The African Conservation Fund

CHYULU HILLS, KENYA - "April has been a busy month, with work impeded substantially by heavy rains. Access to most places on the ranches has been impossible for much of the month, which has been fairly frustrating . . .

"Nonetheless it has meant no excuses for avoiding the office-work and admin parts of the project!

"However, between storms and being stuck in the mud, I’ve managed to get underway with the questionnaire survey.  This is aimed at assessing the costs and benefits of living with wildlife in the area, and despite being early days is starting to show some very interesting (and depressing) results.  Meanwhile as the interviewer, I’m starting to get very used to endless cups of ‘chai’ (local tea) and flies!

"Just before starting the questionnaires, I held a series of feedback information sessions with the community to report on my findings from the previous year and discuss both that, and the questionnaire (photo, left).  Despite being a bit nerve-wracking initially, these proved to be hugely worthwhile and beneficial meetings, with both myself and the Maasai doing lots of talking and listening.  Group sizes ranged from 15 to over 100.

"I continue to work with the primary school children on the ranch, and am in the process of setting up an environmental education program to encourage activities such as planting trees, collecting rubbish and learning about wildlife and conservation. 

"Camp life continues to be as hectic as ever.  A couple of bats have decided to take up residence in the small tree-house that I sleep in (photo, right).  The other frequent visitors up there are a pair of genet cats and occasionally some mice.  Elephants are also frequently in camp, although their determination to break into our water tank has lessened somewhat since the rains began! 

"The rains have been great so far and the landscape is a far cry from the pre-rain scenario.  In many places there is thick, knee-high green grass, and wild flowers are popping up all over the place.  The only downside to all this rain is the permanently damp bed and the lack of dry firewood for hot showers – a small price to pay however for the stunning beauty of the place when green!

"Weather, mud and vehicle permitting, we will spend the next few months continuing with the questionnaires, whilst keeping up-to-date with background ecological monitoring."

 This is the first of regular reports from our Partners in Conservation (see link in the menu above) about the progress of the conservation work you are helping to support as a friend of African Conservation Fund. Rosemary Groom is engaged in a project in the Mbirikani and Merushi Maasai communities in southern Kenya; this is her first report.

Rosemary Groom's project is one of our Partners in Conservation - if you would like to support her work, please visit our Donations page to give online.