Laikipia is among the 10 counties in Kenya facing serious issues due to a prolonged drought.
183,000 people in Laikipia are facing famine; a lack of pasture and food at home prompts parents to send their children to herd in faraway lands to ensure the survival of their livestock. It is during these times, when school attendance decreases, that there is a significant increase in early girl marriages, early pregnancies, stock thefts and insecurities.
Laikipia is drought-stricken, and communities are struggling – photo credit Nick Penny.
In the Pokot, Samburu, and Turkana communities, livestock plays a key role in driving markets and providing food and revenue. The current drought has significantly reduced livestock numbers, with many perishing and leaving community members without a source of income.
With logistical support from Mugie Conservancy, we will roll out a large-scale feeding program for 11 schools in the pastoralist communities surrounding Mugie. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we sponsored over 33,000 kg of food for these schools, and this was recognised as one of the conservancy’s most positive impacts in a recent Social Impact Survey. The exercise saw a 30% rise in attendance, more children enrolling, more girls attending school, and lower malnutrition levels.
A school food drive during COVID-19.
In total, we estimate it will cost KES 2,477,926 (USD 20,000) to provide one nutritious meal per day to all 2,470 students for one academic year. Providing children with school meals significantly improves attendance and concentration in class; therefore, it reduces the adverse ripple effects of poor attendance.
To raise the funds required, we are running an online raffle this February to raise USD 7,000 for the first term of food. Entries are limited to just 140 places for the first round (any extra entries will automatically be added to the following term’s raffle), and each entry costs USD 50.
The lucky winner will enjoy a trip worth USD 8,500, including two nights at Governors’ Mugie House, three nights at Governors’ Camp, and return flights from Nairobi with Governors’ Aviation for two people. Depending on the travel date, the winner will also be able to attend one of the food drives and help distribute supplies with our team, meeting the children and seeing firsthand the difference their support has made.
Mugie Primary School – photo credit Nick Penny.
There is a significant lack of access to basic healthcare facilities in rural Laikipia. For this reason, the Moyo Foundation conducts medical outreach clinics to bring trained personnel, medication, and family planning education to such communities.
Last month, we sponsored one such clinic (for the fifth time). A total of 201 patients (56 kids under 5 years and 145 above 5 years) were seen, with the majority being women and children.
Mugie outreach clinic – photo credit Nick Penny.
To keep connectivity across the broader landscape, Mugie Conservancy has various corridors along its boundary. A central corridor is Kitenye, an area that connects Mugie to Loisaba Conservancy to the east. At the moment, Mugie is in the process of opening another central corridor with Mukutan Conservancy (LNC) to the west, strengthening the habitat connectivity to Baringo and the Rift Valley. Other corridors include Loitikon and Kilo 1 towards Samburu and, therefore, the Northern Frontier.
Wildlife corridors are essential for the safe movement of animals – photo credit Fernando Faciole.
This month, we sponsored a “Livestock herders training session” in collaboration with our conservation partner, the Mara Predator Conservation Programme.
Livestock herders training session – photo credit Mara Predator Conservation Programme.
In areas where humans and wildlife live side by side, there is always an element of risk of conflict between them. Poor livestock herding practices (such as sending young children rather than adults into the wild to herd a flock of sheep) result in higher incidences of Human-Wildlife Conflict. Livestock herder training sessions are conducted in rural areas to help mitigate human-predator conflict in ‘conflict hotspots’ by educating herders on best herding practices to try to reduce these conflicts.
This small team works hard to monitor and protect the various species of birds of prey that live in the Greater Mara Ecosystem. Many raptor populations are in decline, yet we still don’t know much about their ecology or the full scope of their role within an ecosystem.
Tawny eagles will both hunt and scavenge. Scavenging makes them vulnerable to poisoning incidents – photo credit Nick Penny.
Scientific data is essential for informing policymakers who have the power to conserve our wildlife; this is why it is so vital that Project Coordinator Lemein Par continue collecting valuable data across the landscape. This month, we sent KES 20,000 towards providing fuel for Lemein’s car, allowing him to continue moving across the landscape as needed.
Lemein Par of the Mara Raptor Project – photo credit Fernando Faciole.
Lemein monitored 269 nests in the Masai Mara Reserve in 2022. Of these nests, 157 were active. Bateleurs had an incredibly successful breeding year with all nine monitored nests successfully fledging a chick.
Bateleurs are classified as an endangered species by the IUCN Red List – photo credit Felix Rome.
Lemein is available (when booked in advance) to give fascinating presentations to our guests in each of our Mara camps. He can also accompany guests on raptor-focused game drives. Donations are required; please see our website for more information. Please get in touch with us if you’d like to book some time with Lemein.
We are always grateful to any guests/readers who feel moved to support the vital work of this small project. Donations of any size can be made via our secure online payment link.
A team of volunteers from the Wildlife Research and Training Institute, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service, Nature Kenya, and others conducted a waterbird census of Lake Naivasha, Oloidien, and Crater Lake. ‘Waterfowl’/Anseriformes include all duck and goose species. We look forward to sharing the results in due course.
Hottentot teals on Lake Naivasha – photo credit Alisa Karstad.
Recovering at the Naivasha Raptor Centre is a lappet-faced vulture who was an unfortunate victim of a poisoning event in a conservancy in the Masai Mara last year.
The lappet-faced vulture recovering at the Naivasha Raptor Centre – photo credit Alisa Karstad.
Unlike so many birds of prey and other wildlife killed by this illegal activity, this individual was rescued and, after many days of initial treatment and over a year of ongoing care, will eventually be strong enough to return to the wild once it has moulted into fresh plumage.
The lappet-faced vulture clearly displaying her five new primary wing feathers on each wing – photo credit Alisa Karstad.
Specific communities choose to use illegal pesticides as an act of retaliation towards predators that they suspect have killed their livestock. The livestock carcass is laced with the pesticide poison, and any animal that returns to feed off this poisoned flesh faces an almost certain death, depending on the quantity of poisoned meat consumed.
An awful chain reaction ensues, whereby those who die may be scavenged off by other wildlife, which may also die. It is illegal, but it is sadly still a common practice where humans and wildlife share the same space.
Jonathan with the lappet-faced vulture – photo credit Alisa Karstad.
The Kenya Bird of Prey Trust relies on donations to carry out its life-saving work, and any amount can make a difference to the smooth running of its operations. In 2022, we donated over 1 ton (1000 kg) of meat to help feed the rescued birds, and this year we have so far donated 300 kg ourselves, plus an additional 150 kilograms kindly sponsored by a guest.
Feeding time at the Naivasha Raptor Centre – photo credit Alisa Karstad.
We look forward to continuing our support efforts this year. If you’re interested in helping, you can donate through our secure online payment platform. 100% of funds will be passed on to the project.
We continue to provide a daily cup of porridge to all 261 children at the TAFA Community Centre in Naivasha. This meal may not seem like much to some. Still, to these kids, it provides a regular source of nutrition and the energy required to concentrate better in school and participate in their extracurricular football practice.
The TAFA Centre provides 261 kids with a cup of ‘Uji’ at the end of each day – photo credit Harry Blakey.
It costs just USD 240 to feed all of the kids for one month. We are incredibly grateful to a recent Loldia House guest who has sent through funding to cover the costs of this program for the next three months (February – April). If you would like to get involved in such work and positively impact the lives of our neighbouring communities, please email info@governorscamp.com
TAFA kids enjoy an afternoon game of football – photo credit Harry Blakey.
By Alisa Karstad for Governors’ Camp Collection. If you would like to learn more about any of our Community & Conservation efforts, you can reach out to us via email at info@governorscamp.com. If you would like to support our work, you can just do so through our secure online payment platform.
