BILIQO-BULESA COMMUNITY CONSERVANCY
| Conservancy Facts |
| Location |
Biliqo and Bulesa, Merti Division, Isiolo District |
| Postal address |
c/o Northern Rangelands Trust, Private Bag, Isiolo |
| Ethnicity |
Boran |
| Population |
5,000 people |
| Land ownership |
Trust Land |
| Core conservation area |
To be designated |
| Main livelihood |
Livestock-Keeping |
| Key wildlife species |
Giraffe, leopard, waterbuck, lesser kudu, greater kudu, hippo, Grevy’s zebra, ostrich, buffalo and lion |
| Year of registration |
2007 |
| Staff employed from the community |
23 |
| Annual operating budget |
US$ 71,000 |
Background
Biliqo-Bulesa Conservancy was established in collaboration with NRT, the Kenya Wildlife Service and local communities in 2007 to create greater security for people and wildlife. The conservancy is one of the largest community conservancies under the umbrella of NRT and forms the eastern border of the conservancies in the Isiolo-Laikipia-Samburu block. To the west lies the Sera Conservancy Trust. The Ewaso Nyiro River forms the southern boundary.
In the years before the establishment of the conservancy, there was an increase in human insecurity resulting from cattle rustling with neighbouring communities and an influx of illegal firearms. Poaching in the area also became a serious concern. After organizing exposure tours for community members to other conservation areas and illustrating the positive community benefits conservation can bring, the establishment of the conservancy was well-received by communities and other conservation stakeholders.
The goal of the Biliqo-Bulesa Conservancy is to diversify income generation within the community through wildlife conservation and tourism as a means of reducing poverty levels.
Species Conservation
The conservancy has an important population of wildlife that move northeast into the conservancy from the National Reserves of Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba and from Sera to the west. There is a number of elephant that move along the riparian vegetation of the Ewaso Nyiro River through the conservancies and National Reserves of Laikipia and Isiolo Districts. Giraffe, leopard, waterbuck, lesser kudu, greater kudu, hippo, Grevy’s zebra, ostrich, buffalo and lion are also species that can be frequently found within the conservancy. The Biliqo-Bulesa scout team is carrying out critical anti-poaching operations, (often alongside Kenya Wildlife Service), as well as wildlife monitoring exercises. They also assist in the alleviation of human-wildlife conflicts.
Business Development
Given its size and abundant populations of wildlife, there is certainly potential for tourism development in the future. However, due to the conservancy’s youth and historical problems with insecurity, there has not been significant progress made of this front. However, the conservancy (through its communication with the Kenya Wildlife Service) has already registered Biliqo-Bulesa as a bird-shooting block. There are abundant numbers of Sandgrouse at several watering points within the conservancy. A bird shooting operation would provide some small but valuable income to the conservancy and generate a platform for further tourism development in the future.
In this regard, mobile campsites already exist, but there is hardly any business on this front. In order for this to change, security and accessibility of the area must be enhanced. Community members are very anxious to get the campsites up and running for the purpose of generating income.
The Future of Biliqo-Bulesa
- Hold conflict resolution meetings to ease the ethnic clashes between neighbouring communities;
- Training of a grazing committee;
- Continue to support the conservancy in its tourism efforts;
- Improve conservancy infrastructures;
- Designation of core conservation area;
- Procuring scout equipment to enhance their operations;
- Increase community awareness on conservation.
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