Category: Poachers, Wildebeest | Date: Jul 05 2008 | By: William

The six poachers and Warden Kortom

Warden Kortom is next to me. He and his men have just come back from patrol with six poachers. Here is his report on the happenings:

Early in the morning, at around 6:30am rangers from Serena, Ngiro-are and Mara Bridge went to patrol Balangoga near Sunni Lugga where the many wildebeest have been passing and not far from where rangers caught the three poachers yesterday.

Rangers patrolled the area for two and a half hours, and came across three wire snares, one wildebeest, still alive, caught by a snare, and one already dead, and the third around the tree, without an animal. We also came across a huge male elephant, that we think died 3-4 days ago but it looks like natural causes. We called the Tanzanian rangers to come and remove the ivory tusks. 

We then caught six poachers near Balangoga river with 15 wire snares. They had arrived in the morning today, after travelling the whole night, and so it is fortunate we caught them early as not one animal had yet been snared by the men.  The men were carrying bhangi, one spear, one sword, three bows with three poisoned arrows, and cooking utensils. The men will shortly be taken to Tanzania for prosecution by the courts there.

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Category: Wildebeest | Date: Jun 30 2008 | By: William

For some reason our web chap in Nairobi isn’t updating the Mara Conservancy website with the monthly reports from the man in charge; the Boss.

He’s very big on transparency and within the report you will find all the news that has happened over the month; including wildlife, staff, tourism and, revenue and accounts. To see what exactly, click here for May’s Report.

It’s the type of stuff that most organisations try to hide, but instead the Conservancy have been sending the report out each month to all lodges and camps in around the Mara Triangle, including KATO (Kenya Association of Tour Operators), and other Organisations and NGOs who are involved with the work of the Conservancy, as well as putting it up on our website.

Although this hasn’t been happening of late, and I’m not able to post Word files into this here blog, and so instead we can send them to you by email. Just put your email address in the box on the right hand side, which has been suitably titled: Receive our Chief Executive’s Monthly Report.

Now for some reason the widget doesn’t work properly but it does give me a copy of your email address behind the scenes, to which I can send you the report.

UPDATE - The plugin has completely stopped working now and it will no longer store email addresses. Leave a comment below and I’ll instead send it to your email address which will be stored behind the scenes with your comment.

Just one more thing. Latest estimate is that the wildebeests will be arriving within the next two or three days. Actually, a ranger from Mara Bridge has just told me maybe today. Be ready for lots of brilliant photos from Kimojino, and probably video too.

A lot of interesting comments on Friday’s post - I’ll let you know when the BBC get back to me. 

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Category: Hyenas, Poachers, Wildebeest, Zebras | Date: Jun 03 2008 | By: Kimojino

The zebras are still coming across the Mara River in large numbers from the Musiara Plains in the North. With them there are a few wildebeest, and slowly but surely the Triangle is starting to fill with animals. Yesterday we managed to capture a video of an early morning crossing, which you can watch by clicking here watch by clicking here. You will see that the crocodiles have been eating so well these past few days that they are becoming too lazy in their attempts to capture the crossing animals.

Zebras crossing the Mara River.

As I mentioned in my last post, poachers are also preparing for the big day when the wildebeest will be arriving in their thousands, coming Northwards from Serengeti. We can be sure that poachers have spent the last few months acquiring new arsenals of wire snares, which are indiscriminate in who they choose to catch.

Zebras in the Savannah Grasslands.

On Sunday at around 4pm, one spotted hyaena was found near Olpunyata at the central plains of the Mara Triangle. He had a serious wound around his neck inflicted by a wire snare which was still cutting deep into his flesh. He was feasting with other hyaenas on the carcass of a zebra, which had been injured by crocodiles when crossing the Mara River and then finally killed by the hyaenas. As the hyaena with the snare around his neck was feeding on this zebra we could see food spilling out from the open wound of his oesophagus. It was so sad to see.

Hyaena with snare around neck.

Three days ago, Rangers from Kokatende Rangers Post seized 107 wire snares on a single patrol in the Northern Serengeti, along the wildebeest migration route. This is now the beginning of a long battle that we rangers must fight, and will continue until next year in February when the wildebeest and other herbivores will once again leave the Mara Triangle.

Zebras massing at the river’s edge.

I am pleased to be able to give you all an update on Ranger Leyian’s progress, who was shot when chasing rustlers. He came back from Nairobi on the 31st and immediately went to his home to recuperate. Doctors said that if it had taken just one more hour for him to reach the hospital then he probably would not have made it, but thankfully now he is expected to make a full recovery. We thank God for his survival and we are planning to visit him at home.

William tells me that their will be a full donation report for the month of May shortly, and I thank all of you for continuing to support the Mara in this crisis. We truly hope that these are the last weeks of this crisis and that the tourists will soon return.

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