Ewaso Lions

Category: Community | Date: Nov 02 2009 | By: ewasolions

Ewaso Lions has recently joined hands with Lpus Leluai Primary School in West Gate Community Conservancy.  To increase awareness of the importance of lion conservation, we are working with students and teachers at the school.  Students are requested to write and/or illustrate stories about lions in English/Swahili/Samburu.  The best stories and artwork will be put together and printed in the form of a booklet.  These copies will be distributed locally and internationally to increase awareness of lions.  Using these Simba Stories booklets, funds will also be raised for the school’s educational needs.

All art material has been donated by Shalini Bhalla of SB Management. Lindsay Morency, from Canada, has sponsored editing of the Simba Stories booklet and the Panthera Foundation has sponsored production and printing of some of the booklets.

The students have already begun working on their artwork and have produced some great drawings.  Some of them had never painted before until they received boxes of paints and brushes.

Jeremiah working on his drawing

Samson learning how to paint

Some of the completed drawings

I will send an update on their progress soon!

Tags: artwork, awareness, Community, Conservation, Lions, School, West Gate Conservancy

3 responses so far

Category: Other news | Date: Oct 26 2009 | By: ewasolions

I am sooo excited to report that I have had 2 very special sightings of wild dogs recently! (My first proper sighting of them was in February this year in Samburu Reserve).

The first sighting was on the 9th of September and was about 10 minutes away from camp in the Conservation Area in West Gate Community Conservancy.  The second sighting was on the 13th of October and it was so close to camp!  In September we saw a pack of 7 dogs and in October we saw only 2 dogs, however later on a pack of 12 were reported nearby at the Sasaab lodge.

The wild dogs looked in great shape and sent the guinea-fowl and dikdiks into a frenzy.  I always enjoy seeing them - it is so rare to see the endangered wild dogs and considering they are not really resident in the area, I feel extremely fortunate to have seen them.

Wild dogs on the 9th of September

Pack of 7 move in the Conservation Area

One of the wild dogs seen on the 13th of October with Mt Kenya in the background

Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of this, but on the 4th of September, I was driving at night in Sasaab and at around 8:00 pm, I literally bumped into an aardvark!  This is my first time to see one and funnily enough it was only a few days before that I had mentioned that the one animal I would love to see is an aardvark.  This one walked across the road slowly and gave us a great showing.  It really is the coolest creature to see!  The Samburu people believe that it is very good luck to see an aardvark.  I was thrilled!

Tags: Aardvark, Conservation, Endangered, Samburu, Sasaab, West Gate Community Conservancy, Wild dogs

2 responses so far

Category: Donors | Date: Sep 17 2009 | By: ewasolions

Dear Michael, Heather and Katherine,

Thank you SO much for your donations to Ewaso Lions.   Things are currently very difficult in the Samburu region -  see my previous blog on the drought.  Your donations will really help us enormously with continuing our conservation efforts.

Thank you again.

With my best wishes from Samburu,

Shivani & the rest of the team

Here is one of our new cubs in Buffalo Springs

Tags: Conservation, drought, Ewaso Nyiro, Lions, Samburu

No responses yet

Category: Other news | Date: Aug 18 2009 | By: ewasolions

I traveled to Beijing, China, in July 2009 for 10 days.  My main aim was to attend the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) annual conference and to receive an award but I was fortunate to travel for a few days prior to the conference.

I arrived in the very smoggy, crowded city of Beijing and spent 3 days exploring the area and visiting a few of the sites.  After getting used to the spotless, easy to figure out subway system, I traveled from place to place armed with a map and some good walking shoes.  After feeling like I had walked the entire city and being totally overwhelmed by the large numbers of people, the pollution and the strange foods at the night food market, I moved over to the conference centre for the SCB conference which was definitely a relief!

Views from the New Summer Palace

I had attended one SCB conference prior to this one; in South Africa a few years back, and was excited to meet colleagues and professionals working in the same field.  The awards ceremony took place on the 11th of July.  I have to admit - I was a bit nervous giving a 2 minute speech in front of more than 1000 people!  It was a privilege to receive the award for “Africa’s Young Women Conservation Biologist” of the Year and I am extremely grateful to the SCB for this great honour.

Receiving the award from Georgina Mace, the President of the SCB

With the other awardees

The conference took place between the 11th and 16th of July.  I attended numerous talks and sessions which were all very useful and interesting.  We had a day off on the 14th and took a tour to the Great Wall of China.  This was a fantastic day and it was amazing to walk up a small section of it.

On the Great Wall of China

A huge thanks to WWF, SCB and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, for funding my trip to China and enabling me to receive this award and attending the conference.

Tags: , Biology, Conservation

2 responses so far

Category: Other news | Date: May 27 2009 | By: ewasolions

Here is another blog from guest blogger Nina Fascione- Click here for 1st blog

One day, Steve and I accompanied Shivani when she gave a presentation to the 25  West Gate Community Community scouts who patrol the conservancy monitoring wildlife, enforcing security in the area, preventing illegal grazing in protected core areas, and sensitizing communities to the importance of wildlife.

Working in the bush can be difficult, and giving a PowerPoint talk presented its own unique set of problems. First, we had to borrow a generator and projector to show the PowerPoint images. However, we quickly realized that the village rotunda where Shivani planned to give her talk was far too light from the bright African sun for the pictures to show on the screen.  So, we gathered shukas (traditional, colorful wraps) and hung them around the rotunda to try to block out the light.  No luck.

Setting up the equipment - projector, screen, generator

We then moved the equipment into a near-by office at the Conservancy Headquarters and covered the windows with blankets.  It worked to block out the light, but quickly became a sauna with so many bodies crammed into such a small and airless place.  Nonetheless we persevered, and Shivani gave her presentation. She focused on conflict with wildlife and led a discussion on how to prevent it.  She also showed images of various wildlife tracks and worked with the scouts to identify the various paw prints.  It was a very productive talk.  Interestingly, the suggestions from the scouts as to what tools might work to prevent conflicts with lions, hyenas and other African predators were identical to the methods used in the United States, such as guard dogs and compensation programs to reimburse for livestock killed by predators. One interesting idea was the suggestion from one scout that they practice “natural selection of livestock” to breed livestock that would be more resistant to predators.

Raphael and Shivani going through tracks of different predators

After lunch, I gave a presentation on my work at Defenders of Wildlife.  I was struck by the similarities with Shivani’s talk: human-wildlife conflicts, habitat loss, the problem of pesticides such as carbofuran hurting the environment in both countries and so on.  The topics were the same, the species different.

Explaining about human-wolf conflict in the US

The scouts were fascinated by my slides of North American wildlife – most of them had never seen images of our animals before.  While they thought that wolves were interesting – we explained they were like wild dogs – they thought that grizzly bears were really cool. I had never had such a rapt audience in my life.  I had also never given a talk where every audience member carried a gun!  It was a little disconcerting but without a doubt the most enjoyable presentation I have ever given.

Scouts listening intently

Upon returning to work back in Washington, DC, it was fun to then give a presentation on the wildlife and people of Samburu to my co-workers, completing the sharing of information across continents.

As someone who has maintained both a personal and professional interest in wildlife conservation for years, I cannot praise Shivani’s work enough. While her main focus is on the lion population in West Gate Community Conservancy and the nearby Samburu National Reserve, Shivani knows that any successful conservation program must be comprehensive, incorporating both biological and sociological components. The relationships she’s building with the Samburu people, along with the outreach and education she provides, will clearly help Northern Kenya’s lions and other wildlife for years to come. I encourage all of you who care about Africa’s predators to support her work. And by all means, plan a visit to see this wonderful country and these magical creatures with your own eyes.  Steve and I were sad to leave Shivani and her staff, and we can’t wait until our next trip!

Tags: Conservation, Kenya, Lions, Samburu, West Gate Community Conservancy, wildlife, Wolf

7 responses so far

Category: Other news | Date: May 25 2009 | By: ewasolions

I was thrilled to have Nina Fascione and her husband Steve Kendrot come and stay with us at the Ewaso Lions camp a while back.  Nina is the Vice President for Field Conservation for Defenders of Wildlife and a renowned human-wildlife conflict expert.  Today we have a special guest blog written by Nina!

After looking for her intently for so long that my eyes strained, I wasn’t actually expecting to see her when we did come upon her. Lekuraiyo, standing next to me with our heads sticking out of the top of the jeep (his head sticking out much farther than mine!), gently tapped me on the shoulder and said “lion.”  And there she was, standing partially hidden in the brush and still as a statue, staring at us without moving a muscle, the better to remain unseen.  In my excitement, I leaned down, punched Shivani on the arm and hissed “lion!”  Shivani was thrilled to see Magilani, the lioness she had been monitoring for several weeks, but not as much as I was, as this was my first wild lion. Indeed, it was my first trip to Africa.  Despite having worked with animals and in the conservation world since 1980, I had never before made this journey to the epitome of wildlife meccas.  My husband Steve, also a wildlife biologist, and I traveled to Northern Kenya to visit Shivani and learn more about her work.

Nina with Francis (Ewaso Lions Scout) and Lekuraiyo (Ewaso Lions tracker) standing in Gypsy

I met Shivani when she became a student in the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL) class, a leadership training program that I co-founded and teach.

Shivani’s large carnivore conservation resonated with me because it parallels the work I oversee in North America as vice-president for field conservation for Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders has successfully worked to restore wolves, grizzly bears and other endangered species to parts of the United States, and the challenges we encounter while doing so are similar to the challenges Shivani faces in her work studying and protecting lions in Kenya: primarily, conflict with humans, including direct conflict as well as human-caused habitat loss and fragmentation.

Conflicts between humans and wildlife can seem like overwhelming obstacles to successful conservation programs.  In the United States, some ranchers and hunters object to the restoration of large carnivores, as they view them as a threat to their livelihoods.  Defenders has helped ameliorate these conflicts through several successful programs, such as our livestock compensation trust, in which we reimburse ranchers for verified livestock losses to wolves and grizzly bears.

We also maintain a proactive program, through which we work with ranchers to take steps to prevent livestock losses.  Defenders will fund the purchase and implementation of tools to keep wolves and bears away from livestock. These methods include livestock guarding dogs, fencing, employing range riders to monitor livestock and so on.

These programs have gone a long way in preventing conflicts, as well as reducing the animosity some local residents feel toward large carnivores and, presumably, the legal or illegal killing of carnivores. Through the Ewaso Lion project, Shivani is similarly working with local people – the Samburu – to understand the causes of and find solutions to prevent conflict and animosity towards predators and other wildlife in Kenya. For example, Shivani is working with local villages to ensure that bomas, the pens made out of brush where the livestock are housed at night, are strong enough to deter predators.

Biological studies are increasingly demonstrating that predators are essential to a healthy ecosystem. In addition, they bring vital economic benefits to regions through ecotourism. And perhaps most importantly, carnivores provide us with deep-rooted cultural and aesthetic values. Whether working to protect wolves in Yellowstone National Park in the United States or lions in the Samburu ecosystem in Kenya, we should all care about their conservation.

Tags: Africa, Conservation, Ewaso Lions, Human-Wildlife Conflict, Kenya, Lions, Samburu, wildlife

2 responses so far

Category: Ewaso Lions Camp | Date: Mar 24 2009 | By: ewasolions

We are now desperately in need of small camping tents for the Echo Lima (Ewaso Lions) Camp.  We donated one to the community scouts a few weeks ago as they often work at night in the Conservation Area in West Gate.  Now, our second small tent has succumbed to the intense heat and strong winds we have been experiencing recently in West Gate.

The fly sheet has totally disintegrated and a few days ago the poles broke.  We tried using duct tape to fix the pole, but it didn’t work!  Raphael uses this tent and is now pretty desperate for a new one.  I have had this tent for 18 years now and used it often during camping trips when I was a child.  I think the tent has come to end of its life!

The disintegrated tent with broken poles

Raph trying to hold the tent together

Please consider our appeal for new tents.  Our mess tent also fell apart and now this tent.  We urgently need new tents.  Any amount donated will be put together to purchase 2 new tents costing $150 in total.

Tags: Conservation, Lions, Tents, West Gate Community Conservancy

5 responses so far

Category: Lions, West Gate Community Conservancy | Date: Mar 17 2009 | By: ewasolions

Magilani.  She is a beautiful lioness surviving by herself in the Conservation Area in West Gate Community Conservancy.  Here is her story…

Last year I was fortunate to see my first group of “Real Lions“.  These lions are community lions. They live in community areas and struggle to survive surrounded by people and livestock.  The first 3 “Real Lions” I identified moved over to Samburu National Reserve in September 2008, but one female stayed.

And this is Magilani.  Magilani is a 4 year old female.  Her name means “The clever one” in the local Samburu language.  The community scouts named her during a recent workshop I held with them.  The name suits her perfectly.

Magilani lives alone in the Conservation Area.  I have never seen her with other lions and for a long time I thought she may have cubs that she has hidden in the area which is why she never leaves.  I used to only see her tracks for days, but then finally got a sighting of her in January when she killed a donkey that had strayed into the Conservation Area.  Over weeks, we could only get a glimpse of her coming out of the thick Salvadora persica (toothbrush tree) bushes.  There is a certain gap that she normally emerges through between 6:30 pm and 7:00pm.  It is as if she is almost remote controlled!  I would sit and wait at the gap and sure enough, between that time, her head would pop out.

We would not move.  I would try and balance my camera and be ready for her to get an ID photograph.  Any movement or sound in the car would scare her off.  Often because the light was so poor at this time, I would change the ISO speed on my camera to the maximum, try to be steady (although I’ve always been so excited to see her, my hands would be a bit shaky!) and take some photos, whilst trying to look at her whisker spots at the same time with binoculars - all without moving much!

The first full view we had of Magilani - taken a few weeks ago.  Photo is a bit blurry because of the time of day and I did not want to use a flash to scare her away. 

We figured out in the end that she does not have cubs.  However, she still stays pretty much in the same area.  She feels safe here. But I do wonder how this 4 year old female in her prime is surviving out here by herself.  I have seen tracks of males in the same area a few times but they disappear for days and she stays behind.  She comes out of the thick bushes to hunt in the evening and returns late at night to the same place.

Magilani hiding in the bushes - Photo: Steve Kendrot (USDA)

Recently, we have worried about her because of the livestock pressure in the area.  Although I have not seen her in 2 weeks, I have seen her tracks. We are dedicating a lot of time and effort to the Conservation Area, together with the West Gate Community scouts, to try and ensure that the wildlife continue to feel safe here.

Magilani is really hiding now; coming out very briefly to look for food and then returning.  I hope that I see her soon. By watching her over the next few months, I can learn more about what makes her stay where she is and how she survives alone.  However, I am leaving West Gate within the next week to return to Samburu National Reserve and then to Nairobi. I hope she is still around when I return.

I will keep you posted on this very special female.  She is a community lion and a real survivor…

Tags: Community, Conservancy, Conservation, Lioness, Lions, Samburu, West Gate, wildlife

5 responses so far

Category: West Gate Community Conservancy | Date: Mar 15 2009 | By: ewasolions

I moved to West Gate from Samburu National Reserve in May 2008, and set up the Echo Lima (Ewaso Lions) Camp here.  West Gate is a community owned and managed group ranch, where local communities, their livestock and wildlife all live together.  It is a stunning area and is adjacent to Samburu.

View of West Gate

The goal of West Gate is to “… develop a platform for the Samburu pastoralist community living within the Group Ranch to reduce poverty levels through integrated eco-friendly tourist activities and conservation” (taken from the Northern Rangelands Trust website).

Within the conservancy, there is a small Conservation Area.  Every morning and evening I  drive in the area, recording all wildlife that I see along set routes along the river.  The Conservation Area is only 2 years old but wildlife numbers have increased as a result of the dedicated West Gate scouts who put so much time and effort into working here.  It is a small area - but there is much to see.  Over the past few months I have been delighted to record lions, leopard (this is where we saw leopard cannibalism), hyenas and even a caracal!

Scanning the Conservation Area 

More views of the Conservation Area

There are many challenges here though…the area surrounding the Conservation Area has a lot of livestock especially across the river in Isiolo District.  The Conservation Area is under intense pressure from the livestock and local communities who are seeking new pastures especially now with the drought.  The area is a small paradise for wildlife…the bush is thick, there is wild prey, there are plenty of places to hide and it is a place where animals now feel safe.

The West Gate community scouts and the Ewaso Lions team are working hard to ensure that animals continue to feel safe here and are well protected.

There is a special animal who calls this little Conservation Area her home.  Do read my next blog to find out who she is…

Tags: Community, Conservation, hyenas, Leopard, Lions, Livestock, Samburu, West Gate, wildlife

5 responses so far

Category: Donors | Date: Feb 19 2009 | By: ewasolions

Dear Karie,

Thank you so much for your donation to the Ewaso Lion Project.  The donation will go directly towards field costs. Your  support is really appreciated and again, thank you!

With my best wishes,

Shivani

This little cub is one of the latest additions to the Ewaso Lions!

Tags: Conservation, Kenya, Lions, Samburu, wildlife

One response so far