June Report 09

General
This month the rains have stopped. The Greater Mara area has had approximately 13 inches of rain this season, with approximately 3 inches of rain in the Mara Conservancy around Serena; the surrounding area has remained very dry and has had no rain to speak of. This will put increasing grazing pressure on the MNC area and make it more difficult to control cattle numbers. Hopefully the rains next season will be better, but it is doubtful that the Mara will get its annual average rainfall of 42 inches (G.O.K et al.) this year.

This has been the first month that Seiya Ltd has been responsible for the holistic management of Mara North Conservancy. Much time has been spent finding our feet and learning about the partnerships of MNC, the lay of the land; and its cultural, historical, economic, ethical and ecological factors involved. All these will be important to consider when managing the conservancy effectively.

This month, two committee meetings were held at Karen Blixen camp on the 5th and the 29th. The details of these meetings can be found in the minutes. At the first meeting, Seiya Ltd. was introduced to the land committee, and it was decided that the committee would like all outsider cattle to be moved out of MNC during the course of the month. At the second committee meeting it was decided that Seiya would propose an area acceptable for grazing to be ratified by the committee next month (See cattle section).

An MNC Director’s meeting was held at Karen Blixen camp on the 28th and it was decided that Seiya would be responsible for Earthview’s actions on MNC, that we would start building gates, signage, and start some rehabilitation of the office blocks. Some of the other concerns MNC Directors expressed were; cattle movement and management, policing non-MNC partners who are traversing the area, and securing the area from trespassers and poachers. All research, observations, developments and management concerns for the area, will be reported to the directors each month through written updates and monthly reports.

Earthview management will be responsible for the issuing of tickets at the gates and checking issued ticket sales at the lodges and camps.

Seiya will also be responsible for the community liaison officer Denis Mako, along with his vehicle and driver. His responsibilities are many and will be clearly defined next month, once the start-up period is over.

As a professional management company Seiya Ltd. for MNC we will be using robust methodologies practiced by similar conservancies. We will also be adaptive to this specific area; spearheading practices that will benefit the landowners and the tourism partners in the area, to its full potential, while securing ecological integrity.

Wildlife
The plains wildlife have been numerous this month. Many of the zebra and wildebeest have moved off MNC but are suspected to return very soon. Eland and giraffe have been resident in both the wooded areas, on the open plains and near the river. Each evening large herds of giraffe have been moving from near the river to behind Aitong and Ol Donyo Orinka in the late afternoon.

Large bull elephants have been resident on MNC this month. They were seen again along the river on the 29th near Serian Camp. There have been several elephant deaths this month, and incidents of human elephant conflict.

On the 12th a rogue elephant that had been identified by our rangers several days earlier for killing livestock near Aitong killed a driver guide from Olu Mara Camp on Olare Orok. The rangers were quick to respond and arrived at the scene at 9am where the elephant was identified. Our rangers then met up with a section of KWS rangers from Lemek the elephant was exterminated at 11:30am. During the evening of the 18th elephants were raiding crops on the transmara side of the river near Emarti. When the area councillor tried to chase the elephants away with his vehicle one elephant turned on him and tusked his car. The elephant’s tusk broke at its base and was left in the punctured radiator of the vehicle. Our rangers arrived at the scene at 11am where we met a large gathering that demanded compensation for the vehicle. They were counselled and we agreed to do patrols on that side of the river during when crop raiding was reported. This month 4 elephants were found dead in the surrounding area. All in the Lemek hills area, Ol Donyo Orinka, and Kilemetare areas. Two incidents the tusks were retrieved and handed over by our rangers and in the most recent cases on the 23rd and the 28th the tusks had been removed. It is suspected that in these two cases the elephants were poached by poison arrows and followed-this was deduced since the tusks were removed shortly after the elephants death, before people in the area had found the carcases. Each boma was visited and asked to report any people they found walking around in the area that they did not know. In this area poaching has been reported to be prevalent for since we have been managing Ol Choro Oiroua of the last two years. Hopefully with the new gate and security post in the near Ngoswani Centre these incidents, and future ones, can be better investigated and stopped.

Researcher Sara Blackburn has been studying lions for the last year in the former Koyiaki and reports that there are over 100 animals identified and estimates that there are another 100 unidentified in the larger area. Her project includes having booklets in tourist vehicles which guides can identify lions with, and also identify and record new lions. Her program, Living With Lions, will be a good tool for guides and guests to interact with; who can help research that is being done in the area, and improve a guest’s experiences. Further funding is needed to expand the project but using lions as a “keystone” species will add value to the importance of conserving the area.

This month there have been 13 incidents of stock predation by lion, leopard and hyena. Most of these incidents have been isolated, but the Nampaso’s boma near Aitong has been attacked 6 times this month by a resident pride of lion on Ol Choro, they have been identified as the animals who continue to return to that boma each night. One older lioness, which has been identified as only staying around that boma, continues to prey on livestock. Our rangers have visited the boma after each attack to record and to council residents. They have not threatened to take action against the lions but they are upset none the less. Future predator plans for decreasing livestock predation will be investigated, and reported on, next month. Some successful methods have been implanted in other areas, which could be adopted on MNC.

Cattle

This month it was agreed by the committee on the 5th that all outsider’s livestock would be removed from the conservancy.

As part of developing stocking numbers for future rotational grazing, a study written by the Pretoria University was conducted on Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy during for the duration of the year 1994-95. As both ecosystems are relatively comparable with regard to dominant grass species, close proximity and similar topography, rainfall, grazing pressure and fire regimes these indicators are relatively accurate on MNC. Also, these indicators are assumed to be the greatest factors controlling herbaceous standing matter.

The two studies are titled, “The Phytosociology of the Grassland and WoodlVegetation of Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy Maasai Mara, Kenya”, and “Herbaceous Standing Crop of the Grassy Plains of Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya”. The studies were co-authored by L.D. van Essen, J. du P. Bothma, N. Rooyen, and W.S.W.Trollope; for the Center for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, South Africa and, the Department of Botany of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The study was conducted from March 1994 to March 1995. The studies used the Braun-Blanquet method (Bredenkamp 1982) to gather their data, which they could use to compare their research with other “veld” ecosystems in southern Africa. The vegetation survey included all shrub, tree and grass species found in each of the 171 sample plots or relevés. The 8000 hectares surveyed stretched from an altitude of 1,707m (near the Mara River) to 1,768 (the slopes of Kileleoni Hill). The survey did not include the mountain forest habitat on Kileleoni reaching to 2,194m.

In short, the study was written to assist future management objectives in context of understanding of the ecology of the area; to make effective land-use planning and management decisions. As plant communities react in a unique way to factors such as rainfall, grazing pressure and burning they are the best indicators for ecosystem status on recognized quantifiable scales. The study concluded that the most prevalent habitat on Ol Choro Oiroua is grassy plans with a mean standing dry matter crop of grasses to be 2,422kg/ha with a maximum of 3,956kg/ha and a minimum of 508kg/ha. The minimum was found at Nampaso’s’, an area with 3 cattle and sheep bomas in close proximity to each other, and the maximum on the base of Kileleoni hill. When comparing the area to “veld” habitat in southern Africa with the same rainfall and altitude, Ol Choro’s standing crop values were low. The authors indicated that this may be due to severe drought in 1993 and that the area is still in a recovery period, and different dominant species of grass. The mean rainfall over a 13-year period was 43.4 inches (Roberts pers. comm.) Further identified research by other institutes will help assist with sustainable stocking numbers which will be presented next month.

On MNC Seiya will propose areas for cattle grazing that are acceptable by both tourism partners and landowners.
The second stage will be do develop sustainable stocking numbers.
Eventually, MNC will form a cattle company, which is ecologically sound and makes lucrative income for the landowners. Much work is still needed to make this a reality, but it can now start. A sub committee is proposed to handle cattle management issues. Next month an area for grazing and cattle traversing will be proposed to the MNC directors and the Committee members.

Cattle numbers have reached roughly 30,125 head. Sheep and goats have not been counted. As cattle plans are made, a sustainable number for the area will be proposed; and stock-upgrading plans will also be proposed for adoption by landowners.

Research
This month it was agreed by the committee on the 5th that all outsider’s livestock would be removed from the conservancy.

As part of developing stocking numbers for future rotational grazing, a study written by the Pretoria University was conducted on Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy during for the duration of the year 1994-95. As both ecosystems are relatively comparable with regard to dominant grass species, close proximity and similar topography, rainfall, grazing pressure and fire regimes these indicators are relatively accurate on MNC. Also, these indicators are assumed to be the greatest factors controlling herbaceous standing matter.

The two studies are titled, “The Phytosociology of the Grassland and WoodlVegetation of Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy Maasai Mara, Kenya”, and “Herbaceous Standing Crop of the Grassy Plains of Ol Choro Oiroua Conservancy, Maasai Mara, Kenya”. The studies were co-authored by L.D. van Essen, J. du P. Bothma, N. Rooyen, and W.S.W.Trollope; for the Center for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, South Africa and, the Department of Botany of the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The study was conducted from March 1994 to March 1995. The studies used the Braun-Blanquet method (Bredenkamp 1982) to gather their data, which they could use to compare their research with other “veld” ecosystems in southern Africa. The vegetation survey included all shrub, tree and grass species found in each of the 171 sample plots or relevés. The 8000 hectares surveyed stretched from an altitude of 1,707m (near the Mara River) to 1,768 (the slopes of Kileleoni Hill). The survey did not include the mountain forest habitat on Kileleoni reaching to 2,194m.

In short, the study was written to assist future management objectives in context of understanding of the ecology of the area; to make effective land-use planning and management decisions. As plant communities react in a unique way to factors such as rainfall, grazing pressure and burning they are the best indicators for ecosystem status on recognized quantifiable scales. The study concluded that the most prevalent habitat on Ol Choro Oiroua is grassy plans with a mean standing dry matter crop of grasses to be 2,422kg/ha with a maximum of 3,956kg/ha and a minimum of 508kg/ha. The minimum was found at Nampaso’s’, an area with 3 cattle and sheep bomas in close proximity to each other, and the maximum on the base of Kileleoni hill. When comparing the area to “veld” habitat in southern Africa with the same rainfall and altitude, Ol Choro’s standing crop values were low. The authors indicated that this may be due to severe drought in 1993 and that the area is still in a recovery period, and different dominant species of grass. The mean rainfall over a 13-year period was 43.4 inches (Roberts pers. comm.) Further identified research by other institutes will help assist with sustainable stocking numbers which will be presented next month.

On MNC Seiya will propose areas for cattle grazing that are acceptable by both tourism partners and landowners.
The second stage will be do develop sustainable stocking numbers.
Eventually, MNC will form a cattle company, which is ecologically sound and makes lucrative income for the landowners. Much work is still needed to make this a reality, but it can now start. A sub committee is proposed to handle cattle management issues. Next month an area for grazing and cattle traversing will be proposed to the MNC directors and the Committee members.

Cattle numbers have reached roughly 30,125 head. Sheep and goats have not been counted. As cattle plans are made, a sustainable number for the area will be proposed; and stock-upgrading plans will also be proposed for adoption by landowners.

Security
This month no poachers were caught but poaching continues in the area. The biggest concern is the elephant poaching in the Lemek hills. On the 21st a section of bloodhounds, based in the Mara Triangle, was brought to Fairmont Mara Safari Club to demonstrate their abilities and to introduce necessary procedures in case of future security breaches. The following K9 procedures will assist with their work.

When a crime has been committed in a Lodge area and K9s are to be utilized to pursue a suspect; follow these rules:
1. Check victims for injuries and clear the affected area of all unnecessary staff and guests.
2. Make sure guests and staff leave the area in an orderly fashion that will not contaminate the K9s trail or the crime scene.
3. Secure area with security personnel. Do not touch or handle any items in or around the crime scene.
4. Security staff securing the scene should not contaminate the crime scene by walking in or around the area.
5. Do not attempt to search for any suspects that may be in the area or have fled from the area.
6. Do not walk around the area perimeter.
7. Call the nearest Ranger Post to have the K9 unit dispatched from Ngiro-Are immediately.
8. Identify any witnesses to the crime and keep them available for an interview when the K9 unit arrives.
9. Follow all instructions from K9 unit handlers when they arrive.

An insurance scheme will be stated to facilitate rapid K9 response.

It has been decided that 3 areas are in need of gates to stop illegal entry into MNC. Sites will be identified and construction is proposed to begin next month.

Staff

14 rangers, a warden and a cook were employed from the 1st of this month. All previous staff members were interviewed in May of whom the above number was hired. All staff members have been performing well but more information about individual success will be better assessed in the future.

The warden in-charge of all operations is special agent James Ekriu. He has exceptional experience with conservation activities for Chief Executive Brian Heath for the last 25 years on Laikipia, Galana, and Taita Ranch.

The community liaison officer’s activities and tasks will also be the responsibility of Seiya Ltd.

Daily patrols are being conducted from the HQ but most of the ranger’s time this month has been spent chasing cattle.

Ranger training in Nanyuki with the British Army has been put on the shelf due to the lack of blanks in Kenya for our .303 and .3006 calibre rifles. It is recommended that the rangers are trained for the first two days in using the SA-80, the assault rifle the B.A. army currently use.

Development

Developments made by non-MNC members will be visited and recorded.

Seiya Ltd. has made no Structural developments this month.

The manager will be based permanently near the HQ, and will set up his tented camp there.

Focus for June

∑ Occupy MNC offices at ranger HQ-still moving in
∑ Employ and pay ranger force-done
∑ Make sure rangers furnished daily patrols-done
∑ Cattle data-started
∑ Assessing boma structures-started
∑ Assessing and recording infrastructure-started
Meet with the Committee and Directors of MNC-done, twice.

Focus for July
∑ Implement a curfew and enforce stricter traversing access.
∑ Construct signage
∑ Develop and propose grazing and non-grazing areas for adoption.
∑ Identify sites and start work on three possible gates.
∑ Patrol and man southern boundary with Maasai Mara National Reserve, Olare Orok Conservancy and around Musiara gate. A “fly” camp and ranger post will be manned next month by a section of rangers.
∑ Work more closely with other armed Seiya rangers in the area.
∑ Evaluate the cost of finishing a kitchen at the local school.
∑ Assign tasks to Community Liaison Officer Dennis Mako. Ex: Disseminating information, organising meetings, getting remaining landowners to sign special rights of attorney, register each landowner with bank accounts, etc.
∑ Assessment of an existing airstrip will be conducted for future rehabilitation.
Develop and present a 3-month work-plan