Urgent Appeal
Post-election violence in Kenya has resulted in a 90% decline in tourism from the beginning of January to the present day.
The Mara Conservancy, a non-profit organisation, depends entirely on tourism revenue for the protection of 510 km2 of an area known as the Mara Triangle. Widely recognised as one of Kenya’s most efficient and transparent conservation authorities, in seven years the Mara Conservancy has virtually eliminated heavy poaching, which had previously made the area unsafe for tourists and rangers, as well as building over 150km of roads and employing 75 rangers and auxiliary staff from the local communities.
The lion population has increased by 50% since the Conservancy started.
Our work is now threatened as a direct result of the collapse of tourism in Kenya. Due to lack of funds, all non-essential activities have been stopped since January, as well as the halting of the cattle compensation scheme and regular night patrols by rangers. We have relied on kind donors to continue with crucial park operations, however this funding will run out completely by the end of March.
Working on a reduced budget for two months is starting to have an impact on the effectiveness of the Conservancy, and there are warning signs which indicate that the situation may deteriorate further:
- On the 5th of March, a local herdsman was stopped by rangers from killing a lion which had attacked his cattle twice in one week; killing four cows and two donkeys worth $1,220. We know that if the cattle compensation scheme was still in place this would not have occurred, and it may be only a matter of time until rangers are unable to stop owners from taking their own measures to protect cattle.
- On the 3rd of March, rangers were unable to catch up with cattle rustlers who were making their escape through the Mara Triangle. This was due to cuts in electricity - we are reliant on the next-door lodge for power, which is off for 11 hours out of every 24 - and so communications were down between the main station and both patrol teams, making it difficult for a successful ambush to be put in place. Lack of communications also puts rangers out on patrol at an unnecessary higher risk.
- This is the season that poachers like to hunt Thomson gazelles at night, using torches and dogs, however there is no longer the funds to carry out night patrols. Our head of anti-poaching went out on the night of 7th March to monitor the situation, and reported seeing torches being used by six different groups of men.
Rangers are still successful in catching poachers, and in February on day patrols they caught 10 men, six of these hunting hippos. Unfortunately funding for even daytime patrols will run out by the end of March, and the financial crisis faced by the Conservancy is likely to continue for the ‘low season’ until tourists hopefully return in the months of June and July.
Rangers on patrol in March.
Through this blog we are requesting financial help to maintain full security for the Mara Triangle area, and need $50,000 a month to continue with de-snaring and anti-poaching patrols, both daily and nightly, as well as the payment of rangers salaries.
The Mara Conservancy is an efficiently run, non-profit, but we need revenue from park fees to survive. This will not be an ongoing appeal for money, just for the short-term until the visitors return.
You can make a donation by putting in an amount into the box near the top right of this page. All donations are securely transferred through Paypal - more details here.
Thank you to everyone for your support so far.
15 responses so far
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Joseph, I left my comments under “how to donate” but I think they may have got lost in cyberspace. Anyway, my prayers and a small donation are on the way.
Hi everyone,
What about the Rangers’ situation in the Mara Triangle area today, April 3rd ?
Still need some brave men to be sponsored I guess cause I would like to make a donation ?
Just wanna say to people here (rangers, worldwide donators, Mara Conservancy staff) that they fight for such a noble cause and I really mean it. I felt in love with African Wildlife (you all know about this “bug”) some years ago and still try to join her every year since, depending on the money I am able to save. I am aware about how a political crisis can quickly affect Wildlife preservation and protection duties. The depicted situation of the Mara Triangle area here gives such an evidence of this direct but also very fragile connection/link between Man’s world and Wildlife, thus free animals.
What about the tourits now ? do you think they might be back soon or will it take another months for them to come back to Kenya ?
I ask you the question cause it seems that the recent events in Kenya are no longer covered by any European TV channels … ?
I was in Tanzania a month ago for the second time and had the opportunity to talk with both the tracker and the driver about the situation in Kenya. It sounded like they felt very concerned about it, not only because Kenya is their neighbouring country but also because they know that is also a question of survival for any National Park in Kenya.
I do think that Joseph and Rangers initiative to get some funds to be able to carry on their mission show the dedication of those men.
You deserve all the best guys
Vincent
Hello Vincent
Currently we have 9 out of the 45 rangers sponsored, and so we are at this time very grateful for any donation that you can make. Thank you.
We remain optimistic that the tourists will start coming back mid-June, for the start of the migration, and so we believe that this crisis will only last until then.
From all of us here, we thank you for your words of encouragement, and please help us by spreading the word if you can.
Thanks again.
Dear Joseph,
I read about the financial trouble of the Mara Conservancy and the regional tribesmen today. I hope you can make it through this tough time and continue doing all the great work you and the other rangers do! Thank you for protecting the wildlife! I hope to one day come visit the Conservancy. I made a $50 donation to try to help you. Good luck and take care!
~Lisa (Portland, Oregon USA)
Is there some sort of way that perhaps you could workout a cattle/crop compensation scheme with farmers directly without having the govt involved? I personally sympathize with both ends but this bit is quite the catch 22.
Maybe you can solicit funds specifically just for that cause? Compensate based on fair market value - if they took the cow to the market how much would they get for it. I think that would somewhat prevent a farmer from killing the lion if he/she knew that compensation is on the way + can replace it even though not getting the max value (the price you pay to co-exist with nature)
When i was growing up - we had rams eaten by wild dogs + hyena’s all the time. Once a lion ate a cow and we called KWS and they tranquilized it ( that was awesome to touch it and all), put it on the bed of a truck and took it away. Wildbeests are a nightmare…with all the disease they carry + the effect they have on the land. But we had those too + dealt with the consequences. Today we have all sorts of animals on the farm co-existing with the rest of our flock. The major problem we face, like you guys, is poaching - very hard to get people to understand why we need to preserve our wildlife.
Hello Seinlife
Our cattle compensation scheme, before the crisis hit in January, was directly with the local herdsman - the government was not involved. We also gave a fair price based on market value.
Unfortunately at this time we do not have the funds to continue this scheme. To be honest, we don’t have enough money for anything this month; cattle compensation scheme, night patrols, de-snaring patrols, rangers’ salaries…
Morning all,
My donation has been made today.
I wish you all the very best. Wildlife shall be, must be and will be preserved !
Vincent
Thanks Will for the explanation..i suppose if i bothered to read the rest of the site i would have found the answer (duh..silly me)….anyhoo time to dig deep down into our pockets …
Joseph, What about an appeal to BBC and Animal Planet, who benefit from all the programming that is filmed in the Maasai Mara?
Big Cat Diary reruns are currently being run here in the US and maybe an urgent appeal during this program and other Big Cat programs, like they did after the death of the Croc Hunter Steve Irwin. If we lose the Mara it will a loss not only to Kenya but the entire world.
I will help as soon as possible. Thanks so very much for your careful stewardship of the Mara for all of us.
The first thing that I thought of when I heard of the political turmoil in Kenya was the Mara and all of the rangers and the Maasai. You are all in my prayers.
Kindest regards,
Kim Egger
Texas, USA
Regards
Hello Kim
Joseph is out on patrol at the moment, so let me answer your comment.
A few weeks back I approached Animal Planet through a contact suggesting what you mention but heard nothing back. If anyone has another contact that would be appreciated.
I am in contact with the producer and one of the presenter’s of Big Cat Diary to see if we can work something out to raise more awareness about this problem.
Thank you Kim for your support.
[…] Urgent Appeal […]
When I tried to submit a donation through the links on this page, the currency and amount would go blank and not allow me to enter the information. Is there an alternate link that I can try?
Thanks!!
Hey Jody
Are you clicking on the box that says ‘USD’? Click on this box, put in the amount, and then if you click anywhere outside the box you should see the grey box below update with this chosen amount. Then click donate.
Let me know if that helps.
Hi all–
Is it possible to equip the maasai herdsmen with tranquilizer guns so that they use it to temporarily paralyze the big cats whenever they encounter them attacking their livestock instead of outright killing them? And then report it immediately to the rangers via a two-way radio or cellphone provided to them by MTC.
Also, I would think that since MTC is a nonprofit, it could diversify its activities in order to generate income within its value chain. I do not think there will be any conflict of interest so long as the income generated is used to provide the necessary services for the program.
A partnership collaboration among all stakeholders of MTC could come together to figure out the modalities of such arrangement (income generating activities) that includes donors, Maasai herdsmen, MTC, County Councils and investors like Sir Richard Branson or even the tourists who wish to invest in such activities to sustain the program in the long-term. But then the question arises, how? and what programs or income generating activities? Anybody out there? Just a thought.
Long Live the Mara!
Daniel Kibet Mutai
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OKlahoma USA
http://www.africamattersinternational.org/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=29885056600
Dear Daniel
We are pleased to say, that even since the crisis hit us in January, the understanding between the Mara Conservancy and the Maasai Communities still remains, and to date we have not had any predators killed by the local people.
We are looking for other ways to generate income and working towards programs that will include stakeholders.
All the best
William