Ewaso Lions

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: 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: Lions, Reserves | Date: May 19 2009 | By: ewasolions

Hello friends,

I am sorry for the long long silence!  I was in Nairobi all of April, working on data and reports.  I returned to Samburu about 2 weeks ago and have been busy setting up the Echo Lima Camp once again in West Gate Community Conservancy, trying to find the lions, catching up with the Ewaso Lions team and much more.

Sadly, things are not very good here.  The rains have pretty much failed.  Normally when I return to Samburu every May, it is green, the Ewaso Nyiro River is flowing fast, elephants are everywhere, cats are hard to find and all animals are happy and energetic in the lush green vegetation.

This time however, it is a different scene. When I arrived, the river was still dry, elephants were lethargic with numerous calves dying in large numbers, the lions were still in the reserve concentrated along the river and the ground still bare and very very dry.

The Ewaso Nyiro still dry when I returned in early May

The situation in West Gate is no better.  The Samburu people are moving daily in search of rain (its raining around us - just not here), there has been cholera outbreaks in the region with people dying.   Livestock are dying daily and sadly Grevy zebra too.  I was also faced with 3 dead (1 dying) elephants the day we set up the Echo Lima camp.

Amidst this sad news, there is some good news and hope.  It is raining around us and the river finally began to flow after being dry for 5 months!

The Ewaso Nyiro started flowing a few days ago in West Gate Community Conservancy

I had a fantastic sighting of all the lions from the Koitogor Pride in Samburu National Reserve a few days ago.   Nashipai, Nabo and their 5 cubs are looking great and healthy.  The cubs have grown and are almost full size now.  Uni’s 4 cubs have all survived and are also looking healthy.  It is always such a relief to see the lions after being away for a long time.

Nashipai and one of her cubs looking great during the persistent dry season in the reserve

Uni’s cubs looking healthy

There is much more to report on - some good and some bad.  I will be posting many more blogs about everything soon, so stay tuned. Some really exciting news is also on the way….

But in the meantime, where is the rain? We keep hoping it is still on the way…

Tags: elephants, Ewaso Lions, Ewaso Nyiro, Lions, Samburu, West Gate Community Conservancy

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: West Gate Community Conservancy | Date: Mar 22 2009 | By: ewasolions

A few nights ago I woke up at 3 am to hear hyenas all around my tent at the Echo Lima Camp in West Gate Community Conservancy.  They were whooping and running around everywhere. This went on for about an hour and then suddenly stopped.  I went back to sleep and awoke the next morning to discover that 2 donkeys had been killed by the hyenas just on the other side of the camp.

Raphael and I went to look and investigate the conflict incidence.  Basically the 2 donkeys had strayed and were wandering  the area when the hyenas found and attacked them.

Raphael recording the conflict incidence

Remains of the second donkey

Donkeys are often not looked after or herded properly.  They stray and are killed by predators.  Magilani, the lioness, killed a donkey earlier in the year and I suspect that is not the first time she did that.  Donkeys are useful animals here - they are used to transport goods (especially when people are moving homes) and also to carry water.  But, their value is not really regarded and they are often left alone.  During our community meetings, we emphasize the need for better herding practices and how this will reduce livestock loss to predators.

Tags: conflict, Donkeys, hyenas, Lioness, predators, West Gate Community Conservancy

2 responses so far

Category: Other news | Date: Mar 12 2009 | By: ewasolions

A few weeks ago, whilst we were in camp we heard that a bull elephant had died about 1 km away.  This big bull is a known individual, called Esidai, and has been studied for many years by the Save the Elephants researchers.

I used to see him often here in West Gate, hanging out with other big bulls.  The bulls like this area; there is plenty of shade, food and water.  When the bulls come into musth, they leave the area and head for the reserves, where they look for females to mate with.

Esidai fell on the river bank and died a few hours later.  We went to see him, together with the researchers from Save the Elephants.  The cause of death could not be established and to this date, we do not know what happened to him.  There were no visible wounds on him.  This is now the second elephant to have died in the area for unknown reasons.

Esidai’s death attracted a lot of interest from the local people

Researchers from Save the Elephants measure his tusks and take various samples

I have gone back a few times to see Esidai after his tusks were removed by the Kenya Wildlife Service.  The hyenas have eaten a small part of him and dragged his trunk to the middle of the river.  But he is pretty much still there, sloped on the river bank…

Esidai - A great loss to West Gate

These are tough times for the residents of Samburu. The local communities, their livestock and the wildlife are struggling now.  The area is terribly dry and there is not much food remaining.  The Ewaso Nyiro river has been dry for months now and elephants are digging into the dry river bed for water, helping the other animals too.

We are all hoping for rain soon.  We did have a huge thunderstorm last night.  I hope this is the beginning of the much awaited for and desperately needed rains…

Tags: elephants, Ewaso Nyiro, hyenas, Samburu, Save the Elephants, West Gate Community Conservancy

3 responses so far

Category: West Gate Community Conservancy | Date: Mar 04 2009 | By: ewasolions

Exciting news!  Although we hear hyenas almost every night from the Echo Lima Camp in West Gate Community Conservancy, it is always hard to see them and so far we’ve only managed to get quick glimpses at night.  However, finally a few weeks ago we had 2 superb sightings of spotted hyena.

I was driving through the Conservation Area when we saw 5 cross the road in front of us.  A few days later, we saw 7 spotted hyena in the same area!  This is the first time that such a large spotted hyena grouping has been recorded in this area.

(Photo above taken by Steve Kendrot USDA)

Spotted hyenas in West Gate

Hyenas are rarely seen in both the reserves and in West Gate.  Tracks are seen from time to time - mainly striped hyena tracks in Samburu and spotted hyena tracks in West Gate.  They do cause a lot of conflict in West Gate and often raid bomas at night.  We are currently gathering data on the conflict in West Gate between the various predators and livestock.

A few days after the hyena sighting, we were driving along when we came across this little predator…

Caracal feeding on dik dik

I have seen caracal twice before but rarely got a good look.  This caracal had just killed a dik dik when we came across it and he proceeded to feed on the dik dik for close to an hour right in front of us.  It was an amazing sighting and such a beautiful animal to watch.

This seems to be the month for my first proper sightings of these incredible predators; first the hyenas,  followed by the wild dogs and then the caracal!

Tags: caracal, conflict, hyenas, predators, Samburu, Spotted Hyenas, West Gate Community Conservancy

5 responses so far

Category: Reserves | Date: Feb 25 2009 | By: ewasolions

I am super excited to report that I saw wild dogs on the 21st of February in Samburu National Reserve!  This was the 4th time I have seen wild dogs, but by far this was the best sighting I have had.  Prior to this, I have only seen them at night and dashing across the road.  This time, I was able to have a good look at them and watch them cross the road behind me chasing dikdiks.  There were 7 dogs in total and a few of them were youngish pups.

Wild dogs are endangered and numbers have fallen to only a few thousand in Africa, mainly due to habitat loss and hunting.  Here, the wild dogs use the area to move between Laikipia and Samburu Districts, but it now appears they may be resident somewhere in the area; between the reserve and West Gate Community Conservancy. On the 19th of February, they were in West Gate and I saw them a few days later in Samburu Reserve.

With only a few hundred wild dogs remaining in the Samburu-Laikipia ecosystem (their numbers are increasing), I feel totally privileged to have seen a few of them.

Below are a few photos of some of the dogs that I saw. 

Tags: Endangered, Laikipia, Samburu, Samburu National Reserve, West Gate Community Conservancy, Wild dogs

8 responses so far