URGENT: Sustain a conservancy through the pandemic

HIGHLIGHTS FROM JAN-MAR 2021

• There were four sightings of the seven wild dogs throughout the quarter, with the last observation made on 20 February (Figure 1).
• Kisaru spent the majority of the quarter in neighboring conservancies but made an appearance in Enonkishu near the end of March (Figure 2).
• Lion dynamics have been complicated throughout the quarter with a sub-group of 2 lionesses and four older cubs being the primary lions seen (Figure 3).
• There were ten leopard sightings throughout the quarter, three of which were confirmed to be a female named “Enkishui” by a resident guide in October.
• Bushmeat snaring and “poaching” events have been on the rise throughout the Mara conservancies, with more tactical joint patrols and snare sweeps occurring throughout the quarter.
• Olive trees continue to be stolen from Block 13, along the Mara River. Efforts were made to distribute seedballs in an effort to reforest the area (Figure 4).
• Ten calves were weaned and thirty-four calves were born to Herds for Growth, sixteen of which were born throughout the month of February and a new Boran bull was purchased for the Herd (Figure 5).
• The fifth Northern Mara Vaccination campaign vaccinated 1444 cats, dogs, and donkeys 12-13 February, stretching across wild dog habitat to minimize transmission (Figure 6).
• A major renovation to Chali Chali ranger outpost began (Figure 7).
• The first quarterly meeting of Enonkishu’s new management company took place in January (Figure 8).
• Tsetse fly targets have only been maintained throughout the last quarter, but careful records of treatments administered are being kept to share with the KENTTEC team.
• Construction on the Fairmont road as well as three culverts in the conservancy began to make the conservancy more accessible to visitors (Figure 9).
• Monitoring of electrocutions along newly installed power lines has begun (Figure 10).

Links:

• Conservancy Website
• Enonkishu's Snapshot Safari Link
• Enonkishu's Facebook Profile

• Q1 2021 Enonkishu Conservancy Highlights (PDF)
  

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OCT-DEC 2020:

• Sightings of wild dogs in Enonkishu have been frequent as our “gang of four” joined up with some males from the Pardamat pack (Figure 1).
• Kisaru’s three surviving cubs separated from her on 18 October (Figure 2). Herders have reported that Kisaru gave birth to three new cubs on the northern boundary of the conservancy around 15 December. A new (to us) male cheetah has been making appearances in Enonkishu.
• Adult male lion Barikoi has been seen among his typical pride of nine lions that have been sticking to Enonkishu throughout 2020 (Figure 3).
• Grey Crowned crane numbers increased drastically during the quarter, as has been noticed in December of previous years (Figure 4).
• Bushmeat snaring and “poaching” events have been on the rise throughout the Mara conservancies, with more tactical joint patrols and snare sweeps occurring throughout the quarter (Figure 5).
• The harvesting of Olive trees from a neighbor’s land adjacent to the conservancies (Figure 6) has spurred further negotiations in protecting 800 acres.
• Twelve calves were weaned and eleven calves were born to Herds for Growth and the target of 300 head by the end of the year was achieved on 26 December 2020 (Figure 8).
• In early October, the team from KENTTEC returned to test our livestock for Trypanosomiasis strains (Figure 9). Herd managers switched medications and treatment plan to account for a strain we were unaware had infected the cattle.
• The new Bingham ranger camp just inside Naretoi’s Safari Gate was completed in October (Figure 10).
• The worst parts of the black cotton road from Safari Gate up to the Nampaso settlement was repaired with murram (Figure 11).
• ESL classes for employees of the conservancy and supporting enterprises continued throughout the quarter, meeting in the Wild Shamba when the Eco camp was occupied.
• A football tournament was held at Kaelo’s homestead prior to the partial return of students to school in early October (Figure 12).
• Throughout the quarter, rangers from Naretoi and Enonkishu trained for the inaugural Ultra MARAthon that took place on 12 December (Figure 13).

• Q4_2020_Enonkishu_Progress_Report_Brief.pdf (PDF)