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GUIDE TO DEALING WITH THREATS TO NATURE IN KENYA by Dr. Paula Kahumbu

By Paula Kahumbu,

I’m often called, or sent messages to help in situations like the destruction of giant trees, diverting rivers, pouring pollution into rivers, poaching, injuries to wildlife, draining wetlands, dredging reefs, and other forms of harm to nature. Very often local residents can address these situations themselves and they will always have the most powerful voices. As Kenya pursues rapid development, mistakes will be made on all sides. As environmentalists we believe in the precautionary principle – this means demanding caution, pausing and review before leaping into new innovations that may prove disastrous. Often the relevant people are not aware and are happy that issues are raised. Always assume everyone is innocent. Here’s how you can take matters into your own hands to defend and protect your environment, which is not just your right but it’s your duty according to the constitution of Kenya.

STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY

1. Verify claims. Visit the site, get evidence in photos, videos, recordings, news clips, interviews, documentation, gather all the research you can find. Identify your allies and the people who can make a difference.

If the complaint is genuine then continue to step 2.

2. If the situation is critical, and has human safety or health implications, immediately lodge a complaint at the local police. Hire a lawyer or engage one of the professional organizations listed below.,

If the situation is not critical to human life, call and write to lodge a complaint at National Environmental Complaints Committee and NEMA including an URGENT request for EIA to check our public participation has been conducted and if mitigation plans have been implemented. All letters must be hand delivered with proof of delivery. All counties have local NEMA officials. Always copy to HQ.

3. Call and write to heads of relevant authorities to express your concern, request information about the issue, and ask for an urgent meeting. Keep all your communications official and polite. Be specific in crafting your complaint – indicate who, what, and when, make a very clear request with timelines. Maintain a file of all your records.

4. Call, visit and write to the offending party/agency to communicate your objection – copy all relevant agencies.

Attend meetings and ask questions to confirm your information or assumptions are correct and concerns are correct, make suggestions. Follow up with letters of minutes and agreed action points. Eg Agency to put out statement. Public participation to be conducted by x date.

IF NOTHING IS DONE AND THE SITUATION IS URGENT GO PUBLIC

5. Launch social media campaign inviting opinions, info, photos. Give the campaign a catchy name, a look and feel, and hashtags. #HandsOffOurElephants, tag all relevant agencies and media.

6. Issue press statement and make a call to action Eg . Save Kilifi Baobabs

7. Launch an online petition and have a clear call to action for a specific person – Eg To Dr So And So, Cabinet Secretary of XYZ

8. Conduct physical demonstration, march, protest (everything you do must be legal, obtain police permission).

9. Repeat steps 2, 3, 4. Take the issue to parliament by asking your MP to raise it on the floor.

NO MATTER WHAT always stay calm and never endanger yourself or your people by either breaking the law, or being rough, rude or vulgar. Always remain professional, polite and credible. If you are threatened, immediately report it to the local police.

If you find huge information was incorrect or exaggerated, acknowledge, apologize for any mistakes, acknowledge any support, thank anyone who takes relevant actions. Remember every issue is a learning. Document and track all your complaints.

Remember, if you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, involve others. I always invite other organizations to assist, to share the load sbd to brainstorm.

Here are a few organizations that I really like

Natural Justice on matters involving land degradation

Daima Green Spaces on matters involving urban green spaces

WildlifeDirect or African Fund For Animal Welfare on matters involving wildlife crime.

The Centre for Justice, Governance and Environmental Action on matters involving pollution

Amnesty International Kenya for matters that affect human rights.

 

About the author 

Paula Kahumbu is a wildlife conservationist and chief executive officer of WildlifeDirect. She is best known as a campaigner for elephants and wildlife, spearheading the Hands Off Our Elephants Campaign, which was launched in 2014 with Kenyan First Lady Margaret Kenyatta. She has recently in 2022 been appointed as the first National Geographical Explorer as a board of Trustees member at the National Geographic Society.

Awards and honors (source wikipedia)
  • Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year June 2021
  • National Geographic Buffet Award Winner for conservation leadership in Africa, 2011
  • National Geographic Emerging Explorer Award, 2011
  • Special Commendation, United Nations Person of the Year Award, 2013
  • Order of the Grand Warrior Award, Kenyan Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, 2014
  • Whitley Award Winner, donated by The LJC Fund in memory of Anthea and Lindsey Turner, 2014
  • Round Square Idealist
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ANN TUMPESIA SETTING THE PACE FOR FEMALE SAFARI GUIDES

WINNER MAA AWARDS FEMALE TOUR GUIDE OF THE YEAR 2019

Tour guiding is a male-dominated career here in Africa but there’s one lady who is setting the pace, gone are the days for stereotyping careers she says and just do what you love, nothing you do will be good enough for everyone so just do what you feel your calling is, had an interview with her and this is how it went

1. Tell us about yourself, where you were brought up, your aspirations as a kid.
I’m Ann Tumpesia, I’m 26years old, born in the heart of the Great Rift valley, Narok county, Transmara west, lolgorian ward. As a kid, I grew up in a culture full of traditions. That means education was not a priority. Something I can say is that I was lucky to be born as the last born of 4.. and that made a difference coz I got a chance to go to school. During our time going to school, I could walk for 10kms every day to school and back in the afternoon. On my way, I could always see different animals as I head to school and I can interpret whether I was safe or not. I could follow animal tracks and poops to get to know if I’m on a safer route or not. And every day was unique to me and my one brother who also got a chance to attend school. As a young kid especially a girl, it was never easy. There were higher chances that I might not have completed my schooling because of culture but thanks to my mom she showed me the right way. When I was 12 years old I lost my mom and I knew this was the end of me. I knew I was going to face the culture once again. This includes (FGM), and early Marriage. I decided to run away from home and I got lucky to find a girl rescue center where I got helped and went back to school. After high school, I knew I was going to make it and not let anything hold me back. I went back home as I knew I was an adult I can make my own decisions.

2. Did you have any other career/job before becoming a guide?
Yes I wanted to be a journalist but I didn’t have money to go to university and before I became a tour guide I worked as a house help for 4 months that’s 2014, then I got some money I went to apply for a dishwashing job in one hotel in Maasai Mara and after 2weeks I got confirmed for the position. This was just the beginning, after a couple of months, the same camp I was working at were looking for waiters and waitresses and since I was learning how to do the waitress job silently I applied for it. A few days later I was confirmed. I got a new job, a new salary, and getting stress free but that was not my stopping point it wasn’t easy either, of course, you’d meet different people you are working with. Some made my working condition hard but I could never give up that easily am a natural fighter. I kept pushing on. At times I wanted to give up but I remember if I stop working hard if I go back to the village I might get married as a sixth wife to someone.  I decided I’m going to work hard for myself.

Ann catching up with one of her guests

3. Why tour guiding and not any other career?
So what made me choose tour Guiding is; 1. I have always been around these animals from my childhood age, and one day as I was still working as a waitress, came a lady named ( Lonah Nabaala) who was having her own guest and she was a guide. One of my colleague waiter said to me “set a table for your fellow lady”. And was like okay.. so I did set a table for her and when she came in for dinner I went ahead and served her and I was feeling deep in my heart that one day I’ll be like her. She gave me more courage to keep chasing what I wanted to do most. I just served her and I decided to ask her some questions which she never hesitated to answer I asked her where I can get the school to study and she told me. On the last day when she was leaving, we exchanged contacts and she promised to keep me posted. And yes she did. One day she asked me if I was free so we can go to a graduation party at the same guiding school and I didn’t want to miss so I asked for permission from my job and one of my colleagues said he was going to work on my behalf for the day. Lonah drove and after few hours we’re in the school since she was one of the alumni she was received and she went straight to have our seats. She met her colleagues and when they were catching up I tip-toed going around the school, looking around and asking people on how I can get a chance to join. And I met one person who told me interviews were going on and I asked him to show me where the interview was being done. I was taken to a hall , people were doing an interview exam. One of the teachers asked me ” are u in for an interview?” And I said yes. He gave me a seat and a paper to fill in and of course an exam. I did it quickly and I left the room praying hard that I get a chance. I went back to the party grounds and I didn’t tell Lonah what I have done. Shortly the party was off and we headed back and still, I hadn’t told her obviously feeling timid, and afraid of getting disappointed or given false hope. She dropped me back at my workplace and after a week I got a phone call from the school asking me to pick my admission letter. Guess who was the first person I called. (Lonah) and she was so proud of me, that really motivated me. And that’s how my dream of becoming a tour guide started.

4. It must be tough for you as a lady in a male-dominated field?
Being a lady in a male-dominated industry has both advantages and disadvantages;  one,you are competing with men and some are quite intimidated by me. They say you chose to do what we are doing so do it a majority of the guides I come across are quite supportive while others are openly chauvinists especially back in the village it’s never easy.

5. How has it been so far for you as a guide?
So far being a guide it’s full of fun and new experiences learning something new each day I don’t think I’m changing my career soon.

6. What’s the most interesting part of your job?
Meeting new people every time and making new friends, am a people person can fit in any crowd it’s full of fun because after every 3to 4 days I meet new people and we have fun differently, it’s never the same with previous guests. I love making fun at work not just with guests but also with my colleagues.

7. How did your family react when you told them you wanted to become a guide?
At first, no one believed because I didn’t ask them for money to go and study the tour Guiding school, they just said that I was joking and they only believed it when I invited them for my graduation day so they should prepare.

8. To the young ladies interested in becoming a guide what’s your advice to them?
Keep focusing, talk to someone about how you want it to happen, get the right mentors to share your thoughts and visions with positive-minded people. Write down what you want to be share with someone. And the other thing don’t rebuke any work that comes your way. Do any work it’s the rope to connect you to your destined work.

9. “Eco Trip match” What’s that all about?
I didn’t know this nomination was happening until I got an email from the company ( Eco Trip match) most of the nominations were done by the guests I have taken on a safari as a guide. The Eco Trip match does analysis each year to encourage and support the conservationist across the world. So this year 2021 I got to be shortlisted as the finalist of the best nature tour guide of the year. Currently, we are voting until the 15th of February and on 16th will get to know who got the highest number of votes. If you want to vote click the link below
How to vote
1. Click the link and wait for it to open … (Don’t scroll)
2. Tap my photo (Ann)
3. Put your email on the space provided below the photos.
4. Submit.

https://www.ecotripmatch.com/best-nature-tour-guide-vote/

10. If I wanted to do a safari with you as my guide how do I get in touch with you?
Currently, I’m working at and beyond kichwa Tembo, Maasai Mara. You can book with them or send an email to me at tumpesia14@gmail.com and I can direct you on how to make a reservation and I’ll be glad to give you an unforgettable experience in the Maasai Mara.
You can also reach me on
Instagram ann_tumpesia
Facebook . Ann Tumpesia
Tweeter. Ann Tumpesia

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OCTOBER 17 2020 BIG DAY FOR BIRDS AND BIRDERS! BIGGER THAN EVER

Mark your calendars for October Big Day—17 October 2020! Big Days are a 24 hour opportunity to celebrate the birds both near you and around the world.

In addition, this year’s October Big Day 2020 is happening during the first Global Bird Weekend. The goal of Global Bird Weekend is to make October 17-18 the biggest ever birding weekend and support BirdLife International’s appeal to end illegal bird trade. One of Global Bird Weekend’s aims is to have more than 25,000 people submit eBird checklists on 17 October—will you be one of them?

We recognize that COVID-19 continues to impact our communities. Even if your local conditions have improved, we always encourage everyone to put safety first, follow local health guidelines, and bird mindfully. You can bird from home and still participate in October Big Day!

How to participate

  • Get an eBird account: eBird is a worldwide bird checklist program used by millions of birders. It’s what allows us to compile everyone’s sightings into a single massive October Big Day list—while at the same time collecting the data for scientists to use to better understand birds. Sign up here. It’s 100% free.
  • Watch birds on 17 October. It’s that simple! October Big Day runs from midnight to midnight in your local time zone. You don’t need to be a bird expert, or go out all day long. You can report birds from anywhere in the world—even 10 minutes in your backyard will help.
  • Enter what you see and hear on eBird: You can enter your sightings via our website or—even easier—download the free eBird Mobile app. The app allows you to keep and submit lists while you’re still out birding, explore nearby Hotspots, and will even track of how far you’ve walked so you can focus on watching birds. Please submit your eBird checklists before 21 October to be included in our initial results announcement.
  • Watch the sightings roll in: During the day, keep an eye on how the lists are growing in different parts of the world. Follow along with reports from more than 150 countries. Stats will be updated in real-time on our October Big Day page

Watch the sightings roll in

Finding birds and keeping checklists is easy with the free eBird Mobile app. Download for iOS or Android.

Global Big Day Pro Tips

On October Big Day 2019, more than 20,000 participants submitted 42,700 checklists with 6,709 species. How many checklists and participants will we have this year? No matter where you bird, have fun, stay safe, enjoy the birds you find, and share your sightings on eBird. Your observations will help us better understand global bird populations through products like these animated abundance maps brought to you by eBird Science.

For more instructions; https: //docs.google.com/document/d/1Uq7mJQMz0k9XvBTRgrw-MN888-NxdGk7Vp7e6ha2mxM/edit#

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Gareth Jones – A passionate wildlife conservationist, writer & photographer@Gareth Jones
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CLICKS FOR BETTER PICS – IT’S ALL ABOUT WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY – By GARETH JONES

I do not pretend to know everything about taking good wildlife photos, but over a period of half a century hopefully, some hard lessons have been learned. Basically, it was my father who started me on photography in the mid-1960s in South Africa. He gave me an old camera with no film in it and step by step taught me some basics. Of course, it also did help that our family spent many holidays and weekends in National Parks and wildlife areas, this practice taught me “bush tactics” as I began to have a deeper understanding of African wildlife, including understanding animal habits and having the patience to wait for special moments. We have been in East Africa for nearly 18 years and during this period have been privileged to visit many national parks and reserves in Kenya & Uganda. East Africa is incredibly blessed with a wonderful range of wildlife and beautiful natural scenery. As I work in Nairobi for many years I used to drive through the Nairobi National Park mostly twice daily on my route to avoid serious traffic delays and hopefully maintain my sanity. This was before the southern bypass was built, so the effect of over 4500 early morning and late afternoon game drives in the Nairobi National Park gave me the opportunity to witness many very special moments. The privilege of being able to take photos of many incredible species and events has enabled me to integrate photos with the articles that I write.

Here are some factors that help me take better “clicks and pics”…

1) Know your camera equipment- even small “point and shoot” cameras can get good results if used correctly.  Some people buy the best and expect instant excellence.

2) Practice makes perfect- it’s OK to make mistakes, but note how to improve.

3) Hold still- if possible avoid “camera shake”, a “bean bag” to rest the camera does help.

4) Sometimes the first and last hours of the day are “golden hours”- when the soft sunlight is just right for great photos.

5) Don’t over zoom- try to get the full subject into the frame. If moving use the “sports function” and follow with the camera as you click.

6) Try to get out of “City mode” and relax into “Bush mode”.

7) Pray for God to show you the glory of creation.

8) Drive slowly- less than 30 km/h is advised.

9) Don’t just look at grass and trees- look through grass and trees.

10) Watch the reactions of different herbivores and birds- I have often seen lions in this way.

11) Having an attitude of “birdwatching” and showing an interest in the smaller creatures is very rewarding.

12) Don’t drive too far- stop often and wait.

13) Stop often and scan the area with binoculars.

14) Go with the attitude of “let nature come to me”- rather than trying to “catch a bit of nature”.

15) Be ready- you never know when that special moment could happen. Always have your camera ready.

Imagine for a moment, what If a 100 people were each given the same camera for just one day and asked to take photos of any wildlife theme or subject, and then submit their top-five selection. I believe that the results would be very interesting, as people, we are all very different in our interests. It has been said that photography is art for those who cannot paint. So, therefore, it is very good if a photographer can actually capture the “mood of a moment” so that when others see the photos they will also sense some of that particular moment.

In recent years I have observed many budding young wildlife photographers who have started to take great photos. It is my sincere hope and prayer that many more people will start to enjoy wildlife enough so that they will also want to capture special sighting moments. In a world where wildlife habitats are threatened, taking photos helps to communicate to people how important it is to conserve our precious wildlife. It has been said that “a picture is worth more than a thousand words”. God has created so much for us to see and observe.

Remember, simply speaking “it is the clicks that become the pics ”. Have fun out there!

About the author

Chairman of the Board Finance and Administration Committee Friends of Nairobi National Park Gareth has been involved in wildlife conservation for over 50 years. He was an honorary ranger (warden) for the South African National Parks from 1989 to 2001. Gareth has been involved in East African wildlife conservation since 2002, focusing mostly on the Nairobi National Park. He writes various weekly media articles with photos to promote the park.

All images courtesy of Gareth Jones

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A WILDLIFE WARRIORS STORY INTO CONSERVATION

Amidst the COVID19 pandemic and restrictions, with great precaution by observing health safety measures, there are great opportunities to be happy and appreciate the beauty of nature which has always been my best way to spend my free time. I am a nature enthusiast and today I would like to share with you what inspired my passion.

It all started way back in 2003 when I was in standard four, this was after my mum who was a teacher at Nyagidha Primary School in Homa-Bay attended a Wildlife Clubs of Kenya teacher’s training workshop on environmental education at the WCK Western region offices in Kisumu near Impala sanctuary. After the training, my mum started a school forest both at the school and at our home which was not as easy as Homa-bay is an ASAL area and is mostly dry. To ensure that the trees she planted at our home grew, we had to fetch water from the lake which was nearly one kilometer away in the morning and evening. On Sundays and during the school holidays, I was always tasked with the responsibility of maintaining our tree fences to prevent goats and cattle from destroying the trees.

 

In high school I joined the environmental club, our school principal was a senior biology teacher and had great interest in botany. He was always at the forefront in supporting our tree planting initiatives at the school. I was always in love with nature but nature but absolutely NO idea of the career opportunities in it leave alone the courses that I could register for if I could be able to join university. In high school we had a career guiding department but just like most other student in that age, I did not seek guidance on the steps that I would need to pursue my dream.

 

Unfortunately, I was not able to meet the required grade to join University under government sponsorship. My dreams were shuttered but I was lucky as my parents had my back. I shared with them my interests in nature and environmental studies and they helped in getting a college entry at the Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute (KWSTI) to pursue a Diploma in Environmental Management. From my first day at the institution, I felt that I was where I needed to be. The school environment was amazing coupled with amazing modules, and periodic day trips. The best moments were week-long regional camping trips that we had once per semester and practical sessions of the “Survival Techniques  Module” where we had to hike for more than forty kilometers in Hells Gate National Park, climb Mount Longonot, and do solo nights coupled with swimming and many other sessions on bushman-ship survival skills.

The institution played a great role in boosting my passion and knowledge in environmental issues and from then, my goal was that every step that I took would lead me towards making a difference for nature and more so getting an opportunity to influence others into realize its beauty and importance in order to give back to nature in their own way. In my professional and academic pursuit, I joined the University of Eldoret pursuing a BSc. Natural Resources Management to enhance my knowledge and skills in conservation. After my bachelors, I job hunted for long before I got an opportunity for part time work (at most two weeks long between months) with a consultancy firm in Kenya that worked on Environment, Energy and Sustainable Development as a research assistant or enumerator in Kisumu and Homa-bay counties. My job entailed traversing villages across the counties, identifying respondents, acquiring consent, conducting qualitative and quantitative data collection and giving feedback. This gave me an opportunity to travel, gain much knowledge on various environmental issues affecting development and the measures various recommendations given towards finding solutions.

Tobias posing with one of his favourite lecturersMr Asher at the Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute

Tobias posing with one of his favourite lecturersMr Asher at KWS HQ during World Wildlife Day on 3rd March 2020

In mid-2018 after several applications, I got an interview invitation call for an internship position at WildlifeDirect, a Kenyan-based NGO I had been following its TV programs and I had fallen in love with them for running a successful campaign against the elephant poaching crisis in Kenya. I was in Kisumu when I received the call and the interview was scheduled for the next day at the organization’s offices in Nairobi, a distance of over 350 km so I had to travel overnight. I was so excited when I was informed that I had passed the interview and I would join the great team in running a Kenya-wide conservation education program. It meant learning, connecting with nature, travelling and meeting amazing people across the country.

In 2020, COVID 19 virus hit the world and this led to a global shift in running activities by working from home since our work involved working with schools which had to be closed in March, followed by containment and lockdowns to minimize spread of the virus. Our last work trip before the first COVID19 case in Kenya was in late February when we took a pupil who had won an essay competition for a five day trip to the Kenyan coastal town, Malindi.

I loved field work, traveling, hiking and camping, working from home without these for months was a bit of a challenge. My remedy has been to go for morning runs or walks to keep myself fit during the week before work and once in a while over the weekends, I do invite a friend or relative to go out for nature walks or visit enjoy natures beauty. This was after I realized that most of my close friends and family members had never had little opportunity to explore and experience the amazing values of green spaces within Nairobi and saw during my free time, I take them to visit parks, forest hikes, cycling and zip-lining experiences. In this way, I hope to change the perception of those around me towards nature.

My current greatest career ambition is to enhance on my research, proposal writing and fundraising skills as part of my career development. Within the next five years, I intend to pursue a Master’s of Science in Environmental Education or MSc. In Conservation Education to enhance my knowledge and skills. This will also broaden my ability to expound on my content creation on conservation education and research skills. As a qualified conservation education, I will be able to work towards bridging the gap between development, culture and conservation towards ensuring that public members are appreciative and taking positive actions for nature.

Currently, I work at WildlifeDirect, a Kenyan Based Conservation Organization as a Conservation Education Assistant in running a Kenya-wide conservation education program with the goal of equipping the younger generation with knowledge in conservation in realizing the importance of nature and inspiring them to take action for nature.

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Education outreach officer
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Impact of Corona Virus Pandemic (COVID-19) On Community Conservation.

Impact of Corona Virus Pandemic (COVID-19) On Community Conservation.

Case study: Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

The impact of coronavirus (COVID-19), which has been characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), is being felt across the world and conservation projects are no different. The way a pandemic works is much like natural catastrophes. Its true impact is not just in what it does directly, such as an earthquake destroying people’s homes, buildings and more. It is the tradeoffs that come with it on community livelihoods.

It’s important to understand, what it brings both on the positive and negative side into our environment. A positive note is that, according to China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, data recorded between January and March 2020 reflects an 84.5% increase of good air quality in 337 cities and satellite data from the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration shows a decline in nitrogen dioxide over China and Europe. On this end, the environment seems to be also enjoying the break from us and the ecological footprints we leave.

On the flip side, the emergence of COVID-19 has negatively underscored the mutually-affective relationship between people and nature whereby humans are continually pushing natural resources limits in a bid to sustain themselves as we fight the pandemic. Now with this comes the main question is, what about Our Wildlife? What about our Communities? How will them fair- the answer is not well at all.  Kenya’s Unique heritage, from the beautiful landscapes, the natural wonders and the diverse communities living around these protected areas – every effort, time and money invested in all this may go down the groove if swift actions are not taken.

Currently, Kenya’s community conservation efforts are to a great extent supported through tourism income. In light of the measures put in place, such as travel bans, lockdowns all that are geared towards flattening the infection curve, there has been minimal or no income generated from tourism or other sources.

Looking at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, which is one of the major tourist destinations in the country for both domestic and international tourists, there has been a little to no activities on tourism, as a result, curtailing any efforts towards community conservation. Over the past years, Ol Pejeta Conservancy been on the forefront in ensuring it supports the people living around its borders, through wildlife conservation which in turn translates to better education, healthcare and infrastructure for the next generation of wildlife guardians.

However, the current pandemic has directly translated to low income and this greatly threatens to water down all these efforts as the funds that would have gone to community projects are no longer available.

Communities living around the conservancy, mainly range between middle to low-income earners, as such most them live from hand to mouth. Additionally, poverty, water scarcity and inequalities among the communities are majorly prevalent. These communities have for long benefited from the conservancies initiatives mainly on training on adopting climate-smart agricultural practices, education on sustainable conservation practices as the conservancy tries to help communities understand and practice conservation.

Currently, communities seem to be slowly going back to unsustainable ways such as charcoal burning, deforestation, as they also try to adapt to the harsh economic changes in the country coupled with ensuring they are safe from the virus. This fight is not as easy as in the end, people need to meet their basic amenities to survive. How will they now adapt? – The short answer is, they will turn to the local natural resources which in turn be overexploited as the communities strive to cope with the harsh times.

These are extraordinary, challenging times where every person will instinctively do anything for survival, nonetheless this unprecedented turn of events, bring with them the risk of losing more than a decade’s worth of effort towards imparting positive change on our environment, through community conservation.

Conclusively, as a society, it’s our duty as we all play a role in this environment to draw on the collective wisdom and determine the next steps in the challenges we face today.

About the author

Steve is a dedicated conservationist, currently working at Ol Pejeta Conservancy an education officer working closely with about 22 communities adjacent to the conservancy.

Follow him on social media;

Instagram- mwangi_gachagua https://www.instagram.com/mwangi_gachagua/

Facebook – Mwangi Gachagua https://www.facebook.com/M.Gachagua

 

 

 

 

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Hell’s Gate needs tender loving care – not Love Festival

SCARING AWAY WILDLIFE

Hell’s Gate needs tender loving care – not Love Festival, DR. Paula Kahumbu

Motor vehicles, especially travelling at speed, are inherently dangerous to wildlife.

In Summary
  • Several species of vulture and other birds of prey that used to be common in the Park now no longer breed there.
  • Already there are reports of visitors expressing dismay at the condition of the Park and saying they will not return.

Many people are shocked, as I am, by the approval given to hold two large-scale public events in Hell’s Gate National Park later this year. The Koroga Love Festival, on February 14–15, and the East African leg of the World Rally Championship, programmed for July, will attract thousands of people to the Park for activities that are unconnected with wildlife conservation.

This is in clear contradiction to the purpose of the National Park “to protect natural biodiversity along with its underlying ecological structure and supporting environmental processes”.

Recreational and educational activities are allowed in our national parks, but only at levels which will not cause significant biological or ecological degradation to the natural resources. The presence of so many thousands of people will inevitably cause profound disturbance to wildlife in the Park, including leopard, zebra, gazelle, impala, hyena and many other species.

A particular source of concern is the danger caused by the vast increase in the volume of motor traffic in and around the Park during the two events. Motor vehicles, especially travelling at speed, are inherently dangerous to wildlife.

Hell’s Gate National Park is recognised by Birdlife International as an Important Bird Area of international significance. The Park contains the only protected breeding colony of Critically Endangered Ruppell’s Vultures in Kenya, and is a breeding site and/or foraging site for many other threatened birds of prey, including eagles, falcons, hawks, buzzards and owls.

Both planned events will expose these birds to unacceptable levels of noise, night-time light and, in the case of the rally, overflying helicopters, which will surely disrupt breeding and feeding behaviour, or even drive the birds away from the area.

The Kenya Wildlife Service and the event organizers justify holding the events in the Park by pointing to the economic benefits they will bring to the area. In my view, this is a lamentably short-sighted perspective. It is true that the two events will attract large numbers of visitors for a few days and make money for the organiSers and local businesses.

But these short-lived benefits are dwarfed by the potential of the Park to generate sustainable incomes from nature tourism and outdoor recreation for decades to come. This economic potential is completely dependent on maintaining the wildlife populations and unspoiled natural landscapes that attract visitors to the area.

Hell’s Gate National Park is already under threat. The construction of the geothermal energy plant has only added to pressures caused by rapid population growth and urbanisation in Naivasha and other areas around the park. Incessant human activity, and ever-increasing traffic and noise pollution are scaring away the wildlife. Several species of vulture and other birds of prey that used to be common in the Park now no longer breed there.

Lions, leopards and wild dogs have already vanished from the park and populations of other species are falling. The tour companies are beginning to worry about how these developments will affect their business. Already there are reports of visitors expressing dismay at the condition of the Park and saying they will not return. It is becoming impossible for the Park to fulfil its function as a space for protection and tranquil enjoyment of the natural environment.

In these circumstances, it makes no sense to give permission for events that will bring in thousands more people, and with them more traffic, more noise and more pollution. All our efforts should be focused on restoring the conservation value of critical habitats in the Park. That doesn’t mean keeping people out.

Due to its location close to Nairobi, the Hell’s Gate National Park has great potential to bring Kenyans closer to wildlife through activities that involve them wildlife conservation, such as environmental education, nature tourism and citizen science projects.

These uses of the National Park would be in accordance with our National Conservation Strategy and its Vision of a future where “Kenya’s wildlife is healthy, resilient and valued by Kenyans”. In 2020, we should be promoting activities in Hell’s Gate National Park that contribute to this Vision, rather than events which threaten to undermine it.

Repost view original post; https://www.the-star.co.ke/opinion/columnists/2020-01-22-hells-gate-needs-tender-loving-care–not-love-festival/

Please sign and share this petition to show your solidarity in keeping our Parks intact. https://secure.avaaz.org/en/community_petitions/chris_kirubi_sen_mwangi_paul_githiomi_committee_on_move_koroga_festival_out_of_hells_gate_national_park/?aZmGspb&newuser=1

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GYBN Kenya Lake Nakuru Clean Up and Tree Growing

The Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) is an international network of youth organizations and individuals from across the world whose common goal is to prevent the loss of biodiversity. GYBN aims to represent the voice of global youth in the negotiations under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD), raise awareness among young people of the values of biodiversity, and connects individuals and youth organizations in order to build a global coalition to halt the loss of biodiversity. As the official major group for youth in the negotiations under the CBD, GYBN is committed to bringing the opinions and positions of young people into the political process; empowering young people to take action. Recognized and supported by the UN CBD Secretariat, GYBN seeks to inspire global youth and future leaders to work for the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity for a healthy environment and society.

During our consultation meeting held in Lake Nakuru National Park on 26th -27th October 2019, the need for a community sensitization event and clean around and inside the park was underlined. In recognition of your great efforts to conserve our national heritage and the need for the sustainability of this biodiversity hub, we have identified Nakuru County as one of the key partners in the planned clean up and tree growing.

The event is proposed to take place on 25th January 2020 at Lake Nakuru National Park, from 8:00 AM and we are expecting 300 participants. In this regards, we are hopeful that you will join us in this noble exercise aimed at enhancing the pristine nature of the park and sensitizing the communities around on the need to protect our natural heritage from pollution.

Please register here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdArZ88HYM_PPqWd0Rns7hUIFUjyx4Jpfv-BBgRG1L8C6NiLA/viewform

 

 

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Remembering Amboseli’s Iconic Elephant Tim

The amazing, iconic, magnificent male Tim died on Wednesday the 5th of February. He was 51 years old. It was a tragedy for so many. First, for his elephant buddies who adored him, followed him and learned from him. Then for all the rest of us who cared about him: for us at ATE who have known him for 46 years; for Kenya, the Kenya Wildlife Service and Amboseli National Park, all of which profited from the tourists who came to see Tim; for Big Life and the other conservation organizations that worked so hard to keep him safe; for the local community who knew Tim well because he spent the majority of his time outside the Park on community land. Finally, his passing was a loss to the whole world, because he was a rare, spectacular specimen of a male elephant with his tall stature and his huge sweeping tusks.
The KWS vet came and did a postmortem and concluded that Tim died of a twisted gut. Fifty one is not very old for an elephant. He might have lived another 10 years. It’s hard to even imagine what his tusks would have looked like. The largest tusks ever recorded, 224 and 226 lbs., came from an elephant who was shot on the northern slopes of Kilimanjaro in the late 19th century. That would make the bull part of the Amboseli population. We believe his genes have been passed down to the current population. Tim’s tusks weighed 160 and 134 lbs.
I first met Tim on 9 September 1973. He was with his mother and his family in one of the woodland areas of Amboseli called Ol Tukai Orok, which means “place of the dark palms” in Maa, the language of the local Maasai people. Tim wasn’t yet named at that point. After a few more sightings I designated the family he belonged to as the TD family. It was led by an old female with long straight tusks. I called her Teresia. She had a two-year-old calf, and a second female, whom I called Trista, had a four-year-old. This four-year-old was eventually named Tim. The two-year-old was named Tolstoy. I was fairly sure Trista was Teresia’s daughter which made Tim her grandson and Tolstoy was actually Tim’s uncle even though he was younger.
Over the next years I watched Tim grow and become more independent. His mother Trista died in 1977 of unknown causes. At the time Tim was eight years old, well beyond weaning, but still dependent on his mother for care and protection, and it was a serious loss for him. Fortunately, he continued to be cared for within the family. However, as all young males do, Tim struck out on his own when he was about 15 years old in early 1984. It was a difficult time to leave his family because in 1984 there was a terrible drought in Amboseli. Many elephants died including, Tim’s grandmother, Teresia, who sadly was speared as a result of increased competition between pastoralists and elephants for the dwindling vegetation. As a young male on his own, Tim had to find those last patches of food and avoid coming into contact with the Maasai and their livestock. It was a dangerous period but he got through it. I suspect he stuck with some of the older males who taught him where to go and how to stay safe.
Once the drought was over in 1985, Tim still had a lot of growing and learning to do. At 16 years old he wasn’t even as tall as the largest females. Slowly over the years he continued to develop socially and physically. He had to learn all the necessary skills for being a successful male. When he was 27 years old he came into musth for the first time and continued to do so almost every year for the rest of his life. Musth is a period of raised hormone levels when dominance interactions with other males and the pursuit of females occurs. At first males of this age are only in musth for a short time, but as they get older and bigger (males grow throughout their lifetime) they might be in musth for three months each year.
Older bulls tend to choose an area that is their “bull area” or their temporary retirement area when they are not in musth. Tim chose the Kimana Wildlife Sanctuary. Over the years as more and more people moved into the area to farm, Tim learned to enjoy eating the crops grown next to the Sanctuary and it got him into trouble several times. He was speared at least three times and had to be treated and he also got completely mired in mud and had to be rescued.
When it was clear that Tim was an outstanding male elephant, carrying glorious tusks, and it was also evident that he was a problem for local farmers, he was collared so that he could be followed. In this way, both the farms and Tim could be protected. The ranger teams deployed to manage Tim’s appetite for tomatoes grew to have a huge respect for how sneaky and clever he could be, and how much he cared for the other males who joined his nightly excursions, especially the youngest males whom he would actively protect as rangers tried to deter them from entering farms. Eventually, his collar fell off, but by this time Tim was so famous among the community members that he was actually monitored most of the time.
Tim was much loved and respected by the males with whom he shared his range. While some males become less sociable as they get older, Tim was always tolerant and friendly with males of all ages and we rarely saw him on his own. Tim was also much appreciated by the females in Amboseli. They always greeted him warmly when he came to test them to see if one was ready to mate. If a female was in oestrus he was especially gentle with her unlike some of the other bulls. We are sure that’s one of the reasons he was so popular because females were relaxed and able to stay with their families throughout the mating period, instead of being chased and separated. Without DNA analysis we’re not sure how many offspring he has, but it has to be a good number. His legacy will live on, but we will miss him terribly.
Cynthia Moss
Director Amboseli Trust For Elephants
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Conservation Careers Fair Kenya-2020

Young people are stepping out to make a positive difference in the conservation of nature and wildlife all across the world.

With the many challenges facing our environment becoming more pronounced, we need more young people in every household to have a successful career in conservation thus promoting the conservation of nature and wildlife.

However, the number of students taking up a conservation-related course in Kenya has drastically reduced. To be able to change this narrative, Biophilic Conversations will be hosting the first-ever Conservation Careers Fair in Kenya in 2020.

Networking and making important professional contacts are often the most important components of any successful job search. The Conservation Careers Fair Kenya will bring together different potential conservation organizations and prominent Kenyan training institutions offering environmental and conservation-related study programs. This will create a platform for young people in conservation and employers to connect.

The careers fair is for any young Kenyan who wants to spend their career promoting coexistence between our wildlife and people and develop sustainable ways to ensure we live in a planet where both people and nature thrive. For students, this will guide them in a successful conservation career.

“It is still not too late to act. It will take a far-reaching vision, it will take courage, it will take fierce, fierce determination to act now, to lay the foundations where we may not know all the details about how to shape the ceiling. In other words, it will take cathedral thinking. I ask you to please wake up and make changes required possible” – Greta Thunberg

Through this careers fair, Biophilic Conversations aims to cultivate an environment more conducive to participation by young Kenyans, who are the future of conservation in our country. By partnering with various representatives from Kenya’s conservation scene, we will demonstrate to young Kenyans that environmental conservation is a rewarding and viable career path to take.

The event includes career talks, panel discussions and various other engaging activities covering a host of career-related topics that open minds to the opportunities available in this diverse sector.

We need your support to be able to achieve this, if you have links with Kenyan conservation government agency, local or international universities that offer conservation-related courses, local and international NGOs, please drop us an email on info@biophilic.co.ke.

We aim at inspiring the next generation of conservationist and we need your help in every step we take. If you are thinking about a career in conservation, then this is for you.

Feel free to tag the conservation organization you have always wanted to work with, and let them join the Careers Fair.

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