Category: Donations | Date: Jul 25 2008 | By: William

Just one week ago our tyres were bald. Completely bald. But we now have brand spanking new ones on the Landcruiser, Cheetah II and Cheetah III vehicles.

Which means a lot less punctures and a happier Saitoti.

Mechanic Joshua Saitoti with Landcruiser

A huge thank you to CMC Motors, Kenya, for the endless donations in spare parts.

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Category: In the News | Date: Jul 23 2008 | By: William

A great big thank you to David Mackenzie and Fabien Muhire who were here last week to cover our story for CNN. You can read about it here, watch it here, and comment over here on Anderson Cooper’s blog.

The story went out on Friday, and since then we’ve had almost $3,000 in donations which is going to help tremendously. Thank you to all of you who have donated so far.

As requested, today I sent an email out to the managers of camps and lodges who use the Mara Triangle with regards to their involvement in local conservation. Once we have more information we will share this with you.

For those in Nairobi next Friday, if I was there I would definitely be going to the opening night of Kwani Literature Festival with the brilliant Ugo and the first live performance of the outstanding Just a Band; browse their site and watch their videos now.

If anyone knows of a ride going from Mara to Nairobi, let me know.

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Category: An Urgent Appeal | Date: Jul 18 2008 | By: William

1. The lion population is increasing.

When the Mara Conservancy started in 2001, the lion population in the Mara Triangle was down to around 40 individuals, and was so fragmented that there were no strong prides that could provide support to young cubs. With ongoing cooperation from the local communities, we have now seen a 50% rise in the population to more than 60 individuals over the age of one.

2. We have arrested more than 1,100 poachers.

Before the initiation of the Mara Conservancy, poaching was rife inside the Mara Triangle with permanent poacher camps inside the park’s borders, making many areas unsafe for both wild animals and tourists. Since 2001, with a security team of 40 rangers carrying out both daily and nightly patrols, poaching has been dramatically reduced. An improved ,trans-border working partnership with Serengeti rangers also better protects a larger area.

3. We collect thousands upon thousands of wire snares.

Wire snares are used by poachers to trap animals such as antelopes, zebras and hippos. Unfortunately however they are indiscriminate in what they catch, and we’ve seen many casualties including giraffes, hyaenas, lions, cheetahs and elephants. By collecting hundreds of snares weekly we have saved the lives and limbs of literally thousands of animals.

4. We have the support of the Local Community.

Cattle rustling was an enormous problem among the local communities, with hundreds of cattle lost each year to neighbouring Tanzania. The Mara Conservancy employed Community Scouts, equipped with radios, to report on all illegal activities including poaching and rustling. Rangers are then alerted each time rustling takes place and have been able to retrieve hundreds of cattle -saving livelihoods and improving security in the area.

5. We want that support to continue.

Predators such as lions and leopards frequently kill livestock belonging to the community. Until February 2008, we compensated communities living next to the Mara Triangle for cattle lost to predators, but have since not been able to do so because of lack of funds. The Cattle Compensation Scheme kept the critical balance needed between wildlife and people, and we thank the communities for their understanding so far.

6. We protect one of the highest concentrations of predators in Africa.

The Masai Mara is well known for its big cats and our work is focused on keeping these populations strong and healthy. Bad behaviour from visitors to the park can lead to a disruption in normal hunting, feeding and nursing activities, and this has become one of the biggest threats to our predator populations. Even with tourist numbers low, our Anti-Animal Harassment Patrol Teams must be out daily to ensure predator protection.

7. We work to safeguard our environment.

We believe that protecting our environment is crucial to the success and prosperity of the Mara Triangle, and are always looking for new ways to limit the environmental impact of visitors without lessening the enjoyment of their time here. We work with resident guides to help improve their game drives by maintaining or opening up new tracks that allow visitors to explore the Triangle with minimal damage to the area, and support initiatives by the Travel Foundation that encourage better guiding practices which will further protect the environment.

8. We have one of the greatest spectacles on earth.

Each year an estimated one and a half million animals migrate up through the plains of the Serengeti and into the Masai Mara. During their stay here, at any one time, tens of thousands of wildebeest will cross the Mara River with some of the weaker animals succumbing to the strong river currents or the eagerly waiting Nile crocodile. We are always working to protect the important and delicate river zone, and have fought against the development of camps along its edge.

9. We believe in transparency.

The Mara Triangle is a World Wonder and the responsibility of its protection belongs to us all, and we know that if we want you to be part of its protection we have to be transparent with our work. Since 2001 we have circulated our Monthly Reports, including accounts and revenue, and are also accountable to WildlifeDirect for all donations received through their website. We have also stopped corruption by employing Earthview to handle all park ticket sales, and in the first seven years of operation revenue collected from park entrance fees had tripled.

10. We want future generations to see the Mara Triangle.

The Mara Triangle is one of the most incredible places on earth. If you’ve read this far then you probably already have or want to visit and we want it to still be just as incredible when you arrive. And when your children arrive. And your children’s children.

It will be many months until tourism returns to a level that will sustain our work. Please help our work to continue by setting up a monthly donation today.

Thank you.

Receive the latest news from the Mara Triangle to your email inbox by clicking here.

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Category: Great Migration, Lodges & Camps | Date: Jul 12 2008 | By: William

Wildebeest today on the move toward Milima Tatu

I went round most of the lodges and camps who are in or use the Mara Triangle yesterday delivering the posters for the Most Responsible Guide 2008 Award. There were some very nice camps indeed which would have looked lovely with guests in them.

In response to the comments left on the previous post, tourism is not as high as we had hoped for July. The industry is forecasting 50% for the months of July and August, although some of the camps I visited yesterday were completely empty. Forecast for the rest of the year after August, is back down to 20%.

It is true that there are many lodges and camps in the Masai Mara with over 4,000 beds, however the Masai Mara reserve falls under two county councils; Narok and Trans-Mara. The Mara Triangle is in Trans-Mara and is managed independently from the Narok side, and is dependent on the beds (guests) in lodges and camps in the Mara Triangle, or who use the Mara Triangle.

Wildebeest massing today.

So out of 4,000 beds in the Masai Mara, only 186 of these beds are inside the Triangle: 150 beds at Serena and 36 at Little Governors. We also collect revenue from four more lodges outside of the reserve who use the Triangle for their game drive: Olonana (24 beds), Mpata Safari Club (40 beds), Mara Siria (12 beds) and Kilima (20 beds).

This means that the Mara Conservancy collects park gate fees from those who sleep in a grand total of 282 beds. Which is not much compared to the Narok side; 850 beds inside the reserve (at the last count) and about 3,000 outside. This does mean less revenue for us, but it is what keeps the Mara Triangle so unique and beautiful - even when the tourists were here there were many parts of the Triangle which you could have all to yourself.

Before the crisis hit in January we could manage on 282 beds. There are of course those who came into the Triangle and weren’t staying at the lodges, and the average revenue collection (before the crisis) for the Mara Triangle was US $3 million a year, with the Conservancy share being 36% of that, at about US $1.2 million - we are a not-for-profit organisation, and so all of this went into park operations.

With so many empty beds at the moment things aren’t looking so good for the Conservancy, and neither will it anytime soon. Please, if you are able, think about setting up a monthly donation for the Triangle. We would truly appreciate it as it will help us in the long term.

Thank you.

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Category: An Urgent Appeal, Snares | Date: Jul 09 2008 | By: William

Ngiro are Rangers with some of the collected snares

In the last two days, rangers from Ngiro-are and Serena patrol posts have collected 70 snares. Yesterday they found thirteen wildebeest caught in the snares - ten were already dead but they were able to free three.

We are still doing what we can to get the message out that the Mara needs the support of those from around the world. We have the Spanish newspaper El Mundo here at the moment and then later on this afternoon CNN are arriving and will be here until Friday.

We would also like to thank Bonnie who owns the Karen Blixen Coffee House in Nairobi who is going to put on a fundraiser in September for the Mara, as well as Gaurav who is organising a fundraising football match in Nairobi, and then later in the Masai Mara. I’ll put more news up on both events closer to the time.

Ngiro-are Rangers removing snare yesterday. 

We would also like to thank all those who have set up monthly donations to the Mara Triangle. As you know, we thought this crisis would be short term but it looks now like it’ll be several months until tourists return so we need to raise as much as we can.

Please, if you can, set up a monthly donation and ask your friends to do the same.

We need to keep up the fight.

Wildebeest dead in a snare.

Update: Rangers were out on night patrol last night and caught one poacher.

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