lions so we could not determine the cause of death. It is unlikely that Namunyak and her group killed it. However, the tusks were still intact so we removed them to hand over to Kenya Wildlife Service.

This is just another example that we are very proud of to emphasize how the lion collars assist us in our day to day conservation work!

Conservation Program Update: Public Comment Period - Chyulu Hills REDD+ Carbon Project

MWCT has recently started a REDD+ (Reducing emissions from deforestations and forest degradation) Carbon Project. The REDD+ mechanism has been introduced by the United Nations as a climate change mitigation strategy. The goal of a REDD+ project is to prevent deforestation and forest degradation by active forest protection and provide alternative livelihoods for local communities living in and around the forest area.

For the Chyulu Hills REDD+ Carbon Project, MWCT is working in collaboration with 8 other conservation organizations (Conservation International, African Wildlife Foundation, Big Life Foundation, Wildlife Works, David Sheldrick Trust, Forestry Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kari Kiboko) to protect the forests and woodlands in and around the magnificent Chyulu Hills, referred to by Ernest Hemingway as the "Green hills of Africa".

The Chyulu Hills

The Chyulu Hills REDD+ carbon project encompasses an area of 4105 kilometres squared and includes 3 Maasai owned Group Ranchers (Kuku, Rombo and Mbirikani), Chyulu Hills National Park, a section of Tsavo West National Park, Kibwezi Forest Reserve and the Kari-Kiboko research area. The Chyulu Hills REDD+ carbon project is unique in that it is not only protecting the forests and woodlands, but it also protects a vital watershed.

The Chyulu Hills have a relatively higher rainfall than the surrounding areas and form a crucial water source in the further arid to semi-arid environments. The cloud forest that grows on top of the hills even collects water by cloud condensation on the leaves of the trees, the mosses and ferns during the dry season. Furthermore, the Chyulu Hills consist of highly porous volcanic rock causing most of the water to immediately infiltrate and create underground rivers. These rivers emerge in the form of springs all around the Chyulu Hills, where volcanic soils meet solid basement rocks. The most well-known of all these springs are the Mzima Springs in Tsavo West National Park. Here, an astonishing 190 million litres of water a day emerges from underneath the rocks. A pipelines transports part of this water to the human population in the costal area of Kenya. In this way, 40% of the freshwater in Mombasa originates from the Chyulu Hills.

There, the disappearance of the forest on top of the Chyulu Hills would not only have disastrous effect on the surrounding Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem and its human population, but also on the human population further away in the coastal province of Kenya.

Since the project started, the biomass plot sampling (to assess the total amount of carbon currently present in the project area) has been completed as well as the FPIC (Free Prior and Informed Consent) process. For the FPIC process, several community outreaches were held across the project area in order to inform the community about the project and seek their support. MWCT was responsible for the outreaches on Kuku and Rombo Group Ranches and conducted a total of 25 FPIC outreaches.

The FPIC (Free Prior and Informed Consent) outreaches conducted by MWCT's outreach officer 

In June, the Project Design Document has been completed and is now open for public comments on the CCB website until 27th of July. All comments, positive remarks, constructive criticism or simple suggestions, are welcome!

Please visit: http://www.climate-standards.org/2014/06/25/chyulu-hills-redd-project/

Conservation Program Update - Lion Collaring Update

It was a quiet and crisp morning, end of June as the Simba Scouts headed out on foot at daybreak to track lions. They heard the roaring the night before and were determined to find them. The pressure was on since the previous collaring attempt in April, where we went out for three full nights, and without being successful. This time we had to succeed!

Tracking the lions!

It was not long before the Simba Scouts found fresh tracks of 7 lions! They followed these tracks for a couple of kilometres up to a dense thicket in an area known as Eluai, just south of Iltilal village. The Simba Scouts decided to look around the thicket to see if there were any lion tracks coming out of the thicket. After searching for a while, and not finding any tracks apart from the ones heading into the thicket, they concluded that the lions must still be inside, resting. Lions often use dense thickets or lava forest patches on Kuku Group Ranch as a refuge during daytime to avoid contact (that may lead to potential conflict) with people and their livestock.

Conservation Coordinators Lana and Dirk work to hang the carcass in the tree

After receiving this information the plan was clear... conduct a calling station that evening in the vicinity of the thicket.

The vet busy preparing for the long night of collaring

At 4 pm, the collaring team headed out to scout the area and to prepare for the nights calling station. As the last rays of the sun disappeared behind Kilimanjaro, we started with the nights operation, starting with the distressed call of a warthog (pig squeal). Soon after, the silhouette of a lioness appeared... followed by another... and another... and another! Until all 7 lions (2 adult females and 5 sub-adult cubs) were there sitting and watching us curiously from behind a bush a couple of metres away! Our hearts started beating with anticipation as we waited for the vet to get into position to dart one of the adult females. A few minutes went by (which felt like hours) and then the call of the vet came over the radio telling us that he cannot get a clear shot on either of the two adult females from his position as they were obstructed by the bush. He did not want to take a chance and miss as this can only scare them off, so he decided to rather wait patiently for them to come closer to where the carcass was hanging in a tree next to his car.

To our disappointment, the lions lost interest and moved away! However, they stayed in the vicinity. We watched them through the night vision equipment playing and grooming one another. After some time we changed the sound to that of a buffalo calf in distress. This triggered again the interest of the lions and they made several attempts to approach us. After about 2 hours, one of the lionesses stood up and came directly to where the carcass was! It was perfect, and right next to the car of the vet!

Working to fix the collar and take measurements of the newly collared lion!

We are very delighted to introduce to you our newest member of the Kuku lion family - Neluai! Named after the area Eluai where she was collared! She is approximately 5 years old and in excellent condition. She has, since the collaring, visited our waterhole at CCRC several times and has been seen frequently with her group. Recently she has been spotted alone at our waterhole with a big male lion. We suspect Neluai to be mating with him!

Watch this space for more exciting news on our collared lions!

Neluai and a large male visit the water hole at CCRC

She is doing well! 

Education Program Update - Dreams Turned Reality!

July 3, 2014 was the official grand opening of the brand new Iltial Primary School Library! With the presence of MWCT Founder, Luca Belpietro, MWCT President, Samson Parashina, MWCT Education Coordinator, Titus Muia, and Charles and Rita Field-Marsham, the library was officially declared open! A truly exciting day for the community of Iltial, the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, and the whole of Kuku Group Ranch! 

Students of Iltilal Primary School wait patiently for the grand opening! 

You can read more about the library project, funded entirely by the Charles and Rita Field-Marsham Foundation on our previous blog post here! Most importantly, this library is the first of its' kind for the Foundation, focusing primarily on conservation, wildlife, and the environment - aligning seamlessly with the mission of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust!

The library is of stunning construction - beautifully created for the purposes of providing a calming, relaxing, and ideal place for students to expand their knowledge through the use of amazing technologies and materials. The library features a Smart Board (interactive touch screen), two computers with connectivity, plenty of table/chair stations, and beautiful shelves filled with over 2000 brand new books! 

Students and teachers already making use of the new smart board! 

The grand opening event was truly special! Attended by all Iltilal Primary School students, their mothers and fathers, leading community members, staff of MWCT and Campi ya Kanzi, and the Field-Marsham Family. Demonstrations of poetry and traditional dance were enjoyed prior to the official opening.

Iltilal Primary School traditional Maasai dance

The unveiling of the doors, and KEY signature - "Knowledge Empowering Youth"

Below, MWCT President and Chairman, Samson Parshina, and MWCT Founder, Luca Belpietro, share words of appreciation, and  further of encouragement for the students to utilize the library, emphasizing the realization of the distribution of beneficial knowledge for generations to come! 

MWCT Education Coordinator, Titus Muia, opens the ceremony

Across Kuku Group Ranch, 19 primary schools, and 1 secondary school are supported by the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust - with a total of 7000 students enrolled, 50 certified teachers and 10 support staff employed. The opening of this revolutionary facility at Iltilal Primary School will allow for Education to now blossom even further into the region, providing once-unavailable educational opportunities to thousands of students!

Conservation Program Update - Singila Update

Earlier last month, the school of the Kanzi Academy went on an school outing early morning game drive. An incredibly fortunate game drive brought them to spot 2 lionesses and 4 cubs, with help of their Campi ya Kanzi guide Parashi. 

When they came closer to the lions, they noticed that one lioness was collared and assumed it to be Namunyak. 

A sleepy Singila

Parashi informed the Conservation Team and the Simba Scouts and we went immediately out to the area suspecting it to be a different lion, as Namunyak does not usually come into that area where the lions were reported to be seen. 

We were happy happy to see her healthy and well!

Luckily enough the lions were still around, and after more than 6 months without any good observations the old lioness, Singila appeared with her new companion. The cubs had unfortunately moved into the lava rocks and were no longer visible. 

Singila is the oldest collared female lion on Kuku Group Ranch. She is approximately 11 years old, which is quite extraordinary for a lion on community land. Female lions generally live longer than male lions (as males will often be involved in territorial fights that can be fatal).

She is a well known resident of Kuku Group Ranch; it is quite extraordinary for a female lion to coexist on community land for this length of time. She is quite a well-behaved lion, and it has been wonderful to have had her around for so long.

Singila has successfully raised a few litters during her time on the Group Ranch. She has been collared twice so far, once in 2008, and once in 2011. She is recognizable by her unusual and unique "folded" left ear (seen in the photo below). We were so excited to see her recently, as it has been quite some time! We hope to continue to have more updates about this healthy lioness.