On Friday 26th June, NRT hosted the Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Hon. Najib Balala to officially open the KWS Rapid Response Unit (RRU) Social Hall in Isiolo. The KWS RRU focuses on anti-poaching operations and tourist protection in national parks and reserves and community conservancies. The hall, which will provide a much-needed base for operational briefings as well as a space to unwind in-between operations for the mobile unit, is part of a four-year Community Policing Initiative funded by the European Union.
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It’s World Giraffe Day today - 21st June! Did you know a group of giraffe is often referred to as a ‘tower’? But across Africa, these magnificent towers are tumbling at a worrying rate. According to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, giraffe numbers on the continent have plummeted by around 30% since the 1980s, when there were an estimated 155,000 animals roaming across west, central, east and southern Africa. Today, there are approximately 111,000. In some areas where giraffe once thrived, numbers have dropped 95% since the 1980s. Here are three ways NRT member conservancies are helping to protect these gentle giants.
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Reteti Elephant Sanctuary has successfully released four hand-reared elephants, Loisaba, Baawa, Lchurai and Nadasoit into their new home Sera Community Wildlife Conservancy.
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A young bull elephant was found and rescued just in time by community members in Nannapa Community Conservancy in late May, after getting stuck in thick mud near a water hole.
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25 endangered Grevy’s zebra have successfully been translocated from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Sera Wildlife Community Conservancy; the latest in a series of moves aimed at boosting biodiversity in East Africa’s first and only community-run black rhino sanctuary. The move was a partnership between Sera Community Conservancy, the Northern Rangelands Trust, the Kenya Wildlife Service, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, the Grevy’s Zebra Trust, USAID, The Nature Conservancy, DANIDA and many more. It marks the first translocation of Grevy’s zebra to a community protected area and highlights the critical lead role that communities are taking in endangered species conservation in northern Kenya.
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A female elephant fitted with a GPS tracking collar has made a remarkable journey from Samburu to Marsabit in Northern Kenya - suggesting that elephants are starting to feel safe again. Koya, aged 23, made the 48-mile trek with six of her family, traversing an area once troubled by tribal conflict and ivory poaching. This is the first time a female elephant has ever been recorded making this trip. With community conservancies working to providing secure spaces for wildlife and people, elephants are starting to expand their range once again.
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As all Kenyan schools have been closed in light of the coronavirus pandemic, teachers from different private and public schools in Isiolo have come together under a radio education project supported by NRT and Isiolo County Government that aims to deliver education to students stuck at home.
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In April, Nasuulu, Nannapa, Narupa and Kalama community conservancies launched Acacia reficiens clearing programmes to rehabilitate 3,700 hectares of previously productive grassland by removing a damaging and prolific tree. The projects provided temporary employment to 1,500 people, and were completed with support from NRT and SIDA through the IMARA Program. The conservancies adjusted the activities to comply with COVID-19 Government guidelines and ensure the health and safety of all involved.
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The European Peacebuilding Liaison Office recently released a film examining the effect of climate change on peace in Marsabit, northern Kenya. The beautifully shot documentary highlights how NRT-member community conservancies, local partners and NRT staff are working together with support from the IMARA consortium and others to overcome the challenges of climate change, and work to build peace in an increasingly unpredictable world.
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Every year, thousands of sea turtles die from being trapped underwater in fishing nets. So when scouts from Pate Marine Community Conservancy came across a green sea turtle entangled in a fishing net while on patrol last week, they knew they had to act fast to save her.
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Scouts in Pate Marine Community Conservancy discovered a rare sea mammal while on patrol last week, confirming anecdotal reports from fisherman of signs and sightings of the vulnerable dugong. Although the dugong was found deceased (cause of death unknown) the find could indicate community conservation efforts at the coast are protecting the habitats the rare dugong needs to thrive here once again.
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55% of Kenyans rely on firewood fuel for cooking - putting immense amounts of pressure on forested areas. That is why in February, NRT, the Embassy of Sweden and Sida partnered to instal 30 biogas units in as many households in four NRT member community conservancies. The pilot project was launched under the IMARA Program Consortium and aims to reduce pressure on shrinking forest habitats from charcoal and firewood harvesting by using what pastoralists have plenty of - cattle dung!
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NRT has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and implementing appropriate measures in line with Government guidelines to help keep staff and the communities we serve safe during this difficult period. At this time, all NRT programmes are continuing to operate, however there have been both organisation-wide adjustments made across NRT, and department-specific adjustments, to enable staff and community conservancy members to stay safe.
Read MoreA one-day carnivore conservation workshop was held in Kalama Conservancy on March 15th that brought together representatives from five community conservancies, NGOs and government. As carnivores continue to be persecuted across Kenya, the workshop focused on ways to reduce human/wildlife conflict with pastoral communities.
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Find out more about Josphine’s story, and the incredible work she does across the community conservancy landscape every day.
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Thought to have disappeared from Pellow Community Conservancy, two new sightings of the endangered pangolin here have inspired fresh conservation action by the community. [Photo by Andy Lowe, via African Wildlife Foundation.]
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On 10th March 2020, scouts at the Ishaqbini Hirola Community Conservancy, Garissa County, found Kenya’s only female white giraffe dead, along with her calf. Initial reports from the community indicate armed poaching as the cause. Ishaqbini Community Conservancy management are working closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to establish the facts.
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Octopus Fisherwomen in Kenya Benefit from the Science of Recovery Times - an adapted excerpt from an article written and published by our partners The Nature Conservancy
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Real-time monitoring software is helping communities to track and tackle devastating locust swarms
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A Q&A with Rebecca Kochulem, NRT’s Baringo County Conservancies Director.
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