Category: An Urgent Appeal | Date: Apr 17 2008 | By: William

While the investigation into the deaths of the lions is ongoing, our other work in the Conservancy still continues. This morning Kimojino was out on patrol in the early morning to check on the health of other lions in the area while the rangers from Ngiro-are and Serena Stations were out on patrol in different parts of the Triangle, looking for poachers.

The work must go on to ensure there is as much protection as is financially possible for the wildlife in and around the Mara Triangle, and also too we must keep looking for funds so that salaries can be paid at the end of this month. This morning Steve, a journalist from the UK’s Independent newspaper arrived and we have spent the afternoon showing him the problems that we are facing. Kimojino and I took him up to the escarpment to meet with the villagers there and so they too could have a voice in how this crisis is affecting them.

Last week Reuters interviewed Mzee Olenaigero, translated by Ben Nechalla

Since the meetings two weeks ago, when we told the local Maasai that the Conservancy is still unable to compensate for cattle killed by lions and leopards, the atmosphere was a lot calmer. The men were more open to talk about how the situation has affected them: they told us how they have been selling their cows to make ends meet, but because everybody is in the same situation the market is flooded and the price for cattle has dropped to far less than they were getting before.

This is another major blow for the local people; a drastic drop in income from tourist visits, the halting of the cattle compensation scheme at a time when cattle deaths are high due to the movement of predators, and now a drop in the price of cattle.

Steve asked what would happen if it took longer for the tourists to come back, and we didn’t see them returning in June. An Mzee said that if they don’t come back, then they will run out of cattle. The people round here will turn to bush meat.

Please everyone, don’t be alarmed, but he did raise an important point - if food runs out then what will people eat?

The situation is continuing to deteriorate, and we here at the Conservancy have been lucky enough to raise funds to pay rangers at the end of each month since January, but unfortunately this may not be the case at the end of this month, and then what can we do?

We will have to start laying off rangers. All of the rangers are local, and nearly all are Maasai, and so the suffering in the local communities will deepen.

Rangers Oletimito Kora & John Leyian

It is deeply worrying how affected the area has become from post-election violence which was elsewhere in the country. As you all know, the Maasai Mara is a National Reserve, not a National Park, which means that it is held in trust for the people and managed by the local county councils. The Maasai have, by working hard to protect and preserve the wealth of wildlife to be found here, made this such an incredible place to visit for people from all around the world, and we cannot turn our backs on them now.

Ranger Daniel Tunai with poachers last week.

I’m sorry if this is a bit heavy, but it’s been a long two weeks and this is an incredibly worrying month. Please, I know many of you are regular readers who have already donated far beyond your means - thank you so much - but we really need your help to have our plea heard by as many people as possible, so tell as many people as you know; We cannot lose the Mara.

Lion cubs playing.

Further cutbacks with electricity rationing have been made, which means we now have less hours to be online and keep you updated. Please, if you don’t hear from us for a day or so, know that the work is still continuing and your support is still needed.

Also I know that you are keen to find out more about the dead lions, but investigations are still continuing and so we are unable to release any more information at this time.

Special thanks to Hideo Ogihara from Weeds Corporation for the above design, who will be selling these as stickers in Japan to raise money for the Mara Conservancy.

16 responses so far

Category: Lions | Date: Apr 16 2008 | By: William

Thank you everyone for your comments of concern, we will try now to answer what questions we can at this time.

The first lion was euthanised on the 4th April, 2008, and an autopsy was done by KWS, along with blood samples taken for tests. On 8th April, tests were carried out on the sick lion by KWS. His condition had been deteriorating, but he was treated for dehydration and seemed to improve slightly.

KWS carry out tests on 8th April, 2008.

The decision was taken by KWS to feed the lion each day in the hope that he would recover. The only other lion to fall ill from this pride, the third one from a pride of seven males and five females, had by now mostly recovered without any human intervention.

The recovered lion yesterday morning, he still has the slightest of limps.

Immediately after the lion died yesterday, samples were taken and then sent to the KWS laboratory in Nairobi.

Mara Conservancy has also carried out environmental tests in the surrounding area. You can read more over on Asuka’s blog.

Lions are territorial animals, and the killing of the sick lion by the older male yesterday would have most likely been because of this.

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Category: Lions | Date: Apr 15 2008 | By: William

This morning we went out to check on the progress of a male lion who has been sick for almost two weeks. Although his senses were fully alert, within 24 hours of first showing signs of illness, paralysis of the limbs occurred which meant that he was unable to look after himself.

The lion at the beginning of the illness.

Fully alert, yet almost completely paralysed, despite all our efforts there was very little improvement in his condition. Under instruction by KWS we have been keeping the lion alive by feeding him each day and also bringing water. We have continued this for ten days until this morning when two male lions found the sick lion. One of the lions gave a bite to the back of the head which killed him instantly.

This morning, after the attack. More photos at Flickr.

At the same time this lion fell ill, two other lions from the same coalition also fell ill. Their senses were fully alert, yet paralysis occurred in the limbs. One of the lions was fortunate to recover, however the other lion was so acutely affected that it was decided by KWS to euthanise the male.

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27 responses so far

Category: Donations | Date: Apr 15 2008 | By: William

It is now again possible to make a donation using Paypal.

Put either a one-time or monthly amount in the box on the right, press ‘donate’, and you’ll then be securely taken through the rest of the steps using Paypal.

Thank you everyone for your understanding.

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Category: Cheetahs | Date: Apr 14 2008 | By: Kimojino

Honey, from BBC’s Big Cat Diary fame, died in the middle of February, 2007, and for the following weeks we were unsure if her cubs were going to survive the ordeal. I monitored their progress every day for almost a year, and since this time I have always had a strong attachment to them and instantly recognise them whenever I see them.

The last time I saw them was at the beginning of March, when I took this picture and since then they completely disappeared from the Mara Triangle.

Yesterday, early in the morning I left Oloololo Gate where I had spent the night, and proceeded to Olchorro Conservancy to pick up some of Anne K. Taylor’s scouts who had been doing de-snaring patrols in the area. On our way back from Olchorro, about 15km from Oloololo, I saw three cheetahs by the side of the road. When I drove closer to them I recognised that these were Honey’s cubs.

Three sons of Honey, from BBC’s Big Cat Diary.

I was astonished to see how far they had traveled. They looked very healthy, and were lick cleaning, which indicates that they had within the last hour eaten a kill.

Two of the brothers lick cleaning.

Their mother was always a very good, good hunter. It was very rare to see her hungry. I am pleased to see that her three sons may have inherited these good hunting skills, and I hope to see them back in the Mara Triangle some day soon.

More photos at Flickr, where you can also see the lions and their recent hippo kill.

Another interesting thing I saw this morning was a troop of baboons who had killed a Thomson Gazelle. It was a young tommy that I had seen being born just a couple of days ago, and it seems that the baboons were able to steal it away from it’s mother.

Baboon eating a Thomson Gazelle

I know it is currently not possible to make donations online, but please please send an email to William, wdeed@wildlifedirect.org , who will notify you once the situation with Paypal has been rectified, so that you can then make your donation.

We still very much need your help at this time.

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14 responses so far