MWCT and Absolute Travel Run the New York Marathon!

We are thrilled and proud to announce that Absolute Travel has chosen to join together with the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust this year to run the 2014 New York Marathon!  

The 2013 MWCT Marathon team!

Absolute Travel, named Travel + Leisure's World's Best Tour Operator, has put together an incredibly impressive team of 8 runners (all AT staff!) that will run alongside team MWCT at the beginning of November! 

 Joining from Kuku Group Ranch this year to run the marathon will be MWCT President and Chairman, Samson Parashina, returning marathon participant (and warrior), Jacob, and a fellow local warrior, Phillip!

An incredible amount of thanks needs to be given to Absolute Travel. Your dedication to join in on efforts of sustainability of conservation as ambassadors of of the planet is extraordinary, and on behalf of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, and the Maasai community of Kuku Group Ranch thank you for joining in to raise awareness and funds for the efforts and programs of MWCT. The outcome will have sustainable lasting benefits to thousands of Maasai and we could not be more happy for our joint action! See you in New York! 

The 2009 Marathon Team in the Chyulu Hills - in 2009 MWCT successfully raised
over $1 million towards Conservation, Health, and Education Programs!

Absolute Travel is extending tremendous outreach in hopes to raise $40 000 for MWCT (incredible!), you can support the 8 members of the Absolute Travel team in their efforts by visiting their CrowdRise page here!

Conservation Program Update - MWCT Rangers Go Digital!

MWCT Community Rangers have been pioneers in working with the SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) conservation software for over a year. The implementation of systematic patrol planning, data collection, reporting and evaluation has improved ranger effectiveness significantly. A larger area has been covered by ranger patrols, the relationship with the community has improved, resulting in more information sharing regarding illegal activities and hence leading to a higher number of arrests. At the same time, charcoal burning and forest destruction decreased and poaching activity remained very limited on the group ranch. Elsewhere in Kenya poaching activity has increased tremendously in the same period and forest destruction is still a big issue.

MWCT Conservation Program Ranger Force

Currently, MWCT Community Rangers are further increasing their effectiveness by using Nexus 7 tablets (donated to us by Google) and a specific data collection application. This allows the rangers to improve the quality and accuracy of their collected data and do away with the more time consuming and complicated paper-based system. An easy pictogram based system is used to even allow illiterate rangers to operate the tablet!

Community Ranger utilizes the new innovative application on his tablet!

At this point, one ranger sector is fully trained and the one-week pilot is a big success! Soon training will be organized to introduce the digital data collection system to our entire ranger force. In this way, MWCT remains one of the leading ranger organizations in Kenya when it comes to ranger effectiveness and the use of new technologies!

Education Program Update - the Kanzi Academy is Back!

The Kanzi Academy opened its doors last week for the new school year 2014/2015!

We have the absolute joy of welcoming all children and staff back to school, nestled in the savannah in between the Chyulu Hills and Kilimanjaro!

Class 1 & 3 ready for the new year! 

As usual, we combine traditional teaching using both the UK and International Curriculum to offer the children a broad-based, holistic learning experience. This teaching, when combined with the richness of the environment, provides not only a feast for all the senses, but enables the children to learn experientially and explore their culture, their roots; their lore.

We aim to educate the children as much about the conservancy on which they live, as well as giving them a sense of 'bigger picture'. To be caretakers of our planet is a fundamental message for future living, survival and the integrity of our 'right' to be here.

Already this week, not only have we had some truly wonderful classroom experiences, where the children have shown much responsibility for their own learning alongside a solid work ethic... but we have been out in the wilderness to explore some very unique experiences indeed.

We had the opportunity to visit CCRC, where the rescued 2 week old Lesser Kudu was being loved and cared for. The children had the opportunity to learn its Maasai name feed it, and ask many questions about its future!

Enjoying feeding the lesser kudu!

We have also been lion tracking! With the help of the Conservation Team, we were able to borrow telemetry equipment that enabled us to track and locate Namunyak. She was relaxed and calm and truly a beautiful vision as she lay quietly on the lava, camouflaged by the surrounding bush.

Students of Class 3 eagerly keeping their eyes out for Namunyak!

Inside the school, we have transformed one of our rooms into a dedicated art room. This will be the centre of much creativity and imagination. As always, we will look at different artists, explore different materials and media and 'feel art'. We will also be using different types of music to inspire us... from Tibetan chanting to Bob Marley, as well as burning incense to give us a different, sensual experience to feed our creative energy. We are very grateful for the donation of some spectacular classic art prints to hang on the wall of this new art room.

Enjoying the newly dedicated art room

Finally, we have been fortunate enough to have 4 tablets donated by Google for the children to use right across the learning spectrum. Having such up-to-date technology enables us to app-based programmes to enhance learning!

Innovative learning with the new tablets

Stay tuned for more updates soon!

Karibu tena

Conservation Program Update - Lesser Kudu Rescue

Yesterday, the MWCT Conservation Team was called by Rangers in the field, to hear that a herder boy had found a very young abandoned lesser kudu. We went to the site to examine the case and found the beautiful young lesser kudu walking in the middle of a herd of goats. Unfortunately, the kudu was not in hiding as it should have been, and was out in an open area exposed to domestic dogs, and would certainly not survive the day.

The young herder with the abandoned lesser kudu

Therefore, we decided to take it with us, and we immediately called David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to collect the kudu and look after it appropriately. The vet said they would come to our camp to pick it up later in the week, and advised us to care for the little lesser kudu with 0.75 L of milk per day. Currently the lesser kudu is still at our camp and in a very good condition!

Conservation Manager, Dirk, providing daily milk at CCRC

MWCT Celebrates World Lion Day 2014!

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust joins the rest of the world in celebrating World Lion Day on August 10, 2014! 

As we are all unfortunately aware, the global lion population is decreasing rapidly across the continent of Africa. Throughout Kenya, communities and organization are working incredibly hard to mitigate issues and increase protection of such an iconic species to the country, and its' people. It was made very clear to Campi ya Kanzi and MWCT that their help is continually needed to ensure that lions will be in existence for generations to come!

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust is finding dedicated ways to contribute to a holistic strategy in addressing increasing threats to such a vulnerable and crucial keystone species.

Specific increasing pressures are growing on the lion population, particularly on community owned Maasai land, the case for the lions resident of Kuku Group Ranch in southern Kenya, where MWCT is operating its' efforts. As the human population grows worldwide and in Kenya, lions are threatened by habitat fragmantation from human development; lack of natural prey base on the particular community land due to migrant movements to National Parks; and direct prosecution - such as the traditional ritual of lion hunting in Maasai warrior culture.

MWCT is holistically approaching these above threats through various means. By protecting vital habitats through the creation of conservancies (tourism partner Campi ya Kanzi is located entirely in its' own conservancy), combating issues like poaching with strategic anti-poaching teams and patrols, hiring and positioning wildlife monitors across the Group Ranch (particularly young Maasai moran Simba Scouts acting to keep an eye on the lions), providing environmental education outreaches to communities, as well as pioneering a wildlife compensation program, Wildlife Pays, to combat retaliation of predation on traditional livestock.

MWCT and Campi ya Kanzi are proud to say that these above strategies have continued to incentivize the Kuku Group Ranch community to appreciate wilderness with thriving wildlife as a resource to them. The lion population on the Group Ranch is a very healthy 38! We have collared 5 lions on the Ranch, allowing us to further actively protect and monitor their continued activities.

Conservation Program Update - Quarterly Success

Our Conservation Team has compiled its' quarterly successes and accomplishments to share with you on our blog! Enjoy reading up on the following tremendous accomplishments from the past couple of months!

Community Rangers:

A deceased elephant was found by 2 school boys herding goats. The school boys immediately informed MWCT Community Rangers about the elephant. The rangers went to the site and found a fresh carcass of an elephant with its tusks still present. MWCT Rangers removed the tusks and handed it over to KWS in Komboyo. After a post mortem was completed, it was determined the death was due to a poisoned spear, which suggests poaching. MWCT Rangers are now investigating the incident!

Our Rangers were informed by a community member from Inkisanjani about poachers planning to poach wildlife on Kuku Group Ranch. The rangers managed to successfully set an ambush and captured 2 of the 3 poachers and impounded 2 motorbikes and bushmeat.

Map of Kuku Group Ranch indicating the patrol effort and areas covered by the different ranger sectors during their security foot patrols from April to June 2014

Lion Monitoring & Simba Scouts:

During this quarter, a detailed lion population survey was conducted! The current estimated resident lion population on Kuku Group Ranch is 32 (14 adults and 18 sub-adults/cubs)!

Namunyak in the company of two adult lionesses and cubs

Of these, 5 lions are collared. These lions are monitored closely by the Simba Scouts on a daily basis. In the event that one of these lions moves into an area close to livestock or bomas, the Simba Scouts will warn the community and herders to watch out and avoid these areas in order to prevent conflict which may lead to the retaliatory killing of lions! A wonderful tool for us!

Lion movement of the 2 GPS collared lion (Yellow = Namunyak; Pink = Neluai)

Wildlife Pays:

Our Wildlife Pays Program this quarter was very busy! A total of 259 incidents of livestock predation were recorded; most incidents being due to hyena, followed by cheetah and then jackal. The total value of the payout was 1,552,400 Ksh.

Number of heads of livestock killed per wildlife species in this past quarter

Community Outreach:

Wildlife Pays Outreach - In these meetings, MWCT's program coordinators spoke to the community about the benefits that MWCT is giving to the community, and their role in protecting their natural resources and wildlife in turn!

MWCT and Campi ya Kanzi Staff Meeting - A meeting with all of the staff of both organizations was held at the beginning of June. During this meeting, the achievements of 2013 were announced and future MWCT projects and goals were discussed

Environmental Education Outreach in Inkisanjani and Olkaria - MWCT Outreach Officer, Joseph Lairumbe, went to Inkisanjani and Olkari Primary School to give an environmental education lesson (Know Your Wildlife) to the school children. These lessons were attended by 200 and 250 pupils respectively! The children greatly enjoyed learning about wildlife - and they were encouraged to protect the wildlife and other natural resources in their area

Moran Chief Initiation Ceremony - On the 3rd of May, Peter ole Sombol, was initiated as the leader of the Maasai warrior age-set from the Iltilal Manyatta. MWCT Program Coordinators and Management attended the ceremony and had a brief meeting with the new chief after the ceremony. Peter is in full support of conservation and the work of MWCT and is motivated to teach and encourage his fellow warriors about the value of wildlife and wildlife protection of Kuku Group Ranch!

MWCT and Campi ya Kanzi staff

Health Program Update - Half Year Report

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust Health Program shares and reports on their successes thus far, halfway through 2014. Thus far, the Health Team has successful conducted 16 outreaches to different remote areas within Kuku Group Ranch. A total of 670 patients were attended to during these outreaches; this includes 224 children who received their vaccinations against different childhood illnesses. These children would have otherwise missed the vaccinations at the appropriate age when they need them most.

MCWT Dr. Warai on one of his many health outreaches

In the months of March and June, MWCT partnered with the Ministry of Health in two supplemental immunization campaigns towards prevention of neonatal tetanus and eradication of polio. This partnership was very successful resulting in achievement of over 100% coverage of set targets, and 4945 persons immunized by MWCT health personnel.

Starting in May of this year, MWCT Health Team has introduced mobile laboratory outreaches. The MWCT employed laboratory technologist travels on a regular basis to provide laboratory diagnostic services to the patients attending this facility. A total of 85 tests have been conducted during these outreaches!

Mobile laboratory

The distribution of sanitary pads to teenage girls within the Kuku Group Ranch Schools has been very successful thus far in 2014. A total of 1379 school girls have received a reusable sanitary pad package, which with proper use, is designed to last for one year. This allows the girls to safely and comfortable attend classes, which consequently, the academic performance and self-esteem of these girls has improved consistently. The presentation of the sanitary pads is preceded with a discussion on female reproductive health.

Enkusero school girls receiving their sanitary pads

The Health Program has actively been working with community health volunteers (CHVs) in various projects during the year thus far. A total of 90 community health volunteers attached to four different health centres have participated in MWCT organized outreaches. Starting in April this year, MWCT launched the CHV Health Education Program (CHEP). This is a community health volunteer led initiative that aims at educating the patients attending a clinic on important health topics such as sanitation, child nutrition, women health and benefits of family planning. The education sessions are conducted in the local Maa language. Since the inception of the program, 12 weekly education sessions have been conducted.

CHV Education Program in Olorika

During the first half of 2014, the MWCT ambulance was involved in 9 incidents of emergency patient transfers to Loitokitok District Hospital, over 50 kilometers away, for specialist medical care. Furthermore, the vehicle has facilitated 22 health outreaches to various community areas and schools within the Group Ranch.

"Anna" the ambulance on one of her many outreaches 

The MWCT Health Team will continue to extend its' tremendous efforts across the Group Ranch for the remainder of 2014 and onwards; ensuring the residents of Kuku Group Ranch are continuing to receive adequate and accessible health services.