THE VOICE OF CONSERVATION IN EAST AFRICA 2010: 03 JULY - SEPTEMBER

SAVING LAMU DEFENDING RESIDENTS’ RIGHTS aNGOLA’S GIANT SABLE A TRIUMPHANT COMEBACK AMBOSELI DROUGHT TIPPING OR TURNING POINT? Place your order For 2011 desk, wall calendars and Christmas cards Sign up a new East African Wild Life Society member and get a free Calendar and Christmas card. (See page 7-8)

Contact us: Tel: +254 (20) 387 4145 / 387 1253 Mobile: + 254 (0) 722 202 473 / 734 600 632 E-mail: [email protected] FRONTLINES SPOTLIGHT 5 Letter from the Editor 48 Erlanger’s Boubou: A new species for 6 Letters to the Editor kenya and East Africa 11 Chairman’s letter Brian Finch & Nigel Hunter venture to Lamu to 12 Director’s letter clear up a bird msytery and return with a find. 14 Opinion 52 Wanted! one of our chimps is missing Diana Hunter introduces an escapologist CONSERVATION chimpanzee determined to cross the wire. 16 The worst drought: Tipping or 56 The curious incident of the giraffe Turning point FOR AMBOSELI? David Western asks what is the way forward Zoe Muller watches a grieving giraffe mother in the night-time for this crucial ecosystem. puncture the myth that the species make bad parents. 22 Controversy at CITES conference in Qatar 60 Climate Change affects TANZANIA bird Esmond Bradley Martin and Lucy Vigne distribution attend the talks and report back on the winners So you thought it was the weather that was and losers in the conservation struggle. affected? Colin Beale says climate change is affecting bird movement too. 28 Ring Net Fishing: Money Maker or Scourge of the Sea? 62 PORTFOLIO Lionel Murage, Halinishi Yusuf, Steve Trott & CAPITAL CLICKS Simon Hemphill weigh the benefits and pitfalls Paolo Torchio captures the wealth of wildlife of this fishing gear on Kenya's coast and people. roaming free not far from Kenya's smoggy, hectic capital. 32 SAVING KENYA’S LAST COASTAL WILDERNESS BY DEFENDING RESIDENTS’ RIGHTS CONSERVATION CHARACTERS Kevin Doyle explains how plans to protect 65 Elinor Ostrom: A Nobel prize for the rights of Lamu's traditional residents can Local communities support conservation goals. Esther Mwangi pays tribute to a former teacher for a pioneering work on social behaviour. 36 pastoralism: breaking the opinion mould BOOK REVIEW Curtis Abraham queries popular and official 66 THE JOURNEY WITHIN wisdom that nomads can destroy the habitat. Atticus English admires a beautiful selection of wildlife photos in this heavy, rich volume. 40 SOLIO: the heartbeat of rhino conservation for 40 years REAR WINDOW rhino expert Felix Patton hails Kenya's Solio 68 SUNDOWN WITH SPARROWHAWK conservancy for breeding and protecting this Paolo Torchio shares dusk with a bold species. sparrowhawk on his balcony.

44 Angola’s Giant sable makes a triumphant comeback John Frederick Walker brings good news on a species threatened with extinction.

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PICTURE BY PAOLO TORCHIO EAWLS WORLDWIDE JULY - SEPTEMBER THE EAST AFRICAN REPRESENTATIVES VOLUME 34, NUMBER 3 WILD LIFE SOCIETY AUSTRALIA POLAND Trevor Fernandes Grzegorz Kepski PATRONS Wildlife Safari Bialobrzeska 30/39 The President of Ken­ya (Australia) 02-341 Warsaw 213 Railway Road Poland The President of Tanza­ nia­ Subiaco WA 6008 The President of Uganda­ UGANDA BELGIUM Michael Keigwin, John Rowland Uganda Conservation Chairman 11 Rue Faider Foundation, P O Box Fredrick Owino 1050 Brussels 34020, Kampala

Robby Bolleyn UNITED KINGDOM Vice-Chairmen Fotografie Prof Bryan Shorrocks Tom Fernandes, John Emily Otekat, Jake Dascottelei 95 Bus 7 Environment Dept. Grieves-Cook 2100 Deurne-Antwerpen University of York Heslington CANADA York Treasurer Dr N J C Mathews YO10 5DD Stanley Ngaine 12-1400 Park Street Pemberton USA Photo: © PAOLO TORCHIO V0N 2L1 Keith Tucker Executive Director Chief American Editor Nigel Hunter GERMANY Representative Andy Hill Klaus Fenger Acacia Travel, 19985 Zugspitzstr. 65 Powers Road, Bend, Editorial Board Trustees 8100 Garmisch- Oregon 97702 USA Nigel Hunter, Michael Gachanja, Frederick IB Kayanja, Albert Mongi, Partenkirchen Mr & Mrs Harry Ewell Esmond Martin, Stephanie Dloniak, Hilary Ng’weno, Mohamed Jan Mohamed Paolo Torchio, Patricia Kameri-Mbote Jutta & Dirk Ohlerich Financial Schutzbaumstrasse 50 Representatives Members of Council D-63073 Offenbach 200 Lyell Avenue Design & Layout Spencerport Mike Norton-Griffiths, Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) P George Okello IRELAND NY 14559-1839 Waweru, Nicholas Ng’ang’a, Tom Mshindi, David Bockett Circulation and Subscriptions Joseph Gilbert Kibe, Virginia Wangui Shaw, 30 Zion Road Wil Smith Rose Chemweno Dublin 6 Karen Zulauf Esmond Bradley Martin Deeper Africa Advertising KENYA 4450 Arapahoe Avenue Roy Kiptanui Programme Areas Mark Easterbrook Suite 100, Boulder P O Box 208 CO 80303 SWARA Offices Conservation Advocacy and Education, Malindi www.deeperafrica.com Riara Road, off Ngong Road, Species Conservation, Forests and Water Kilimani, NAIROBI Catchment, Wetland, Marine and Coastal Suthar Kiran Kurt Leuschner Reserves, Wildlife Conservation in and outside P O Box 1000 70065 Sonora Road SWARA Magazine Meru #267 P O Box 20110-00200 National Parks and protected areas Mountain Centre Nairobi, Kenya Netherlands CA 92561 Honorary Members Stichting EAWLS Tel: + 254 ( 20 ) 3874145 Ridderhoflaan 37 Lawrence A Wilson Fax: + 254 ( 20 ) 3870335 Chas G Allen Jr, M Bishop, Mr & Mrs H E 2396 C J Koudekerk A/D 3727 Summitridge Drive E-mail: [email protected] Rocoveri, James H Webb RIJN Atlanta GA 30340 SWARA is a quarterly magazine owned SPAIN EAWLS Head Office Lidia Sanchez Rugules Gordon Crombie and pub­lished by the East African Wild P O BOX 20110 – 00200, c/o Nutria 26 2725 Park Ave Life Soci­ e­ ty,­ a non-profit­ making­ Riara Road, Kilimani, Nairobi La Moraleja 28109 Franklin Park organ­ i­ sa­ tion­ formed in 1961 following IL 60131 the amalgamation of the Wildlife Tel: 254-20-3874145 Fax: 254-20-3870335 SWEDEN Soci­ e­ ties­ of Kenya­ and Tanza­ nia­ Email: [email protected] Hugo Berch Grant & Barbara Winther (themselves both founded­ in 1956). It Össjö Gård 867 Taurnic Pl. NW is the Society’s pol­icy­ to conserve­ Munka-Ljungby Bainbridge Island Members are requested to address any wildlife­ and its habitat in all its forms as WA 98110 a regional and inter­ na­ tion­ al­ resource. que­ries to the Executive Director SWITZERLANDS-266 91 [email protected] Anton-Pieter Duffhuis Wildlife Safari (USA) Copyright © 2010 East African Wild Vollenweld 346 Rheem Boulevard CH – 8915 Hausen Am Moraga Life Society. No part of this publication Letters to the Editor: [email protected] Albis CA 94556 may be reproduced by any means whatsoever without the written Therese & Bernhard Charles Kasinga consent of the editor. Opinions­ Sorgen Kenya.com Inc expressed­ by contrib­ u­ tors­ are not Erlenweg 30 16152 Beach Blvd neces­ sar­ ­ily­ the official view of the 8302 Kloten Suite 117 Society. SWARA accepts­ the infor­ ma­ tion­ SWARA appreciates the Huntington Beach given by con­tribu­ tors­ as correct. CA 92647-3523 continued support it receives from Fauna & Flora The impala is the symbol of the East African International Wild Life Society. ‘SWARA’ is the Swahili word for antelope.

4 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY Letter from the Editor FRONTLINES

society’s vision of conservation. EAWLS that was once seen as a way of lifting is working and advocating at many artisanal fishermen out of poverty levels and in many areas to get positive but is now attracting critical notices results where humans and habitat are because of its environmental fallout. in conflict. It’s not enough to complain. EAWLS is very much part of the coast Our arguments are strong but could be conservation watch. reinforced further with more members. Finally, to our Eagle-eyed Sign up a friend as a member and get one readers, we will observe the different of our much sought-after calendars and a capitalisation conventions used by box of cards. the birding and wild life communities. Both feature the lensmanship of That means, for instance, we will be Paolo Torchio, who also reminds our writing Peregrine Falcon but Grevy’s readers in Portfolio that Nairobi National zebra. Confusing perhaps, especially if reetings to all our readers Park, one of Kenya’s natural treasures, both conventions appear on the same from wintry Nairobi. We at is just a few minutes' drive from the page. But we respect diversity, both GEAWLS hope this issue of city centre or airport. We continue to in spelling conventions and opinion. SWARA sparks your interest, whether look further afield than East Africa for We will not shy from printing the you read it by the fireside in Africa or features and are delighted to print good provocative, if it adds to informed in warmer overseas climates. David news from Angola about a concerted debate, and we welcome your letters. Western provides our cover story with effort to preserve the Great sable. There The views expressed in articles are the an examination of the withering drought is good news too from Kenya’s coastal authors’. When EAWLS has a point of Amboseli has just suffered and suggests town of Lamu, where the cause of view, it will clearly say so. a way forward for both man and nature conservation is being championed both in this key resource. Proper planning on the legal front and on (and under) Andy Hill to accommodate both is crucial to the the ground. Not so heartwarming is our Editor survival of both and is central to the feature on the ring net, a fishing device

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EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 5 FRONTLINES Letters to the Editor

MANGROVE KINGFISHER, KILIFI

Dear Swara, half an hour last Sunday, only five feet We continue to be plagued by from him, I stood, almost eye - to - eye the Crows - they relentlessly harass Last November the short rains with him, not daring to lift my camera our resident Verreaux Eagle Owls, failed and our resident Mangrove since I thought the flash would alarm they pursue the Terns on the shore, Kingfisher disappeared; we feared him and there was insufficient light for a the Fish Eagles on the creeks, the that he had fallen victim to the shot without it. This is a totally wild bird Herons, and their numbers continue eternal nuisance on the coast - the and yet he seems to be so trusting. Food to swell as they prosper, succoured - Crow, or perhaps to kids with is plentiful for him now; he patiently by mountains of rotting garbage that catapults. waits before diving from his perch for litter the township of Kilifi. Months went by and there was grasshoppers, returning to his starting no sign of him and then, one day in point with the limbs of his victim sticking Sincerely, March, shortly before the long rains out awkwardly from his beak. Sometimes Joanna Hewitt-Stubbs broke, there he was (or perhaps a he will launch himself unexpectedly into relative?). Smart, a little secretive a high - speed horizontal flight towards but silently watching us from a perch an unseen target - perhaps just out of See SWARA - 2009:3 page 7 about six feet above the ground. For range of our prying eyes.

6 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY Letters to the Editor FRONTLINES

Dear SWARA, supplied by others, so that they can then constitute a threat to river flows and the pay for such services, is so unrealistic environment, as may be the case in South I have read and re-read your that it is best thrown into the waste Africa where there are thousands of Chairman's letter in Swara 2010-02 paper-basket. We had high hopes that hectares of commercial plantations. But in the hope that I could interpret what growers of trees might get some money they do not exist in Kenya away from the he said about commercial forestry in an from carbon trading, but this has come to large tea companies, and even the lunatic optimistic light, but I have failed. nothing. fringe has not been heard to claim that I do not know who thought up the I then read that “one area of great these plantations cause damage. concept of “payments for ecosystem concern to countries is water use by It is a fact that the main water towers services” (PES), but the idea of flushing plantations and trees outside indigenous are not in good shape (with the possible out all kinds of people/businesses who forests.” From this comment it could exception of the Aberdares), and it is might have benefited from environmental be concluded that Kenya is covered encouraging that at long last this appears services (tree planting), supposedly with plantations to the extent that they to be recognised by the authorities to

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EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 7 FRONTLINES Letters to the Editor

the extent that a serious attempt is being around ideas which have no practical later - KWS arrived. The two rangers made to restore the Mau to good health. value, or have the effect of causing could see for themselves the zebra had I hope that this will be successful. The anxiety in the minds of tree growers, and no teeth and was only able to drink milk. Kenya Forest Service continues to have concentrates instead on finding a way One ranger said that as the KWS plan a huge backlog in the replanting of its forward, which will really encourage the was simply to release her in Nakuru Park, commercial plantations, some of which planting of more trees for commercial she would be better off staying put. She were clear - felled 15 years ago and use. The unjustified hate campaign gave me some phone numbers to call in have been fallow since. There are few, if against gum trees must stop. Recently Nakuru. However the orders were clear any, signs that they are getting their act the newly appointed headmaster of a from KWS: they were not prepared to together. school in Rongai cut down all the gum listen and were taking the zebra foal. The salvation for the supply of timber, trees we had helped to plant because I am aware of the laws requiring poles, etc has to lie with the private he was frightened of being criticised by permits to possess wild life, but sector, but while the government persists (Environment Minister) John Michuki. Oh understand that leniency is possible in making remarks about encouraging dear! under certain circumstances. I had a farmers to plant for commercial With best wishes for a more friend staying who has worked closely purposes, in reality all the rules and productive future, with KWS and has had over 1,000 regulations are obstructive and costly animals under permit, but he was out and are major disincentives. (We have Richard Muir, that afternoon. It was horrific to watch assisted more than 400 farmers to Chairman of Friends of the Mau the zebra foal being handled roughly, plant, and have over 100 commercial Watershed (FOMAWA) her legs tied, carried upside-down and tree projects in schools and therefore thrown onto the metal floor of a vehicle: know what the problems are). Our a grim example to the three young female attempts over the past nine years to students in attendance. The ranger/driver have a productive discussion with the Dear SWARA, sped away on the rough road and we authorities have failed and the same could hear agonising crashes on metal as hostile conditions prevail. Meanwhile I live close to Lake Nakuru National the foal kicked and thrashed in the back the demand for timber will continue to Park in an area where there is plentiful as the students screamed. We heard the outgrow supply to the detriment of the wild life including zebra. Recently, I took vehicle stop, later discovering that the consumer. on an abandoned baby zebra who was zebra calf had jumped out with her legs It has just been drawn to my attention very obviously hungry but too young tied together. that the Town Council of Makuyu is to eat grass. This was reported to KWS Many phone calls later, having not levying a cess of Ksh100 on each tree sold (Kenya Wildlife Service) who said they established if she was injured, we were by a farmer. That is about what he gets for would come and get it. Meanwhile, after told she had been released in Nakuru his thinnings as firewood, or as posts for we had established the right feeding Park “to fend for herself.” It was now the horticultural industry, so he will have regime, there seemed a good chance evening. The following day, we arrived had the cost of growing the tree, and will of its surviving, and bonding with my early at KWS headquarters by Nakuru have a net loss when he sells. It is time two donkeys. It was a rude shock the Park. Several hours later, we obtained that everyone in Kenya stops throwing following afternoon when over 24 hours permission to look for the zebra foal,

8 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY Letters to the Editor FRONTLINES

assisted by a concerned and helpful the brown, murky water from the trees KWS member of staff. The area in which where they used to sit and wait. The trees Extract from the the young zebra had been released the are even further from the lake than they previous evening was totally devoid were last year, and the papyrus was too – website of the of other zebra and plagued by flies worrying because this was after the rains. 2010 International and mosquitoes. We discovered that The lake has receded further, exposing the KWS vehicle had driven off road more of the lake bed – it’s covered Year of Biodiversity in a wilderness of waist-high grass, with thistles. The floating restaurant presumably to ensure that throwing out stranded high and dry. There were more which encourages a traumatised and probably injured baby hippo skulls than last year – apparently participation zebra would not be seen, concealing their one of them died when it got stuck in glaring mistakes and incompetence. a channel pumping water to a flower During this unpleasant incident, most farm. These hippo-killing channels are of the KWS staff we met were dedicated deep. Candelabra trees cut down to build as well as friendly and helpful, so this is houses. And more plastic rubbish lying “ Let us reflect on our by no means meant as an indictment of around, every year there is more plastic. achievements to safeguard the entire institution. However one small I watched a few people collect water biodiversity and focus on the incident like this can create bad relations from the lake, they must be desperate as the lake is filthy. Thankfully more people urgency of our challenge for the between KWS and the communities around the National Parks, on whom the were collecting clean water from a pipe. future. Now is the time to act. success of these wild sanctuaries also There are many good memories too. Be inspired and get involved! It depends. Indeed, it is “only” a baby zebra Lovely people – great company. Watching is the actions of individuals that we are talking about, not an endangered a bachelor herd of giraffes fighting for will ultimately make a difference species, nor even a lucky member of the three hours. Listening to the calls of for safeguarding biodiversity. Big Five; but this story illustrates one the Fish Eagles. Talking to local people aspect of the bigger picture: A young who really care that Lake Naivasha is in foal was forcibly denied a good chance peril, but who despair for the future and Learn of future survival in the wild to certain wonder whether Lake Naivasha will even • About biodiversity in your city, death. It was also treated with shocking exist in a few years. Just being there, in region and country. How your cruelty by members of the institution Africa’s great Rift Valley, a privilege. consumption patterns and which should be teaching the exact The United Nations has designated everyday actions may impact opposite by example. 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. Leading up to this year, on biodiversity, sometimes in Juliet Barnes we had the ‘2010 countdown’. At the distant ecosystems. [email protected] global level, the biodiversity target was “to achieve a significant reduction of Speak the current rate of biodiversity loss” by • Make your views known to the 2010. In Europe, the target was even more ambitious: to “halt the loss of government and the private Dear SWARA, biodiversity” by 2010. That didn’t work, sector. did it? • Share your knowledge with Lake Naivasha – February 2010 In my own country, I despair when people around you. our government permits Donald Trump, • Send us your success stories. These are my memories of my holiday an American billionaire real estate trip to Lake Naivasha earlier this year: developer, to build a golf course on legally protected sand dunes when we already Act A lake that turned red every day. Astonishing. I have never seen a lake turn have 500 other golf courses in Scotland. • Make responsible so red, most lakes (we call them lochs But, of course, this is big business and consumption choices. where I live) I’ve seen are clear or blue, we need this ‘economic development’, • Support activities and never red. Dead fish floating on the surface regardless of the environmental loss. organisations that conserve of the lake. They died because there was I’m equally concerned that people biodiversity. no oxygen in the lake for them to breathe - buying cut flowers in local supermarkets the algal bloom used it up. Foaming, green have no idea where the flowers come • Join a local environmental algal soup in channels draining flower from or the environmental devastation NGO or organise your own farms right next to well - signposted their production causes. At best the activities that will help ‘constructed wetlands’, and security labels say ‘these flowers may have been biodiversity. guards who followed me after I took air freighted’. Increasingly European • Be creative and find solutions pictures of these ‘constructed wetlands’. consumers do care and not only do they to biodiversity loss. Fish Eagles scanning for fish whilst expect corporate social responsibility, sitting on poles in the lake, presumably they expect environmental responsibility because they can no longer see fish in too. These days we are told the

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 9 FRONTLINES Letters to the Editor

environment provides us with ‘ecosystem 1980s and 1990s when I was growing up I would personally services’ and often these services are free. in the village of Chemoinoi, Rift Valley, like to welcome the Perhaps we will only appreciate just how I would usually see leopards roaming following members to many valuable ecosystem services Lake the escarpment below which we lived, the East African Wild Naivasha provides for local people when especially at sunrise and sometimes at Life Society: there is no lake, or the lake is dead. sunset. Since I went to high school, and Together we will choose the future of left the village, I haven't had time to check KENYA: Lake Naivasha, either by doing nothing if these priceless animals, as well as Kes Smith or by taking action. So in 2010, the serval cats, mongoose, hyena, monkeys, James Haigh International Year of Biodiversity, what baboons, dik-diks etc, still roam our Brendan Buzzard will you do for Lake Naivasha? Will you landscape. Mr K H W Keith be a couch conservationist and simply One thing I know for sure is that Richard Rono wait and watch as the lake dies and the Yellow Mangabey, which I used to Mkali Liwali becomes Kenya’s equivalent of the Aral encounter often when I was herding goats Leonard Musee Mbuvi Sea? Or will you participate and take in the 1980s is now gone. Benjamin K Maritim one of the actions recommended on the Anyway, to cut a long story short, I Duncan Muthiani previous page? As for me, I’m working on am now a member of EAWLS since 2008, Annabell Waititu some of the speaking and acting activities and I am eager to see that we conserve Rose Chemweno listed above – if you want to know more the biodiversity we have for ourselves Caroline G Mungara please contact me via the editor. and for future generations of Kenyans. Wildland Conservation Trust Remember the words of Obama “Yes, I would be happy to send a few euros, Maria Helena Motta Cruz we can. Yes, we can change. Yes, we perhaps 50 euro for now, towards this Monica Lopez Conlon can.” worthy cause. My financial situation isn't Arne Witt very good at the moment, but I hope any Regine Hess Jill Mathews small contribution I make will go towards Debo Gage [email protected] making a difference where it matters Charles Muia most. Mike English And while we're still discussing Celline Achieng this issue, I wonder who is supporting Aron Ambia Dear SWARA, the conservation of the less visible, but Andrew Hill nonetheless important, invertebrate John Silvester I would like to bring to your attention wildlife. I am thinking about the insects, Munguti Judith some concerns about Kenya Wildlife scorpions, the worms etc, that also dot Service's management of Kenya's our beautiful landscape, and whose National Parks, which could be improved. contribution to the base levels of the SOUTH AFRICA: ecosystem sustains the bigger, more Hastings Chikoko The lack of quality merchandise sold visible, wildlife? I have not seen much of in the shops - this could be really it discussed here or indeed elsewhere in • exploited to help fundraise for the KWS the Kenyan biodiversity fora. UK: We already know the priceless role John Mcmullen about what animals are in the parks of insects in pollination. Let's also do Clive Thomas • (e.g.The lacknumbers) of knowledge of gate staff something about them.

entering the parks Samuel Kibichii INDIA: • The process time it takes visitors [email protected] Payal Mehta about the parks • The lack of maps and information functioning toilets USA: • Lack of clean, equipped and Banovich John Sam Cole Braeburn Garden Estate International GOT A CONSERVATION School, Nairobi POINT TO MAKE? CORPORATE REGULAR: Swara welcomes letters from Pipal limited readers. Please send them to Jas Cruisers Ltd [email protected] with jpeg Kilima Camp images if appropriate. Tawi Lodge Dear SWARA: Swara reserves the right to edit Sure enough, I am in agreement letters for length and clarity. CORPORATE DONOR: with you on the issue of wild animals Zoo and Aquarium Public Institute living outside of protected areas. I The Editor remember, with nostalgia, that in the

10 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY Chairman’s Letter FRONTLINES

GOOD SIGNS THAT GRABBING OF PUBLIC LAND COULD BE HISTORY IN KENYA

are good signs that grabbing of public active to date. For example, the former BY FREDRICK OWINO land will be checked. chairman of the Society, the late Imre On the EAWLS business front, I am Loefler, became actively involved in happy that SWARA magazine is now contesting land grabbing within Ngong published on time and that great efforts t has been a trend in Kenya forest sanctuary. Regrettably, all the are being made for the magazine to reach that politically well-connected efforts the Society and other conservation more readers worldwide. The Society has Iindividuals are given public land players made bore little fruit in the concluded a major review of SWARA and as state largesse. Indeed, this has been climate of corruption and impunity which we hope that the new-look magazine is one of the motivating factors behind persists to date. appreciated by members and can better the often hotly contested presidency With the above background, it came champion the conservation cause. elections. Ethnic groups fight for their as a big surprise in July when the Kenya Our Executive Director Nigel Hunter own candidate to be president so that Anti Corruption Commission handed over has settled well into the job and has made he/she can dish out some public land, some of the grabbed land from Ngong significant improvements in finance among other benefits. About 10 years forest and from Nairobi National Park and administration. He, and other staff, ago, the trend climaxed, leading to a to the Minister for Forests and Wildlife. continue to play commendable roles in chaotic situation where well-connected For Ngong forest sanctuary, the efforts of networking NGOs and civil society for individuals used all sorts of schemes Imre Loefler and Prof. Wangari Maathai information - sharing and mobilising to grab public land. Forest and wildlife have been rewarded. That the handing actions for conservation. Through its reserves were prime targets for such over of stolen land was made visible in a wetlands programme, the Society is schemes. This was the time when high-profile ceremony indicates a most playing a pivotal role in coordinating large-scale forest excisions in the Mau welcome government commitment to NGOs and civil society groups challenging forest complex, South Nandi forest and crack the whip on land grabbing in forest the proposed large-scale clearing of in Cherangani Hills forests were made and wildlife reserves. It is my personal biodiversity-rich coastal forest and for human settlement. As “favoured” hope that such government actions will woodland for growing of Jatropha curcas individuals were allocated parts of be extended to cover forest excisions that for oil production under unproven the forests, others followed suit with have been contested. technology. illegal encroachment in forest and However, the greatest sign that The Society is pursuing the wildlife reserves. The combination of grabbing of public land could become a establishment of a branch in Uganda and land grabbing and illegal encroachment thing of the past is in the draft Kenyan is also exploring opportunities to work became a major threat to conservation in constitution, now being debated publicly. with and to support conservation players most regions in Kenya. The draft has addressed governance in Tanzania in our future activities. The East African Wild Life Society weaknesses, which had been exploited became a major voice against the for land grabbing schemes in the past. For Fredrick Owino grabbing of public land set aside for example, the presidency will no longer Chairman, EAWLS conservation, and against forest excisions. have free rein in giving anybody public The Society joined other conservation land. If the draft constitution is approved players in litigations – some of which are by national referendum in August, there

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 11 FRONTLINES Director's Letter

What odds on doing anything sensible?

BY NIGEL HUNTER

I want to concentrate on several different Climate Change the project. On 9th June, an ugly and issues in this letter. Dr. Mike Norton-Griffith’s article in a nasty incident orchestrated by those recent (Swara, Jan-March 2010) and his in favour of the project (and) aimed Possible Lamu Area two Loefler talks at Karen country club at silencing anybody with a divergent Developments and Muthaiga country club on climate view occurred at Dakatcha where staff Let me start with the Lamu port change have certainly provoked reaction. of Nature Kenya and journalists were initiative. Assuming the government is However, some misunderstandings physically attacked. During this incident, committed to developing a new harbour appear to have crept into the debate. As people were injured and a car damaged. with transport links to Ethiopia and I see it, Norton-Griffith is not denying Nobody carrying out the assault was Sudan, will the government seize the the reality of climate change. He is arrested. It appears that the company opportunity to apply a well coordinated, highlighting a growing body of research (with support from the local government properly planned and transparent that suggests that the cause of this change and local administration) is determined approach to this undertaking? This is a may not be carbon emissions but other to move on with the project at all costs. golden opportunity to pull away from more natural influences, which are only I, on several occasions, have emphasized the tradition of undertaking haphazard now being understood as scientists get that we should all support development development that does not apply better at distinguishing short-term trends if we are to achieve Vision 2030, BUT Kenya’s laws governing planning and and patterns in long-term cycles. any development that undermines social, development. The development of a port You could ask ‘does this matter?’ In economic and environmental dimensions at Lamu does not stop with the port. A one sense, it does because if the ‘natural should not be supported. We certainly township will grow up around the port, influence’ explanation gains acceptance, should not be supporting projects that requiring the planning of commercial the current political adoption of climate result (in) intimidation.” and residential areas, the provision of change as the cause of our environmental The article reiterates the reasons why services, full respect for the social and problems could backfire. The reality this proposal to plant Jatropha should not cultural values of Lamu Town as a World is that we should not lose sight of be approved and concludes as follows: Heritage Site and full respect for the population growth, changing land use “It is these social, economic and significant environmental values and and other influences that were there environmental considerations that services that apply in this unique coastal before the focus on climate change and have been ignored by those promoting area of Kenya. that will continue to be primary causes the project. And we all should deplore When a development of this scale of environmental change. A three-day those who try to get their own way by is being contemplated, one course of conference on Kenya’s Biodiversity, Land subverting the implementation of the action would be to set up a specific Use and Climate Change, to be held in processes required by the Environmental development authority that coordinates Nairobi in September, should help us Management and Coordination Act the multi-disciplinary approach required understand these relationships better. (EMCA) and by trying to intimidate to undertake the planning and to oversee That said, we should also not row back on those who present valid arguments as to proper implementation. However, such reducing carbon emissions, if for no other why the project proposal may be badly an authority must be headed and staffed reason than they are bad for our health. flawed.” by people with the right technical skills I am happy to say that these and experience, rather than by people Dakatcha Woodlands and developments have caused widespread appointed because of their political Jatropha concern and alarm, and the matter is affiliations. The authority must be I would like to quote EAWLS deputy being actively followed up within the neutral, objective and transparent. No Director Michael Gachanja’s article, which government, with the full support of such body currently exists. It would have was published in the Star newspaper on EAWLS, Nature Kenya and the private to be created from scratch. It must also be July 8: sector. shored up so that those seeking to serve “For some time, the society has their own interests, rather than Kenya’s, expressed concerns over large-scale are not able to bypass it. growing of Jatropha in marginal land, and Nigel Hunter With the above in mind, we think it is in particular an area comprising 50,000 Executive Director important to bring to people’s attention hectares of the Dakatcha woodlands. EAWLS some of the issues and characteristics Other organisations share the same relating to the Lamu area that need to be concerns, which were expressed at a highlighted and considered. There are public hearing. By then, we did not know two articles in this edition of SWARA that that our opposition to the project would set the ball rolling. not be taken kindly by those supporting

12 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 13 OPINION CLIMATE CHANGE A REAL THREAT TO ECOSYSTEMS

BY Richard Leakey

Dear SWARA, for human contributions to the climate challenged and your readers should know change crisis. this. I was surprised to see the article by Norton-Griffiths uses a diagram to Dr. Norton-Griffiths, who has a good Dr. Mike Norton-Griffiths on climate show that “climate” is actually getting scientific background, should know change (Swara, Jan-March 2010) cooler, but no serious observer will fail that climate change is one of the most appear without any back-to-back counter to ask why the time frame on his chart fundamental issues in the experience of opinion. Climate change is rather central covers only 15 years! I was a visitor human existence on this planet. It is real to the future viability of many natural to the Antarctic Peninsula in February and the past shows what has happened systems but certainly national parks and 2009 and on the western margin, several before. Today the human population is other conservation areas are especially scientific bases that I visited confirmed headed for 12 billion; this is why it will be important to the East African Wild Life that the western Antarctic has warmed such a crisis for our species and all other Society and its members. by 2.50C over the past 10 years. This is a life on the planet. Norton-Griffiths writes of his rise of mean annual temperature. Similar Your magazine is not the place to amazement that a meeting of 1,500 observations are recorded from the Arctic have this debate in depth but there is climate scientists held recently in Geneva Circle and in other areas of the world. The plenty of data to be found on the web has had so little public attention! I suggest equatorial belt is likely to experience less and in learned publications. Those in the that it is not the number of scientists but temperature change. doubting camp really are a minority but, what they say that gets the attention. I I attach four illustrations, which as often is the case, they are vociferous. can provide countless examples of large graphically represent the consensus of gatherings of scientists who have met scientific opinion. Whether we like it or to refute evolution but the evidence for not, the plight of East Africa’s ecosystems, Richard Leakey evolution is very robust, as is the case wild life and people has never been more Fellow, Royal Society

14 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY OPINION

East African Wild Life Society 2010:2 – SWARA | 15 CONSERVATION The worst drought Tipping or turning point?

BY David Western

A dead buffalo that got stuck in a swamp trying to get drinking water.

16 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY CONSERVATION

mboseli was more like an and interviewing herders across southern short-staffed over the Christmas abattoir than a national park Kenya. Pastoralists were bewildered recess, was unprepared. Lions were Ain early September last year. and distraught, some to the point of soon attacking settlements every Over 3,000 wildebeest, zebra, buffalo suicide. None had ever experienced such night. The Maasai were given little and elephant carcasses littered the a drought. Before it was over, three - help and the conflict soon spiralled tourist circuits around the swamps. quarters of the cattle and two - thirds of out of control as lions broke into Hundreds more animals lay dying. their small stock had died of starvation. settlements and Maasai killed them Emaciated animals waded deep in the More died on the long journey home in self-defence. By the time the zebra marsh, searching out the last green when the rains fell in December. and wildebeest began returning in sprigs. Hyenas attacked straggling, Back in Amboseli, 6,000 animals had early June, 18 lions had been speared weakened zebra, barely eating one died of starvation by November and the or poisoned and several starving cubs before bringing down another. By late death rate was climbing. Only 1,000 of the had died. September, tourists were so upset by 7,000 wildebeest clustered into Amboseli We anticipated that Amboseli’s the sight and stench of death that the at the start of the drought had survived hyenas would be even more troubling warden was fork-lifting carcasses out by then, and we projected that the for the Maasai than the lions, but of sight. population faced extinction unless fed. they made few attacks on livestock The carnage was far worse than I reported the dire projection to Kenya for weeks. The delay was puzzling, during any drought I’ve seen in four Wildlife Service (KWS) Director, Dr. Julius until our monitoring showed hyenas decades of research in Amboseli. But Kipng'etich and urged he provide food living off the 10,000 carcasses left by with the Met Department predicting relief as he had done for hippos starving the drought. The ever-adept hyenas El Nino floods in late September, by the dozens at Mzima Springs in Tsavo. have some canny ways of getting by it would soon be over. What if the The director asked the ACC to arrange when prey runs short: they render forecast was wrong though? The emergency supplies immediately. By the mummified chunks of hide edible by outlook was numbing. To gauge the time the trucks arrived, fewer than 200 soaking them in water and eating the impact, Jeff Worden, deputy to the wildebeest were alive and the zebra and sodden flesh like rehydrated biltong. Amboseli Conservation Project, and buffalo numbers had tumbled. With so What made the 2009 drought in I intensified the monthly monitoring few animals left, the swamp grazing had Amboseli so devastating? that field assistant, David Maitumo suddenly begun rebounding. The feed It is tempting to dismiss the has been doing for 35 years. was no longer needed: the re-growth far drought as a recurrent hazard in The rains did fail, and by mid- outstripped the needs of the depleted the rangelands. But the speed and October, 100 animals a day were dying herds. depth of the wildlife and livestock of starvation. A few more weeks of The regenerating swamp grasses losses compared to earlier droughts failed rains would see a wholesale ended the starvation of large herbivores, suggests Amboseli had reached a collapse of Amboseli’s large herbivore but not their losses. By late November, the tipping point. Droughts have become population, leaving the lions and park's 57 lions and many more hyenas more persistent as well as socially hyenas little to eat. were killing far more emaciated animals and ecologically more disruptive As devastating as the drought was, than they could eat. The wildebeest over the last 20 years, far more so it could have been far worse. I counted were still endangered, unless the rains than rainfall shortages can explain. fewer than 40 cattle carcasses close came soon and the herds migrated out of In Amboseli, the results of our to the park in September, where predator reach. But the rains would pose 43 years of monitoring wildlife, in earlier droughts I had counted a new and more troubling threat. Having livestock, pasture and rainfall show thousands. The Maasai knew this lost most of their prey, the carnivores that droughts - measured by forage was a drought like no other they’d turned on Maasai livestock returning shortfall - are now explained more by seen and had left for distant pastures after the drought. Devastated by their heavy animal stocking rates than by before their animals succumbed. losses, the Maasai were in no mood for rainfall. Based on my research, I wrote By May, after the long rains failed, predator attacks. an article in the national press on the hundreds of thousands of pastoralists KWS and ACC called an emergency 2000 drought warning that Kenya had across Kenya’s rangelands were meeting in mid-December to size up not seen anything yet. Far worse times trekking to the highlands, down to the crisis and head off the conflict. By lay ahead, unless action was taken the coast and into neighbouring the close of the meeting the community, to arrest the mounting degradation Tanzania, Ethiopia and Somalia in KWS, conservation organisations, tour across the rangelands. search of fodder. They drove their operators and researchers had agreed to Three factors best explain the starving animals onto farms, along coordinate predator tracking and plans to tipping point reached in Kenya’s city verges and into national parks. avert attacks on livestock. rangelands a decade later. Despite the mass exodus, cattle died The rains arrived as the meeting Most important is the loss of by the hundreds of thousands when ended and the lions began killing land. Human numbers across the the grazing ran out. livestock within days of the wildlife herds rangelands have grown four-fold in 40 At the African Conservation Centre migrating out of Amboseli and the Maasai years. Highland forests and lowland (ACC), we began monitoring the losses moving back in. KWS, more than usually woodlands and swamps that buffered

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 17 CONSERVATION

This page: Top, Bottom Left, Bottom Right: Amboseli was more like an abattoir than national park the government spending so little on visible and more difficult to grasp: an during the 2009 drought. education and development in the uncoupling of ecological processes that rangelands, pastoralists have few account for East Africa’s large herds Opposite page: other prospects. Trapped in poverty, and rich panoply of wildlife. Migrations Top: Jeff Worden and David Maitumo counting pastoralists sell whatever they can when increase the growth rates and milk yields carcasses. relative to static herds of herbivores in Bottom: Buffaloes grazing in a swamp. their herds die - land, sand, rocks and charcoal, notwithstanding the cost to the seasonal savannas. Drought refuges the land. Game meat is another source of dampen starvation and death in harsh money, whether using home-made traps years. The loss of mobility and drought or inviting in poachers if that proves too reserves has taken a heavy toll on wildlife hard and risky. in the last 30 years. Carving up the open wildlife and livestock in droughts have The wholesaling of natural resources savannas into parks and ranches has been cleared and drained for farms and in the rangelands comes about because added to the problem of range loss for settlement. Rivers have been diverted there are too many people for the herds livestock and wildlife alike. for use in urban homes, horticulture, and land to support. The fallout for Ecological fragmentation and and industry. In all, over a quarter of wildlife is far too large a problem for dislocation intensifies competition all pasture has been lost to wildlife and KWS or conservation organisations to between wild and domestic animals. pastoral herders, squeezing them into solve. No amount of coercion can stop Coupled with the loss of stand-by drought the least productive areas. The story of hard-pressed landowners chasing off or food that wildlife once gave them, shrinking space and mounting pressure is fencing out wildlife that eats their pasture pastoralists no longer have reason to told in the spread of erosion. or kills their stock. The solution lies in tolerate it. Range compression and the Less land and fewer drought refuges tackling the root causes of the social loss of migrations exact a heavy toll on is hastening the collapse of a once dislocation and ecological disruption. vegetation. In Amboseli, a compressed productive and sustainable pastoral Adding to the land pressure, elephant population destroyed the economy. Drought-tolerant migratory pastoralists are pushing for subdivision extensive fever tree woodlands, causing cattle were well adapted to the erratic and settling down in the hopes of a loss of habitat and wildlife diversity. rains and ephemeral pastures of the protecting their traditional lands and Browsing species such as giraffe and savannas. For generations, the Maasai a better life. Yet carving up rain-poor, impala have all but disappeared and and other pastoralists sustained their open range and subjecting it to year- zebra, wildebeest and buffalo numbers herds and grasslands, and indirectly the round grazing saps the productivity of have risen steeply with the growing richest wildlife populations on earth. grasslands and weakens their recovery elephant population. The resulting No longer. Rising pastoral numbers from drought. Land fragmentation and grazing pressure has whittled down the far outstrip the capacity of their milk settlement is now the biggest threat to swamp sedges until the herds have barely herds. Their falling livestock holdings Kenya’s richest wildlife areas. enough to eat in average rainfall years, per family spell poverty. And with A third contributing factor is less let alone during droughts. The 2009

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down to countering the loss of range and disruption of migrations that are pushing down wildlife numbers, diversity and resilience to drought. Wildlife censuses offer a ray of hope: parks do better when neighbouring communities set aside wildlife conservancies to attract tourists and diversify their income. These new parks-beyond-parks are a windfall for hard-pressed communities. They create employment and redress the disparities in wildlife income, they relieve the visitor pressure and seasonality of viewing in parks and, ultimately, they will raise the tourism capacity of Kenya and increase county council and government revenues. Above all, the win-win combination of parks and conservancies counters the ecological dislocation at the root of wildlife declines. Elephants and other migrants have begun moving onto safe conservancies in northern and southern Kenya, reversing decades of range loss and ecological dislocation. Short of fixing the ecological dislocation and restoring the wildebeest and zebra and In Amboseli, the other populations on which the large results of our 43 wildlife migrations, moving across the carnivores depend, there can be no years of monitoring savannas with the seasons, are gone. solution to restoring Kenya’s plummeting The challenge for the pastoralists lies lion population. wildlife, livestock, in fully securing their lands, raising fewer Amboseli is taking a lead in planning pasture and livestock with a higher market value, wildlife and pastoral economies at and conserving pasture production. The the level of ecosystems. In the last rainfall show pressure on the land can only be solved few months, an Amboseli Ecosystem by better education and by alternative Trust has been launched to oversee the measured by forage livelihoods and jobs. This calls for a heavy implementation of a conservation plan investment by government and support drawn up by the Maasai community, that droughts - agencies in schools, social services and KWS, conservation organisations and explained more infrastructure to make up for decades tour operators. The plan aims to improve shortfall - are now of neglect that have caused a widening both wildlife conservation and livestock by heavy animal poverty gap. production over 10 years. The ACC stocking rates than The challenge for conservation comes has established a community-based by rainfall.

drought tipped the narrow balance of forage demand and supply, triggering a population crash. Amboseli was hit harder by the drought than other parks, but its loss of animals is no exception. Wildlife numbers have fallen by 40% across Kenya’s parks over the last 30 years, matching the losses outside parks. The large migratory herds are declining and many parks are losing their diversity of habitats and wildlife. The 2009 drought signifies a turning point in the Kenyan rangelands: the days of large co-existing pastoral and

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 19 CONSERVATION

The loss of habitat in Amboseli added to the severity of the drought.

entire area between the Mara and rangelands. The 2009 drought could be a Amboseli and secures large migratory turning point rather than a tipping point space as well as drought refuges vital for wildlife, pastoral communities and the for wildlife and livestock. The Northern rangelands, if these new opportunities 40% Rangelands Trust has created dozens are seized in the next few years when of community livestock and wildlife livestock numbers are low and the range REDUCTION OF WILDLIFE enterprises across northern Kenya. is recovering. Seizing the moment calls NUMBERS IN KENYA'S PARKS The new associations work because for rethinking rangeland conservation IN THE LAST 30 YEARS the combined income from tourist policies and practices, and for larger- fees and conservation covers the costs scale integrated land management. If the of conserving wildlife and provides new tools are pushed by government, communities with money for education conservation organisations, aid and development. Novel collaborative agencies and most especially landowner conservation enterprises are being forged associations, the vulnerability of wildlife cattlemen’s association to improve between landowners, conservation and pastoral communities to drought - livestock breeds and range management bodies and commercial operators. New and climate change - will recede. practices and to restore degraded conservation tools offer more prospects rangelands. ahead. These include conservation Private conservancies and community easements and leases, carbon markets, wildlife sanctuaries are springing up grass banking and trading to reduce across Kenya. Some are exclusively drought exposure, and drought insurance David Western ecotourism operations. Others combine schemes. Chairman and founder of the African livestock development and wildlife Then there are prospects for energy Conservation Centre, Nairobi. enterprises. The combination approach production in the rangelands as Kenya He established Kenya’s Wildlife Planning offers far more scope and hope for pushes towards self-sufficiency under Unit, was founding president of The wildlife and communities than exclusive its Vision 2030. Income from biomass, International Ecotourism Society, chairman wildlife sanctuaries. The South Rift wind and solar energy will diversify of the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, director of Association of Landowners spans the livelihoods and raise incomes in the Kenya Wildlife Service.

20 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 21 CITES Conference in session.

22 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY Controversy at CITES conference in Qatar

BY ESMOND BRADLEY MARTIN AND LUCY VIGNE

he 15th meeting of the proposals concerning the African proposal to have a separate vote Conference of the Parties of the elephant put forward by Tanzania, on ivory sales. The CITES Panel of TConvention on International Zambia and Kenya. The first proposal, put Experts reported that “poaching, Trade in Endangered Species of forward by Tanzanian officials, advocated however, remains a big problem in Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) took the downlisting of the African elephant several protected areas, notably in place from March 13-25, 2010 in in their country from Appendix I of Lower Zambezi”. The Panel also noted Doha, Qatar. This small country has the Convention to Appendix II to allow “annual expenditure on patrols in the highest per capita income in the them to export live elephants, hides, Zambia is currently about USD 50 world and the economy is expected and trophies, and most controversially, per km2, which is far lower than the to increase at a faster rate in 2010 90 tonnes of ivory stockpiles to Japan generally accepted norm of USD 200 than even China's, mostly due to and China. Later, on the floor, Tanzanian per km2 required to provide adequate gas exports. There were 1,500 or so officials split the proposal so that the patrol of protected areas across people registered at this meeting, ivory sales would be voted for separately. southern and eastern Africa”. Partly mostly staying in lavishly tall, new The Kenyan delegation and the East due to these apparent problems and hotel buildings situated dramatically African Wild Life Society opposed intense lobbying, led by Kenya and on the fringe of the Arabian desert. Tanzania, partly because the country some other countries, the proposals Delegates took buses along the has been a major route for tonnes of did not receive enough votes to expensively landscaped corniche to illegal tusks moving through to Asia. succeed. the conference centre at the luxurious Work carried out by the Elephant Trade The final elephant proposal was Sheraton Hotel. During the two- Information System (ETIS), some NGOs, submitted by Kenya, joined by the week conference, delegates took and the CITES Panel of Experts supported Republic of Congo, Ghana, Liberia, breaks to visit the city and its large, this concern. In any event, Tanzania did Mali, Rwanda and Sierra Leone – traditional-style market called Souk al not obtain the necessary two-thirds vote countries where poaching has been Waqif, which has been totally rebuilt and the proposals failed. severe or whose elephants have with small shops and stalls selling Zambia had a similar proposal to virtually disappeared. It proposed everything from Peregrine Falcons to downlist its elephants to Appendix II, that CITES prohibit all international household goods to souvenirs such also to permit the sale abroad of live government sales of ivory for all of as old Arab daggers and swords with elephants, hides and trophies as well Africa’s countries for 20 years. At ivory handles, and even cat skins. as the sale of 22 tonnes of ivory from the previous CITES conference, it African countries and the media government stocks to China and Japan. had been agreed that no ivory sales were most interested in the three Again, on the floor, Zambia split its should be allowed from Botswana,

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 23 CONSERVATION

Esmond Bradley Martin and Mangel Man Shakya of Wildlife Watch Group Nepal talking at a news conference in Doha. The problem of poor governance, especially Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe - Japan obtaining information for the CITES mismanagement countries on Appendix II - for nine years conference, and traders in Tokyo and following ivory auctions held in 2008. Osaka said they paid from USD 200 to and corruption, After much discussion, lobbying and 284 per kg for a five kg tusk and between was frequently emotional speeches, Kenya submitted a USD 284 and 340 per kg for a 10 kg tusk. emphasised as one draft decision accepting the original nine Regrettably, figures on prices for ivory in year moratorium, but requesting this to China are not available, although China of the principal be applied to all African countries and not has been importing large quantities of causes of the just the four southern African countries. illegal African tusks recently and is the This amended draft decision did not biggest ivory market for new ivory in massive illegal receive enough support and therefore the world. These figures could easily be trade in wildlife Kenya withdrew it. collected in a few days in China if NGOs products. The Parties, NGOs, conservationists put a higher priority on this work. African and media provided information to and Asian governments need to know if support and oppose these various prices for ivory are rising in the world’s proposals. Some of their statements gave markets and if anti-poaching efforts need incorrectly high prices for ivory and the to be strengthened; in some markets in horn stocks, implement legislation CITES Secretariat expressed concern Africa, Thailand and Japan, the US dollar to reduce the illegal trade in rhino publicly that this could encourage more price for tusks has been rising over the products and evaluate the effectiveness poaching. A wholesale figure quoted of last few years. of actions to reduce the illegal trade”. USD 1,800 a kg for a typical tusk of just Another issue discussed at some Kenya’s revision suggested an option for less than five kg being sold in Asia was length at the conference, and especially stockpile destruction or use for scientific way above the true figure. According to relevant to East and Southern Africa, and educational purposes – this was published statistics collected by ivory was a revision offered by Kenya of extremely controversial and was finally trade expert and author Dan Stiles, in resolution 9.14 (previously revised at withdrawn. Before the conference, it had 2008 in Thailand, traders and craftsmen the 14th Conference of the Parties). been announced in India that authorities were in fact paying USD 286 to 429 per The old resolution urged parties “to in Assam would destroy their huge kg for such a tusk. In 2009 we were in identify, mark, register and secure rhino stockpiles of rhino horns, the largest in

24 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY CONSERVATION

Another issue discussed at some length at the conference, especially relevant to East and Southern Africa, was a revision offered by

at THE 14TH Kenya of resolution 9.14 (previously revised CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES). South Asia. After the conference, some killed in Tsavo East National Park and Some of the most divisive Nepalese officials stated they would do the rest on private land, according to the proposals at the conference the same in the near future. Kenya further Kenya Wildlife Service. In Zimbabwe, dealt with marine issues. Efforts requested that the resolution strengthen 175 to 200 rhinos were poached from to list the Atlantic Bluefin tuna the role of the Standing Committee to the end of 2007 to mid-2009, based on Appendix I failed to get the tackle those countries not complying with on the number of known rhinos at the necessary support, despite an 85% CITES regulations and to urge countries beginning and end of this period (860 to improve their law enforcement. down to 730) and estimating an annual decline in their numbers over the These revisions were adopted, along natural growth rate of a modest 5%. This past 50 years due to both legal with the need for greater penalties, is the most meaningful way to estimate and illegal international trade. This help from Interpol, more funding for poached rhinos as there has been under- is a highly prized fish in Japan for rhino conservation and data collection, reporting in state areas. Heavy poaching sushi. Sharks are in considerable amongst other points added also to the in these areas has not been surprising: demand by the Chinese, mainly resolution. only 3% of poachers are convicted and for shark fin soup, and some Kenya wished to strengthen this only USD 10 per km2 is being spent species were considered to be resolution 9.14 against rhino product on park management, according to a trade as rhino poaching has recently rhino conference report presented at over-exploited by the proponents increased in Africa. In 2009 in Kenya, at the Mandel Training Centre, Harare, in of proposals to put them onto least 14 black and 6 white rhinos were October 2009. Appendix II, but these also failed. poached, leaving populations of 635 black In South Africa, at least 122 rhinos Red and pink corals, which have and 353 white rhinos needing greater were poached out of about 1,500 black been heavily harvested in the protection. Four of these rhinos were rhinos and 17,000 white rhinos in 2009. Mediterranean and the Pacific for jewellery and to make ornaments, especially by the Chinese, Taiwanese and Italians, failed also to be put onto Appendix II.

Lucy Vigne seated with some of the delegates at the CITIES meeting in Doha.

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Vietnamese ‘sport hunters’ have bought Zimbabwe’s population has been hardest to Yemen, but nobody has been to there licences to hunt White rhinos legally and hit and has been declining in number. to study the routes since January 2008. In to take their trophies home legally. The The amended resolution 9.14 on Zimbabwe, some conservationists believe Vietnamese are also buying poached rhinos and their products refers to the many rhino poachers in the Hwange area horns in South Africa and smuggling them need for more information - gathering cross over from Zambia and take back the into Vietnam. The driving force has been to reduce poaching. Virtually nothing horns to Zambia, but little is known about a new belief in Vietnam that rhino horns is known about the rhino horn trade in where they go from there. cure cancer. Some Chinese are also known eastern Asia, notably the main illegal Other rhino horns from Zimbabwe to have been smuggling rhino horns from markets of Vietnam and China. In Africa, are thought to be taken to South Africa. South Africa. For example, in February a major reason for the increase in rhino Domestic routes through South Africa 2009, three Chinese men were accused in poaching in Kenya, Zimbabwe and South for rhino horns are not known, nor are Middleburg Regional Court of smuggling Africa is that the trade routes are not the main routes for smuggling the horns out 50 rhino horns, mostly from Kruger well understood and therefore traders out. No prices are known for rhino horns National Park. While South Africa has are able to export the horns relatively in Zimbabwe or South Africa for the last had the most rhinos poached in 2009, easily. In Kenya, horns may be still going five years. The Greater One-horned rhino in Nepal and India has also suffered poaching and more information is needed on trade routes there. We do know that horns move from southern Nepal and northern India to Tibet but we do not know their final destination. In the past, people in China did not buy many Asian horns because they were so expensive compared with African horns. Has this now changed? In Doha, there were daily side events, such as book launches, films, lectures and debates, outside the formal sessions of the conference, and they were well attended and often controversial. The problem of poor governance, especially mismanagement and corruption, was frequently emphasised as one of the principal causes of the massive illegal trade in wildlife products. One evening talk was about the atrocities and illegal activities linked to the natural resources of northeast Democratic Republic of Congo. The authors of the new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) publication, The Last Stand of the Gorilla, Environmental Crime and Conflict in the Congo Basin, presented their findings, saying that rebel groups are heavily involved in the bushmeat trade which has resulted in a loss of up to 80% of large animals in the region’s national parks; they also named international businesses which are directly involved in illegally exploiting the natural resources of the country. Another presentation was on data collected by ETIS on the smuggling of African and Asian tusks, again emphasizing the issue of poor law enforcement that directly relates to CITES. Nigeria, Thailand and the DRC have been arresting very few ivory poachers or traders and have been allowing ivory to move in and out of their A zebra skin, amongst other items, for sale in Doha's Souk al Waqif. countries with little attempt to seize

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The outcome of the CITES conference was positive for many smaller species, such as a beetleS, several reptiles and amphibians and various plants that were given greater protection in international trade.

these smuggled goods; they have also been permitting domestic sales of ivory items openly in markets. Several slides at the presentation showed many large illegal ivory items for sale recently in the Bikeko market (which happens to be near a police station) in Kinshasa, DRC. A senior DRC delegate who attended the lecture commented that the Congolese do not buy these illegal ivory objects, ignoring the fact that they were openly on display. These three countries have continued to undermine CITES policy with impunity, despite having been asked at the last four Conferences of the Parties to stop Stuffed animals for sale in this souvenir shop in Souk al Waqif in Doha Qatar. the blatant illegal ivory trade in their countries. It was stressed also at this presentation that China was “the single most important country in terms of Tanzania and Zambia. This decision was demand for wildlife products cannot be influence on the illicit trade in ivory”. The consistent with the view of the East effective. We also need clearer facts on growing demand for wildlife products in African Wild Life Society and the Kenyan population numbers and trends. If the China was a frequently voiced concern delegation, but greatly disappointed decisions at future Conferences of the at the side events and in the main two the Tanzanian and Zambian delegates. Parties were based more on scientific conference halls. This caused a major split among African data rather than on emotions and politics, The outcome of the CITES conference delegates, which has been the case the conservation of many endangered was positive for many smaller species, at most CITES meetings since 1989. species would be enhanced. such as a beetles, several reptiles and However, African delegates agreed to amphibians and various plants that were strengthen the rhino document which given greater protection in international demonstrates that agreement is possible Esmond BRADLEY Martin trade. A proposal to move the polar bear among African nations. Member of the EAWLS Council, he has been from Appendix II to Appendix I failed There is an overriding need before attending CITES meetings regularly since the mid-1980s, representing IUCN, WWF because it did not meet the biological the next Conference of the Parties in and EAWLS at different times. He has been criteria needed and because it was shown Bangkok, Thailand, in 2013 to collect investigating the trade in illegal wildlife that trade is not threatening the species. more trade data so that prices and products for more than 30 years. The Japanese and Chinese delegates were trade routes can be better understood happy at the decisions not to restrict to ascertain trends and poaching Lucy Vigne certain fish species from trade. The pressures. This is especially the case Has worked for IUCN and WWF and has Japanese ivory traders attending the for ivory and rhino horns. Without been studying poaching and the trade in conference, however, were disappointed knowing the entrepots and end markets, elephant ivory and rhino horn in Africa and that no ivory sales were permitted from law enforcement and efforts to reduce Asia.

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Ring Net Fishing Money Maker or Scourge of the Sea?

BY DISHON Murage, HalinisHi YUSUF, Steve Trott & Simon Hemphill

he ring net was introduced in Marine capture fisheries include the fisheries’ resources within a five Kenya in the late 1990s in the hope fisheries’ resources found within the 12 nautical mile zone. This zone is Tit would be used to target offshore nautical miles territorial waters and the exploited predominantly by artisanal fish and ease pressure on stretched 320 nautical miles Exclusive Economic fishermen who operate some 4,800 inshore waters. Almost 20 years later, the Zone (EEZ). By and large, the marine mostly un-motorized boats to jury is still out on whether this means of fisheries’ resources are divided into produce around 6,000–7,000 tonnes fishing is a boon or a curse. inshore and offshore. It is recognized of fish annually, valued at over Ksh It was first introduced in Vanga, that the marine capture fisheries provide 500 million (Ministry of Fisheries Kwale district, where it continues to be sustenance to most of the coastal Development figures). As a result used extensively, and then further north communities and they are an integral most fisheries within this area are in Kilifi, Watamu and Malindi in 2002 and part of the local culture. In addition, over-exploited or depleted. 2003. Its benefits were thought at the these resources have high potential for The offshore fisheries zone is time to be increased food security and exploitation and economic development exploited by vessels from Distant creation of employment -- key aspirations and thus can be instrumental in helping Water Fishing Nations (DWFNs). for any Kenyan community. the country attain the development goals The main species sought are highly Kenya’s fisheries include capture espoused in Vision 2030. migratory tunas including Skipjack, fisheries (both marine and freshwater) But due to limitations in technical Yellowfin and Bigeye. Some of the and culture fisheries (both freshwater skills, vessels and gear, most of the local fish is landed in Kenya and shipped and marine). coastal communities can only exploit overseas. However, a big percentage

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is landed directly in the Distant As a means of catching fish, ring often within 500metres from the Nations with most going unreported. netting does not work in deep water shoreline. They target shallow water For vessels that are licensed to fish nor can it be employed to chase mobile coral reef areas where there are high offshore, the government earns schools of fish – they move too fast for the densities of reef fish. It is feared that around Ksh 30 million per year net to be closed around them. such intensive fishing over a small (approximately USD 400,000) with As a result, ring netters are confined area may have already severely a standard fee of USD 20,000 per to the narrow shelf along most of damaged the Reserve for years to purse seine net. This was increased the Kenyan coast from Malindi to the come. The Kenya Wildlife Service to USD 50,000 in 2009. The ring Tanzanian border, where the water depth has also voiced its opposition to ring net is a long, continuous stretch is no more than 30 metres with many nets operating in the Reserves and of netting, up to 300 metres long coral reefs at risk from the gear. has attempted to stop them. This and 30 metres deep. It has been Other implied negative effects has resulted in conflict between in existence since the early 19th include destruction of cultural values and KWS and the Fisheries Department. century when it was used in the reduction in earnings for local fishermen It is hard to board a ship carrying North Sea to fish for schooling due to flooding of the market by catches 50 or more men or seize their net if varieties such as herring. from ring netters, reduced catches for they are absolutely determined to Since the introduction of the local fishermen from areas already fished prevent it. The Wildlife Act states gear within our coastal waters, out by the nets, conflicts between various that only traditional methods of there have been mixed perceptions stakeholders and weakening of the Beach fishing should be carried out in the with some supporting its use and Management Units (BMUs) through Reserves. Ring net fishing is clearly others opposing. Opposition has undue pressure from ring net owners to a commercial-scale, intensive and been vocal in Malindi, Watamu, Kilifi, accept the use of the gear within their non-traditional fishing method. Lamu, Ngomeni and Msambweni. waters. Other known negatives include Most of the opposition stems from It is feared that ring net use within the use of sacks of sand, which its use within inshore marine inshore waters presents a threat to are emptied over the coral reef to waters, a direct violation of mutual other important sectors of the economy flush out reef fish which are then understanding between users and such as tourism - dive operators, sport encircled by the ring net. The sand other stakeholders that it should fishermen and tour boat operators - since smothers the corals and other be deployed offshore. As a result, a most operators depend on a healthy and sedentary marine animals, affecting number of detrimental effects have functioning marine ecosystem, which is their function and well-being. been reported including intensive being destroyed through depletion of fish, Perceived positive impacts of the over-fishing of reef and lagoon and other damage. A serious concern is nets include increased incomes for fish, especially specific fish species, the use of ring nets in Marine Protected users, investors, and fish dealers and destruction of fragile coral and the Areas. In the Watamu Marine Reserve, increased employment of fishermen. slaughter of endangered sea turtles ring nets have been operating almost caught in the nets. continuously since October 2008 and

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Main page: Ring net fishing less than 500m from the shore in Watamu Marine Reserve Top: Juvenile coral, approximately five years old, destroyed by ring net.

Of particular concern is: Since the introduction of the ring net, catches 1. The cost –benefit equilibrium have been declining, resulting in ring net 2. The sustainability of the catches fishermen moving to new areas to compensate, causing increased conflict with other users. 3. The impact on local livelihoods

4. The impact on the ecosystem which can sometimes number as many and depleted. Current efforts in regard 5. The effectiveness of current as 40 people. The average take-home to the inshore fishery should be directed monitoring and enforcement methods earning for each fisherman is between towards reducing the use of ring nets Ksh 4,500 and 7,000 per month. and encouraging protection measures 6. Conflicts between the gear users and In addition, the sustainability of the to ensure these fisheries recover. At the other stakeholders. catch from ring nets is highly doubtful. same time, the potential of artisanal Since the introduction of the ring net, fishermen to exploit deeper waters, It is undisputable that ring net catches have been declining, resulting in beyond the fringing reef and five-nautical catches, and therefore earnings, are ring net fishermen moving to new areas mile zone where fish harvests will be enormous in comparison to traditional to compensate for, causing increased increased, should be developed. fishing gear but most of the earnings go conflict with other users. The Kenyan To address some of the conflicts to the owner of the vessel and the gear, inshore fishery waters have become arising from the use of ring nets and the captain, who between them highly unproductive with most of the within Kenyan waters, the Ministry for take home nearly 75% of the catch. The fishing concentrated in shallow waters Livestock and Fisheries Development remaining 25% is shared out by the crew, where resources are highly overfished (the precursor to the Ministry of

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Fisheries Development) established a Task Force in 2005 to evaluate the dynamics of ring net fishing and come up with recommendations. Members of the Task Force included the Fisheries Department (FiD), Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), Coral Reef Degradation in the Indian Ocean (CORDIO), Coral Reef Conservation Project (CRCP), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Kenya Marine Forum (KMF) and ring net owners. It worked for eight weeks and assessed socio-economic and environmental impacts of ring net fishery and reviewed current legislation, monitoring and surveillance capacity including field surveys and available literature and research data. A number of conclusions were drawn including recognition that the fishery supports a wide array of people including boat owners, crew, A precautionary approach in scientists are taken into consideration. fish traders, net menders, mechanics managing the gear is required as it has In addition, to complement government etc. and if used appropriately, conflicts been shown from other fisheries in the efforts in monitoring and surveillance, the would be minimal. As a precautionary region that use of the gear within the role of BMUs should be clearly specified measure, the Task Force made a number outer reef reduces spillover from the and their support sought to ensure that of recommendations allowing the use of outer reef into the inshore waters. Local ring nets are not used illegally within the net under special licence and strict fishermen, to a large extent, depend on inshore waters. conditions. These included the minimum this spillover for their catches with the distance and area of fishing, the target incoming tide. There are fears that this species, the mesh size, the fishing season fishery will be exhausted within the next and payment of an annual licence fee. five years, resulting in the destruction Steve Trott It recommended that a strategy be of community livelihoods, if the ring net Chief Executive Officer for Watamu Marine adopted to manage the fishery on a long- continues to be admitted within inshore Association. WMA is made up of more term basis through close monitoring waters. than 30 member organisations from the and management measures based on It has been claimed that the Fisheries community, tourism and environment available research information. Department has not made sufficient sectors working together to promote A number of stakeholders have efforts to address conflicts. Stakeholder sustainable marine resource practices and raised concerns that the Task Force consultative meetings tend to be called quality tourism development. recommendations were not implemented at the last minute and include only the by the FiD and that the use of the ring net supporters of ring net fishing, and there DISHON Murage within the Kenyan coastal and marine has been a cycle of banning/unbanning Works for the East African Wild Life Society as the Coastal and Marine water continues without due regard to its the use of the net at least three times, Resources Program Coordinator. He has detrimental effects. Research by KMFRI with the first re-opening of the fishery 11 years experience working with coastal indicates that ring netters on the south after the Task Force report in October communities in sustainable management coast fish in inshore areas which are 2008. of marine resources including fisheries, mostly shallow (< 20m depth). The Fisheries Department has policy advocacy, resource planning and There is an urgent need to address constituted a new Task Force to conduct governance. the issue of the use of the ring net in field surveys to gather information on inshore areas particularly as it has the the environmental degradation, fish Halinishi Yusuf potential to escalate conflicts between marketing and legal issues in relation to Has been working for EAWLS since October BMUs, especially where the gear is use of the ring net within protected areas, 2009 as a senior project assistant under the used within fishing grounds shared by use of the net in specific areas of Kwale, Coastal and Marine Resources Program. a number of BMUs. Under the Fisheries Kilifi and Watamu and the presence of SIMON HEMPHILL BMU Regulations Legal Notice 402, BMUs foreigners within the fishery. Born in Nairobi in 1960, has a Phd on are allowed to develop management It is hoped that efforts to address the Yellowfin tuna ecology and fisheries in measures and designate co-management various issues in relation to the ring net the Indian Ocean. He has been involoved areas and can apply controls including will take place through a consultative, in sport fishing since his youth and is permissible gear types. A majority of participatory process under which the the Director of Sea Adventures Ltd and BMUs currently oppose use of the ring views of other stakeholders such as Chairman of the Kenya Association of Sea net within their waters. the tourism industry, civil society and Anglers.

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by Kevin M. Doyle

n early January this year, a handful tempers flared. The surveyors packed up and contentious issues that the country of residents in the coastal Kenyan their gear and left. The beach regained and its people have faced: in December Ivillage of Mkokoni noticed land a measure of peace – temporarily. Shali 2009, a new national land policy was surveyors setting up equipment on a Mohamed, a Mkokoni resident, said: “We adopted which, if and when implemented, stretch of undeveloped dunes. Tension feel that if we didn’t show them that we will address historical inequities and in the community had been growing are prepared to fight for our land, then emphasize the rights of citizens to the use as outsiders brazenly acquired prime all of it will be taken right out from under of and access to land. beachfront property while, under Kenyan our feet.” Mkokoni is just one of many villages law, the villagers themselves were still The confrontation was a microcosm in the northernmost corner of the Kenyan considered “squatters” on land they of the pervasive land tenure issues facing coast, just south of the Somali border, in had lived on for generations. Villagers coastal residents of Kenya, as conflicts one of Kenya’s last wilderness areas. This attributed these new developments to intensify between traditional users region includes the Lamu archipelago, possible corruption and backroom deals. of land and outside speculators and home to a most unique and diverse On this occasion, the residents rushed developers. ecology on both land and sea. back to the village to spread the news. Forty-six years after independence Lamu, which is separated into East Soon a crowd gathered, words were from Britain, Kenya is finally beginning and West districts, is home to the Bajuni exchanged, sticks and stones wielded, and to address one of the most fundamental and the Boni (or Aweer as they are also

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Opposite page: Pristine coastline of Kiwayu Island, Kiunga Marine National Reserve. Top: Newly hatched Green sea turtle (Kiunga Marine National Reserve).

often called.) and a designated UNESCO villages along the coast, and either World Heritage Site. The Bajuni, closely moved to the safety of the islands or to related to the swahili, are seafarers, Lamu, or points further south. Inland, fishermen, boat-builders, farmers, and the Boni were even more affected. Most craftsmen – their lives are intricately were moved to makeshift camps along intertwined with the land and sea on government - controlled roads with the which they live. The Boni, one of Kenya’s promise of security, social services and last hunter-gatherer groups, still collect other benefits. This movement eroded a honey and wild fruits from the forest, large part of their delicate relationship have sacred forest shrines, and are with the forest. romanticised for their ability to whistle to The Shifta War officially ended in birds, which then lead them to honey. 1967, although armed bandits from For centuries, life was simple for Somalia continue raiding even to this day. the people of this region and natural To make things worse, soaring demand resources were abundant. But in the and prices for elephant ivory in the late The confrontation 1960s, new forces came into play in 1970s led to a poaching epidemic in these remote corners of the archipelago, Kenya. Nowhere was spared, and the was a microcosm shaking the foundations of the age-old inland areas of the Lamu archipelago, at of the pervasive society, and setting the stage for the the time considered to have one of the fundamental challenges facing the area highest densities of elephant (Loxodonta land tenure issues today. africana) in East Africa, came under severe facing coastal The Shifta War broke out soon after attack. From an estimated 30,000 in the residents of Kenyan independence when ethnic 1970s, the current population of elephant Somalis in Kenya’s Northern Frontier in the region is estimated to be about 300, Kenya, as conflicts District attempted to secede and become and yet poachers are still at hand. intensify between part of the Republic of Somalia. They Fortuitously, it was at about the traditional users simultaneously attacked and plundered same time that the Kenyan government, most of the villages in the area, sparking through the Wildlife Management and of land and outside a mass exodus and migration southwards. Conservation Department (WMCD) speculators and Locals refer to the period as “daba”, or - the predecessor of Kenya Wildlife when “time stopped.” In some ways, Service (KWS) - recognised the unique developers. particularly when it comes to economic biodiversity of the region and gazetted development and social services, the the Boni and Dodori National Reserves clock has seemingly never been reset. in 1976, and the Kiunga Marine National The Bajuni abandoned many of their Reserve in 1979.

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 33 The Kiunga Reserve incorporates 250 km2 of coastal wilderness. Including over 50 calcareous islands and atolls, it forms a rare mosaic of terrestrial, estuarine, and marine ecosystems. Gazetted primarily as one of the only nesting areas for the Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) and other migratory seabirds, and a critical nesting area for Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), it persists as one of the few remaining places in East Africa where intact wilderness meets the sea. The waters of the region host rich coral reefs and sea grass beds, which host the critically endangered Dugong (Dugong dugon), (Rhynchocyon chrysopygus), African no formal or public announcement, and six species each of dolphin and wild dog (Lycaon pictus ), Abyssinian threaten turtle nesting sites and sea turtles, while the coastline is bushbuck (Tragelaphus sp), Ader’s duiker other habitats within the Kiunga hugged by the most extant mangrove (Cephalophus adersi), Desert warthog Reserve. And although legal, forests in Kenya, boasting seven (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) and the mangrove harvesting is difficult to varieties. critically endangered Hirola (Beatragus regulate and current practices risk The Boni National Reserve hunteri) or Hunter’s hartebeest as it is being unsustainable. For the Dodori contains 1,339 km2 of indigenous also known. Reserve, unclear boundaries invite coastal forest, harbouring densities of The Dodori National Reserve covers encroachment by farmers, and there almost implausibly tall hardwood tree 877 km2 of coastal savanna, woodland is even a call by some to degazette species and at least five threatened and mangrove forest, sustained by the all or parts of the reserve to make plant species. It opens out to the west Dodori Creek which flows out of the Boni way for expanded farming and other into acacia bush, supporting herds of forest through the reserve which now unspecified enterprises. And in the over 1,000 buffalo, with associated bears its name to the sea. A crucial water forest areas adjacent to the Dodori predators such as lion, leopards, source for diverse populations of wildlife, Reserve, called the Boni-Lungi and hyenas. Gazetted primarily as a it was primarily gazetted as a breeding forest, illegal logging, widespread dry season refuge for elephants and ground for Coastal Topi (Damaliscus slash-and-burn agriculture and other wildlife, not least of which are lunatus spp.) and Hirola. Today it still shifting cultivation threaten to wipe the Golden-rumped Elephant shrew hosts large populations of buffalo, out a forest rich in biodiversity and Coastal topi, and unknown essential to maintaining a semblance populations of lion, leopard, and of the Boni way of life. Outside the other species. national reserves, rumours persist “These three reserves,” said that large areas, ranging from 2,000 - Michael Gichure, the senior 5,000 hectares, have been irregularly warden for KWS in Lamu, “are allocated to multinational companies true gems, even if they may not to be turned into ranches. shine as bright as some of the Other ideas, such as the proposed well-known parks and reserves Lamu Port and associated railways, in the country. And it is our hope roads, oil refineries, etc., have so that through scientific research far been floated with no plan for we will better understand this mitigating the potential negative unique ecosystem, which will help impact on tenure security of residents, us better manage it in partnership possible escalation of conflicts, land with the communities in the speculation, or the effects on fragile region. ” ecosystems. A new project to tarmac Top: Yellow-Billed Storks (Ibis ibis) in But the reality is that the wildlife the often impassable dirt road, which Kiunga Marine National Reserve and the viability of their habitats in the cuts through the corridor between Below: Slash and burn agriculture and Lamu region are under severe threat. the Boni and Dodori Reserves and illegal logging of hardwoods is destroying As is the case along the shoreline in ends in the border town of Kiunga, large swaths of the ungazetted Boni-Lungi and around Mkokoni, irregular land is overwhelmingly welcomed by forest. allocations on Kiwayu and other islands residents for the improved security to land speculators and developers, with and access to markets it will provide.

34 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY But little if any consideration has been given to the potentially devastating impact the paved road could have by facilitating land grabbing, illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture, not to mention the blow to the fisheries of the Kiunga waters, regarded as perhaps the richest in Kenya, as the road would allow for fish and shellfish to be shipped to Lamu and Malindi within hours of being caught, perhaps stimulating overfishing if proper controls are not put into place. But it is not all bad news. Forest areas outside of protected areas are under assault by slash and burn farmers, but poor soils force them to search for new land after just a season or two, called shifting cultivation, There have been some attempts to whichleads to more deforestation counter these questionable deals. A coastal advocacy group called the Shungwaya Welfare Association has initiated litigation against a as well as biodiversity. Victor Liyai, democracy,” says one senior Western number of land transactions, and has deputy director of the Land Rights diplomat. trained residents to look after their Transformation Unit of the Ministry of As tempers and accusations flared own interests. Non-governmental Lands, the department responsible for among residents who felt cheated organisations, like the Kibodo Trust the development of the land policy, says: and disenfranchised by their own and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), “The policy calls for a Land Act which government and greedy speculators, are working to help communities is now being drawn up by the Ministry. the SECURE Project worked to start better manage their natural resources This act will amalgamate and modernize a dialogue between community and develop alternative livelihood at least 67 laws and statutes, many of members, the Ministry of Lands and opportunities. With improved security which date back to colonial times at the other government officials and to in the region, the potential for beginning of the 20th century, that affect forge a plan of action to secure land ecotourism is enormous. land ownership and its usage.” and resource tenure that will satisfy The debate about land rights Enter the USAID-funded Kenya a consensus so that communities should become clearer now that SECURE Project, facilitated by ARD can more confidently pursue their the Kenyan parliament has passed a Inc in collaboration with the Ministry livelihoods and play a meaningful role National Law Policy, after almost five of Lands and KWS. This pilot project in managing the resources on which years of discussion. This new policy began, in September 2009, to test many they depend. should demystify land ownership, of the principles of the land policy The process is painstaking. After address historical injustices related to and develop a process for securing all, it stresses greater transparency, land, release land for the resettlement customary land and resource tenure equity, and accountability – principles of the landless, and economically for indigenous communities along the that were not always evident when empower youth, women and the north coast. Clarifying and securing land land was allocated and transferred in disadvantaged and vulnerable. rights, particularly those of resident the past, as the government admits. Under the old tenure system, communities, will mitigate and prevent The sea turtles and Hirolas, and the land in Kenya was designated as conflict over land and resources and Boni and Bajuni ways of life, hang in government land, trust land and motivate residents to actively participate the balance. private land. The National Land Policy in the co-management of natural calls for a new tenure classification: resources with agencies such as KWS, public land, private land, and, Kenya Forest Service and the Fisheries community land. It is this latter Department, with the assistance of local Kevin Doyle category that is of great interest to NGOs such as the Kibodo Trust (see is the Team Leader for the USAID- many communities throughout the SWARA, Jan-March 2005). Prevention funded SECURE Project based in Lamu. country, but in particular along the of conflict and sustainable use and The project is being implemented by coast, where picturesque landscapes, management of resources will in turn the Ministry of Lands with facilitation pristine beaches, and abundant help conserve biodiversity in this region. by contractor ARD, Inc., and in natural resources have caught the “As much as the SECURE Project is about collaboration with the KWS, as well as covetous eyes of land speculators land rights and biodiversity, this is really a number of civil society organisations and surveyors. The arrival of these about the Kenyan government reforming and community-based organisations, developers often signals the demise the way it conducts itself as it moves and the members of the targeted of customary community rights, towards a more open and transparent communities themselves.

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pastoralism breaking the opinion mould

BY CURTIS ABRAHAM

he image is everywhere: Development Studies at the University says Dr. Jonathan Davies, regional hunger and malnutrition killing of Sussex in the Britain, published Living drylands coordinator for Eastern Tpastoralists because of their with uncertainty where he demonstrated and Southern Africa at the IUCN, the irrational, backward and chaotic way that pastoralism is not only viable, International Union for Conservation of of life. But is that fair or true? There but is by far the best option for arid Nature. “So everything possible has been is much thought that the plight of the and semi-arid areas, and that African tried to settle pastoralists. This restricts pastoralist usually stems from ineffective livestock systems can produce more the opportunistic strategy of pastoralism government policies that have tried to energy, protein and cash per hectare than and undermines its viability, leading to change effective and viable production Australian and US ranches. the images that sometimes appear on TV.” systems into something inferior. “The trouble has always been that The development of pastoralism This has been widely documented administrators and service providers in Africa was a brilliant innovation. in scientific literature. In 1995, don't like mobility, and in many cases Grasses and shrubs, which have little to Professor Ian Scoones, of the Institute of neither do neighbouring communities,” no nutritional value for humans, were

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The creation of national parks and wildlife reserves has unfortunately led to the further impoverishment of some livestock herders in Eastern Africa.

converted into nutritious milk, meat and blood. According to recent scientific evidence, this ingenuity was homegrown as ancient African populations appear to have independently domesticated cattle. The creation of national parks and wildlife reserves has unfortunately led to the further impoverishment of some livestock herders in Eastern Africa. Pastoralists are also threatened by land- use change in protected areas for private commercial interests. Land conflicts between pastoralists and governments have been chronic. The scramble for the preservation of East Africa’s wildlife and its habitat started during the colonial era with the establishment of animal sanctuaries, Top: Dr. Dominque Gommery excavating the remains of a 15-19 million year old rhinocerous on controlled hunting areas, game parks Napak mountain. and reserves, nature reserves, protected Opposite page: Cows at a watering hole in Nadunget, Moroto. forests and 'wildlife corridors'. Kenya initially led the way with four national parks and six game reserves. By the end of the last century, it boasted 26 controlled areas allow multiple uses, And so the 1940s and 1950s would national parks and 26 national reserves, yet still have disadvantages for mobile see the creation of game reserves and plus a number of animal sanctuaries herders. the expansion of forest reserves, since and nature reserves, occupying no less Take the case of the herders of most highland areas of Karamoja were than 7.5 percent of its total land area. Karamoja, a semi-arid region the size gazetted as Central Forest Reserves, An additional three percent of Kenya's of Wales or Israel in eastern Uganda enabling the authorities to introduce a land is protected forest. Concern with bordering Kenya. Both E.J. Wayland and variety of regulations restricting their preservation is spurred by economic N.V. Brasnett, two geologists employed use by local populations. An estimated considerations. Tourism provides Kenya by the colonial government in Uganda, 213,336 hectares was gazetted in Kotido with 30 percent of its foreign exchange shared this paternalistic belief about local district and 108,443 hectares was earnings. peoples destroying their environment. gazetted in Moroto district and 5,977 km2 The underlying philosophy of the How ironic it is that environmental was cordoned off for the creation of the colonial and post-independence African destruction today has been caused more Matheniko, Bokora and Pian-Upe game governments was that natural resources by developed countries - the places that reserves. needed to be protected from traditional Wayland and other imperial types called There was little incentive for the communities. However, conservation home - than by the "Third World" peoples Karimojong to assist with wildlife schemes have deprived many pastoralist they ruled over. conservation. Moreover, the relationship groups of valuable land and water In 1938, Wayland and Brasnett between Game Department staff and resources. Furthermore, national parks recommended that vast areas be fenced the Karimojong was strained. Post- normally exclude human settlement and off as forest reserves to protect the land independence African governments livestock foraging. Game reserves and from pastoralist-induced degradation. continued the colonial trend of

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that has made large parts of their homelands worthy of conservation as national parks or wildlife reserves. “Pastoralists have historically helped maintain the rich range of biodiversity of pastoral lands, which are filled with an impressive variety of animals and plants,” says Davies. “This ecological wealth has translated into a wide variety of protected areas and national parks being located within pastoral areas, such as the Serengeti-Mara region of East Africa.” In bygone days, a Karimojong warrior who had killed a dangerous animal such as a buffalo, lion or elephant with a spear would slit the ears of his favourite ox as a sign of his courage. These warrior herdsmen traditionally used wildlife products for a variety of purposes. Karimojong women continue to wear ostrich eggshell beads around their necks; ivory bracelets and rings are donned by men as a sign of wealth and prestige. And yet, the Karimojong cherished confiscating pastoralists’ land. It's not the wild animals around them. The entire surprising that these negative attitudes body of a selected bull would have its have led to failed policies. Behind skin burnt into zebra stripes in memory these lay ancient and deeply rooted of a time when zebras and cattle grazed stereotypes, which still persist today. together. Even the traditional dance of It was, and still is, widely believed that the Karimojong paid tribute to wildlife livestock herders are primitive and by copying the moves of animals like inefficient users of natural resources. the giraffe. At a traditional marriage Similarly, overgrazing by livestock ceremony, the groom would carry the is often seen as the main cause of tail of a giraffe, zebra or oryx and wear a land degradation and desertification. leopard skin to identify himself. However, recent analysis shows that However, this was not the blind and land degradation in dryland Africa has indiscriminate slaughter of wild animals been overestimated. Long-term satellite that was being perpetrated by late-19th monitoring of biomass shows a cycle century Europeans and coastal Swahili of contraction and expansion of the and Zanzibari Arab hunters/slave traders northern vegetation limits of the Sahel, on their expeditions into the interior and little has changed since 1970. Where It is also a fact the East African degradation occurred, it was usually herders have been instrumental in due to long-term climatic trends and not conserving the environment to the livestock. benefit of wild species. For example, But in spite of the scientific evidence, the last significant, unrestricted, the international community continues to wild ungulate populations, hoofed Top: Lions at the Kidepo Valley National Park, be biased in favour of conserving Africa's or pawed mammals such as zebras, northern Karamoja. wildlife at the expense of supporting rhinos and giraffes - surviving in Africa, Below: A zebra - striped cow belonging to the livestock development. are associated with pastoral systems. Karimojong pastoralists who live in the semi- What the colonial and post- Tensions do exist between pastoralist arid Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda. independence African governments and wildlife carnivores that prey on their Opposite page: A Karimojong girl holding a failed to understand was that pastoralist herds. Herders have often used poisons, lamb. communities have from time immemorial and increasingly today carbofuran, to depended on their natural surroundings kill lions, hippos and hyenas. The use of for survival and, precisely for that reason, carbofuran is severely restricted in the they have devised ways of sustaining United States and Europe because it is their environment in the long run. So extremely poisonous to animals. pastoralists are directly responsible for Another worrying trend has the biodiversity, both plant and animal, emerged over the past few years. Land is

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continuously appropriated As a result, East within the pastoralist zone African pastoralists have by state enterprises. Over implemented several coping the past decade the Ugandan strategies to deal with the government, for example, loss of essential natural has adopted the pattern of resources such as land and considering protected areas water. Migration is one way as lands available for private to handle impoverishment, appropriation, particularly and settlement, and when dealing with foreign increased dependence on investors. agriculture is yet another. A few years ago, the Pian- This is rapidly advancing Upe Wildlife Reserve in the throughout Eastern Africa Karamoja region was initially and the Horn, from the gazetted as a game reserve Maasai region of Tanzania to control hunting so that to the Somali region of revenue could be obtained Ethiopia. from trophy hunters. This is the shape of The Karimojong were the future, as the mobility excluded from settling or of pastoralists becomes hunting in Pian-Upe but, in increasingly constrained, certain areas and at certain their habitat progressively times, they were allowed to degraded, and their graze their cattle. The Pian strategies for coping with and the Pokot retained access successive, mounting crises to grazing and water sources are exhausted. Global and clearly continued hunting climate change is only the whenever they could. latest challenge in a long list The reserve's wetlands, that threatens the future of the only permanent example pastoralism in sub-Saharan in this semi-arid region, are Africa. an important stopover for The growing migratory birds from Europe dependence on intensive and are therefore being considered multinational factories and the like. The livestock production for food has also for higher level protection under the Kereyu in Ethiopia lost two-thirds of brought to light the issue of infectious RAMSAR Convention. The wetlands, their land to the Wonji Sugar Estates. The diseases that affect both African including those adjacent to Lakes Barabaig lost some 14 percent of their wildlife and domestic farm animals. Opeta and Bisina, harbour the globally land to the National Food Corporation of The status of endemic diseases in many threatened Shoebill Stork and the Tanzania, international seed companies African countries is a barrier to trade Papyrus Gonolek. and wheat farms. In Loliondo, Tanzania and a key concern for policy-makers. Furthermore, in addition to being the Breweries took 10,000 acres of Maasai But not enough is known about the habitat of buffalo, lion, leopard, giraffe, land to produce barley. Large tracts in interconnection between wildlife, zebra, eland and hartebeest, Pian-Upe is Uganda's "Cattle Corridor" were taken by livestock and the environment in relation also home to Uganda's remaining Roan ill-fated ranching projects. to infectious diseases. antelope population, which is threatened “It's easy to blame aboriginal people And yet African pastoralism, like by extinction. The reserve also provides for being welfare dependent after taking African tourism, has so much to offer. pasture and water for hundreds of away their resources,” says John Scott, “The combination of rising population, thousands of livestock belonging to the social affairs officer at the United Nation's rising per capita consumption and Karimojong and Pokot communities Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues urbanization means Africa will require an during the harsh dry seasons. in New York. “Everyone would be welfare- additional 100 million tonnes of livestock A government order to degazette dependent if they had lost their land and products over the next 20 years,” says about 2,000 km2 of the reserve’s 2,300 their right to make decisions about their an (OAU-IBAR) Organization of African km2-area, which stretches from the own lives.” Unity-Interafrican Bureau for Animal foothills of the Kadam mountains near The cumulative impact of land Resources report Africa Needs Animals. the Kenya/Uganda border to Lake loss has been to render pastoralism Kyoga, to allow Libyan investors to grow unsustainable in its pure form in many fruit and cotton collapsed because it areas. There is simply not enough land Curtis Abraham contravened the government’s own land or water, or the required variety of Science writer based in East African and laws on wildlife reserves. Such land pasturage and forage, to maintain the New York. He is writing two books about giveaways are not exclusive to wildlife herd size and quality needed by the East African pastoralists, The Bahima and conservation but also occur for large average household. Karimojong.

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 39 CONSERVATION SOLIO the heartbeat of rhino conservation for 40 years

BY FELIX PATTON

threat from poaching. Courtland Parfet was approached by Kenya’s Wildlife and Conservation Management Department (WCMD) - the forerunner of the Kenya Wildlife Service - and asked if he would look after a few of these Black rhinos while WCMD found them a permanent home. So when the first five individuals were moved in from Kiboko in the southeast in 1970, Kenya’s first rhino sanctuary was established. With no other secure areas to call on, the WCMD came back several times over the next 10 years, asking to move in more rhinos. By 1980, Solio Game Reserve was home to 27 individuals from nine different areas.

Table 1. Source of Black Rhinos Over 200 white rhinos have been born in Solio. Location Number Year

Kiboko* 5 1970 olio Game Reserve is the premier allow the animals to live their natural Embu 2 1971, 1980 rhino breeding sanctuary in Kenya. life without interference or threat SOver the 40 years it has been in from humans. The 55 km2 area was Tsavo East* 3 1971, 1977 existence, Solio has provided 93 Black surrounded by a 2-metre fence to create Isiolo 1 1972 and 52 White rhinos to other reserves the first fully enclosed private game Solio Ranch 2 1972, 1975 while maintaining a healthy population reserve in Kenya, a model that was later itself. It all started from small beginnings. to be replicated many times. Nyeri Forest 1 1974 Courtland Parfet bought Solio Ranch At the outset, there were no rhinos in Darajani* 1 1974 in the Laikipia area of central Kenya in the reserve. Sport hunting and poaching 1966. It was mostly grassland used for of the once abundant Black rhino in Lamuria Ranch** 9 1975, 1979 beef cattle but with a range of indigenous Kenya had left many small remnant Nyeri Forest 2 1980 wildlife including many buffalo, zebra, populations, sometimes just a single Rumeruti 1 1980 gazelles and leopards. Mr Parfet’s wife, individual, spread around the country Claude, a committed conservationist, with no hope of long - term survival. * located in southeast Kenya, others in reasonable proximity to Solio persuaded her husband to fence an area The animals often endangered nearby ** ranch being subdivided of the ranch to protect the wildlife and human settlements and were still under

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Between 1970 and 1980, the number Solio represents the heartbeat of rhino of Black rhinos in Kenya crashed by over conservation in Kenya. 90%, from 20,000 to 1,500. By 1990, However success brings with it only 400 were left, just 2% of the 1970 problems and with Black rhino numbers population. For the most part, these in Kenya dropping to 400 in 1990, and deaths were caused by poachers seeking Solio having the largest single population, a lucrative income from the sale of the NUMBER OF BLACK RHINOS the reserve became a major target for horns. While the largest market for IN KENYA IN1970 professional poachers. Both White and rhino horn was, and is, as an ingredient Black rhinos were murdered - either shot in traditional Chinese medicine, Kenyan or caught in snares. By now Courtland horn was mostly smuggled through to Parfet’s son Edward had joined the North Yemen where the horns were company as general manager and was fashioned into handles for ‘Djambia’ determined to stop the slaughter. A daggers. security and monitoring system had to be While the Black rhino lives mostly established. by grazing on bushes and trees, the Table 3. White Rhino Translocation History To monitor and manage the rhinos, reserve had abundant grassland, which Total it was essential to know how many is the food source of the other species of there were and how to recognise each African rhino, the White rhino. In 1980, Ol Jogi 5 individual. In September 2005, Solio Solio established a founder herd of 16 Mt Kenya GR 3 staff set about photographing and individuals imported from South Africa. cataloguing the 85 Black rhinos in the Chem Chem 3 Over the years, Courtland and Claude reserve. Using the photographs, a team of Parfet developed a vision for Solio as Nakuru NP 8 rhino monitoring rangers was trained to the prime rhino breeding sanctuary in Lewa 5 recognise each individual and each patrol Kenya, allowing them to provide rhinos group was given a book of photos that it Kongoni Ranch 6 to others. In the excellent habitat and could use in the field. securely hidden from view, Solio rhinos Ziwa(Uganda) 6 Patrol teams were in place and the bred and prospered so well that the Meru NP 12 first monitoring record was entered into reserve had to be extended to 68 km2 the computer on November 13, 2005. in 1991. In the meantime other areas in Kitale 2 Fittingly, this was for Karanja, a male Kenya, in both national parks and private Maasai Mara 2 believed to be one of Solio’s founding ranches, were made sufficiently secure to population and aged well over 35 years. Total Dec 2009 52 house rhinos and Solio became the prime Karanja is also one of the only rhinos in source of many founder populations. Some 30 individuals were moved out of Solio to help form nucleus populations in other new reserves including Nakuru National Park, Sweetwaters Game Reserve, Lewa Downs Conservancy and Ol Jogi. The remaining rhinos continued to thrive and so did the translocations. To date, some 93 Black and 52 White rhinos have left Solio for new homes with six Whites even leaving the country to help Uganda reintroduce rhinos. Truly,

Table 2. Black RhinoTranslocation History

Total Male Female Nakuru NP 15 7 8 Ol Pejeta 39 24 15 Lewa Downs 8 4 4 Ol Jogi 9 5 4 Tsavo East 16 8 8 Aberdares 2 1 1 Mugie Ranch 4 2 2 Darting a rhino in Solio as part of East Africa's largest ever rhino translocation. Total Dec 2009 93 51 42

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NO. OF BLACK RHINOS LEFT IN KENYA IN 1990

per km2 where 0.5 would normally be considered high. Unless the population was drastically reduced, the rhinos would eat themselves out of food. A plan was developed to move up to 30 of the Solio rhinos to nearby Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where they would colonise an area that was free of rhinos and had abundant acacia. In February 2007, East Africa’s largest ever rhino translocation took place with 24 Solio rhinos going to Ol Pejeta Conservancy and three to the Ol Jogi reserve. As Solio’s Black rhino population was being reduced, so the White rhino population was continuing to grow. Poachers do not care if the horns are Top: Solio monitoring rangers learning how to identify each of Solio's Black rhinos. from the Black or the White rhino so the Bottom: Solio - born Black rhino Kolio with her first calf, Gachembe. White rhino population had also to be catalogued and monitored. By the end of 2009, Solio recorded 155 White alongside 73 Black rhinos. the world to have grown a third The poaching pressure is ever horn. Over the years, Courtland present with professional gangs The amazing breeding operating throughout Laikipia. performance of Solio’s Black and Claude Parfet While the initial investment in rhinos had dealt a blow to their developed a vision for Solio the security system was funded habitat. A survey of the rhinos’ by establishing a fledgling dairy food sources showed that the as the prime rhino breeding unit, there was a need to bring mainstay Acacia drepanolobium sanctuary in Kenya, in further income to ensure the was almost eaten out and all allowing them to provide rhinos’ security and protect their other appropriate species were habitat. Among other projects, severely depleted. Solio had rhinos to others. the dairy unit will be expanded a Black rhino density of 1.2 during 2010 and a newly built exclusive tourist lodge will be opened. Occupancy and tourist vehicles will be limited while revenues will be secured and increased. Solio’s managers/owners believe that conservation enterprises based on donor funding are not sustainable as finance may end at any time with dire consequences. That most wildlife conservation efforts are moving in this very dangerous direction is a trend that should be reversed. Wildlife conservation at Solio is run wholly on a commercial basis with no donor funding. With a range of sources of income available, if

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one area struggles for a time, there are others to compensate. But the rhinos and other wildlife will be put first and only those changes that will not have an adverse effect on their behaviour and environment will be considered. Solio’s continued breeding success will enable Courtland and Claude Parfet’s vision to be maintained with more rhinos being made available to move to new areas in future years. A plan is already under discussion regarding the translocation of a group of Solio Black rhinos into Aberdare National Park to develop, along with the few remaining individuals, a renewed founder population in this unique forest environment.

Felix Patton Is a rhino ecologist writing and broadcasting about the species from Africa and Europe

Some 150 black rhinos have been bred in Solio.

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 43 CONSERVATION

Angola’s Giant sable makes a triumphant comeback

By John Frederick Walker

he huge, green Angolan Air start moving, then sprint toward the stretcher and held steady by game guards Force MI-8 transport helicopter helicopter, even before the huge rotors gripping his knurled sweeps of horn, he Tthunders over our heads as it stop turning. twitches and works his jaws. The crowd circles the forest clearing in Cangandala On board is the national animal of of handlers, alternately arguing and National Park. As it descends, its powerful Angola, a splendid, black bull of a sub- hushing each other, stumble and shuffle downwash flattens the field of straw- species thought by many to be extinct: H. as they move the 500-pound antelope yellow grass. Game guards, police, niger variani, the Giant sable antelope. from the cargo bay to the back of a pickup villagers, biologists and a camera crew Drugged, blindfolded, kneeling on a for the brief ride to the holding boma

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To understand what this all means for Angola, you have to go back a century. In 1909, Frank Varian, a British engineer in charge of constructing a railway across Angola, reported that sable antelopes with record- length horns had been shot some 300 miles inland. It was the first published mention of the last great African quadruped to become known to the outside world, recognised as a sub-species in 1916. Tantalising photographs of bulls taken in the 1920s revealed for the first time their breathtaking horns (reaching 60 inches in length) and sculptural proportions. Overnight, the Giant sable was transformed into the ultimate trophy, and it was relentlessly pursued by big-game hunters and museum collectors before being given a measure of protection by the Portuguese colonial authorities. Two parks - Cangandala National Park and the larger Luando Strict Nature Reserve just to its south - make up the sable’s known range. But by the mid-1970s, it had nearly vanished, swept up in the horrific civil war that followed Angola’s independence and finally ended in 2002. With its habitat turned into a war zone, the country’s parks unstaffed and poaching rife, many Angolans feared that their palanca negra gigante lived on only in its majestic profile shown on the country’s postage stamps, currency, the tail fins of the country’s airline, and the jerseys of its soccer team. Opposite page: A Giant sable bull darted, tagged and collared in Luando Reserve. Top: Pedro Vaz Pinto, head of the Giant Sable Conservation Project, readies a radio collar. Still, some biologists, like Pedro Vaz Pinto, refused to give up. The Lisbon- trained researcher is environmental adviser to the Catholic University of of the newly fenced breeding sanctuary. effort to save a critically endangered Angola’s Centre for Scientific Research He’ll join the copper-coloured female antelope. The rescue of this iconic animal, and Studies and head of its Giant Sable sables previously darted and transported organised by Angolan biologist Pedro Conservation Project. Recognising that there. By the time the capture operation Vaz Pinto, came just in time: he estimates one of the reasons for the failure of is over, his instant harem will number there might be less than 100 of these several high-profile but abortive postwar nine. This is the climax of a dramatic magnificent creatures left. attempts to capture the animal on film was insufficient field research, he began a “shepherds” programme with the Songo Tantalising photographs of bulls taken in people at the edge of Cangandala park. the 1920s revealed for the first time their The Songo share the sable’s habitat and have a traditional respect for it, making them ideal game guards for the neglected park. In 2004, with their help, breathtaking horns (reaching 60 inches in Vaz Pinto set up remote cameras with length) and sculptural proportions. EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 45 CONSERVATION

Top: Vaz Pinto and the Giant sable "shepherds" hold a tranquilized female in the boma. Bottom: The capture team discusses darting strategy.

infrared triggers near natural salt licks. as proof of the sub-species’ survival. opportunistic roan bulls as well as the In early 2005, he was rewarded with the But careful study of the images from his hybrids. And he’d have to bring in a Giant first images of Giant sables taken in over growing bank of remote cameras soon sable bull from the Luando Reserve, two decades. One, a photo of a herd that revealed a grim sub-story: the formerly where the greatest population of palancas included a pregnant female, was hailed viable populations of Giant negras had always been found - even sable and roan in the park though, at that point, he had no direct were reduced to remnants evidence there were any left there. — and were interbreeding. With the biological clock ticking “After everything away for the Giant sable females, Vaz that the Giant sable has Pinto raised funds and organised an endured,” Vaz Pinto expedition in August, 2008 to collar at lamented to me in 2008, least part of Cangandala’s mixed herd. “now some of them could But the helicopter crew failed to show actually be bred out of up and the mission was doomed. Nobody existence.” The only way had to point out to him that if the next to ensure a future for expedition failed, there might not be Cangandala’s Giant sables, enough Giant sables left to make another Vaz Pinto realised, would attempt worthwhile. be a captive breeding But Vaz Pinto’s luck - and with it the programme in their Giant sable’s - changed. natural habitat. That A year later, with critical funding meant isolating surviving from Angolan energy companies and the Giant sable females from aid of the Ministry of the Environment

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Top Left: A Giant sable bull is brought to the breeding sanctuary. Top Right: Vaz Pinto confers with the capture team; a military transport helicopter waits for the arrival of the bull. Bottom: A stark reminder of the dangers the giant sable still faces: Vaz Pinto shows game guards poaching snares.

the end of the operation, when the bull The only way to ensure a future for and the females had been released into the sanctuary, hopefully to produce calves Cangandala’s Giant sables, Vaz Pinto realised, by the following year, we had time to would be a captive breeding programme in reflect on the antelope’s future. their natural habitat. That the Giant sable deserves protection, and not just because of its cultural importance, is beyond doubt. The questions raised by some about the and Angolan military, he was able to put veteran field biologists Richard Estes antelope’s sub-species status have been together the full-scale expedition needed. (who conducted a year- long study of laid to rest by recent genetic research He recruited a crack wildlife capture the Giant sable in 1969-70) and Jeremy confirming its distinctiveness and team including veterinarian Pete Morkel, Anderson, a dozen-strong support group silencing those who claim there’s little and twice as many shepherds - and pulled difference between it and the typical off a conservation triumph. sable found in neighboring Zambia. Still, Vaz Pinto later described his feelings Vaz Pinto was careful to collect DNA after touching a living (but tranquilized) samples (in the form of ear snips) to Giant sable. “It was a very special supplement the teeth and skins that are moment to grab and feel those massive still being studied in museums. and spectacular horns for the first time. It The Giant sable’s return seems was no longer a creature of myth – it was assured, as long as habitat loss and there, bones, flesh and horns.” poaching, the twin scourges of African In fact, locating, darting, tagging and wildlife conservation, are kept firmly sometimes collaring these sables became under control. almost routine on the expedition. The shepherds gathered around our camp’s thatched dining-hut in the early evenings as we reviewed photos and video footage John Frederick Walker on our laptops, hoping to glimpse their Author of A Certain Curve of Horn: The animal. They cheered and laughed at a Hundred-Year Quest for the Giant Sable sequence showing Vaz Pinto leaping back Antelope of Angola. His latest book is as one darted palanca negra gigante bull Ivory's Ghosts: The White Gold of History lurched to its feet with unexpected speed and the Fate of Elephants. after the antidote was administered. At

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 47 SPOTLIGHT

IN SEARCH OF A Boubou A new species for kenya and East Africa?

BY BRIAN FINCH & NIGEL HUNTER

rnithologist and guide Brian of sublacteus, the bird is non-varying, mysterious black morph of sublacteus. Finch had always been being black above with no white on the He was as eager as Brian and they started Ointrigued by references in wings, and all white below. So why should to read the literature to find out where birding literature to the East Coast a Laniarius suddenly throw a melanistic the birds occurred. Brian wrote to fellow Boubou Laniarius (aethiopicus) morph into the mix in a restricted coastal bird expert Colin Jackson and asked him sublacteus having a curious, black morph area when it does not happen anywhere if he knew of the birds’ whereabouts. He living alongside the typical black-and- else in Kenya? It was time to find out the replied he had not heard of any sightings, white birds. He had questioned a number real story. Brian suspected that the bird and in fact had not heard about the black of observant ornithologists and none might be the southern Somali endemic Boubous. From the literature, it appeared could testify as to ever having seen Erlanger’s Boubou L. erlangeri 1. that the claims originated from Manda a black Boubou on the Kenyan coast. An opportunity arose to visit the Island in the Lamu chain - probably one Elsewhere through the extensive range coast for a few days and Brian asked of the most popular tourist destinations EAWLS Executive Director Nigel Hunter if on the entire Kenyan coast and home he would like to get to know the Kenyan to Lamu airport. We invited Colin to 1Redman N. et al. 2009. Birds of the Horn of Africa. London; Christopher Helm coastal Boubous, and track down this come with us but he had an obligation in

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with the male climbing to the top of the tree and swearing at us, until attacked by a Bare-eyed Thrush. At 10:30 am, having first seen the bird at 6:30 am, we felt that to endure the heat longer was unnecessary as we had accumulated so much data.

DESCRIPTION A small Boubou, appearing quite diminuitive when seen perched with African Drongo, Dicrurus adsimilis, and when attacked by the Bare-eyed Thrush, Turdus tephronotus. Maybe as much as a couple of centimetres shorter than sympatric East Coast Boubou Laniarius sublacteus. The only known dark Boubou species in Kenya is the Slate-coloured Boubou L. funebris, and compared to this bird, the tail was longer and the entire Opposite page: The black Boubou. bird appeared slimmer. Overall, a glossy, Top: East Coast Boubou. black bird.

HEAD Naivasha for the same period. However with a completely different and novel, All black and shiny with reflections of as he passed through Nairobi, he called in ringing call. On recording this call and blue and green. The black of the head at the National Museum and, on checking playing it back to the bird, it became continued over most of the underparts. the tray of Tropical Boubou specimens, far more aggressive and flew to the The eye was a dull red and the hooked bill found no less than seven black Boubous. top of another acacia, calling from the grey-black and quite deep. Six were collected at Manda Island, unconcealed perch. Three very different and one came from southern Somalia. calls were recorded, all alien to us, and UNDERPARTS This was great confirmation and a good none of them remotely like anything Entirely black, in direct bright sunlight indication as to where the myth of produced by the familiar sublacteus sometimes giving a greenish or at times a melanistic Boubous originated. constantly around us. violet wash, and becoming greyer on the Armed with this information, we set off Frequently after a bout of calling vent. by road for Manda Island, first landing from a tree-top, the bird would parachute on Lamu where we found some excellent with slow, rowing wingbeats and fully UPPER PARTS contacts to visit Manda Island the next spread tail to land either in the scrub Upperback glossy black, remainder of day. We took a speedboat and within two or on another high perch. As well as upper parts less shiny black. Tail entirely minutes of leaving the bustling wharf recording the vocalisations, Brian filmed black, fairly long, and very broad when of Lamu were on Manda Island. The and photographed the bird. We continued fanned. incredibly dense, low forest/bush was walking along the road for another two Wings all black, slightly darker than back. full of birds, and we could hear sublacteus kilometres, and whilst sublacteus was Underwing coverts all black contrasting calling all around us. We called in black/ very common in identical pairs, we only in flight with translucency of greyer white pairs of sublacteus with playback heard a few of the now familiar calls of undersides to the flight feathers. recordings. Walking along the airfield the black Boubou some distance away. perimeter fence, Nigel was the first to On returning a couple of hours later, we LEGS and FEET: spot an all black Boubou moving through went to the territory of the previously Grey and strong. mid-levels but we unfortunately lost obliging bird and played the call, with it. Playing sublacteus recordings only the male bird coming in aggressively HABITS succeeded in bringing in more aroused and challenging us from the protruding A bird of mid-levels, spending its time sublacteus. We birded along the road that tops of the trees, and engaging in the in the canopy, especially when calling or takes off from the end of the airstrip, parachute display. Whilst the male investigating an intruder. An extravert and after 100 metres turned right onto a called, the identical black female would bird, readily perching for long periods on broad track that cut through the forest. complete the duet with a throaty churr exposed treetops. The tail is frequently A deep, throaty call was heard and after every call. flicked, and carried slightly cocked. Closed recorded. The sound was completely More recordings were made. Then it shows as a narrow tail with a notch, but unfamiliar, and on playback an all-black we returned to the place where the initial when calling it raises and slightly flares Boubou climbed to the top of a bare tree. black Boubou had been seen, and played it. The female is far less obtrusive, calling After several minutes of hopping around back the recordings of the cooperative from concealed or less conspicuous in the open, it answered the playback call pair. Instantaneously, this pair flew in perches than the male, though she joins

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 49 SPOTLIGHT

inland in both Tanzania and Kenya. In Somalia, it only occurs south of the erlangeri populations in the Boni Forest in the extreme south of the country. The two species have not been found to occur sympatrically until now. The perpetuation of misinformation can be seen in the documented history of the black morph of the Tropical Boubou on the Kenyan coast. It was first collected on Manda alongside sublacteus ,then forever treated as a black morph of it. It is mentioned in Mackworth-Praed and Grant: “There is a wholly black colour phase on the coast of Kenya Colony and Manda Island.” Zimmermann & Turner also refer to the sublacteus having “an all-black coastal morph”. Stevenson & Fanshawe refer to “a The black Boubou calling on Manda Island glossy all- black morph,” under their treatment of sublacteus. The Handbook of (the) Birds of Africa says “an entirely black morph occurs” him when foraging through the tops of in Laniarius aethiopicus sublacteus, bushes. Male indulges in a parachute Erlanger’s Boubou when Tropical Boubou encompassed all. display, with deep, rowing wing-beats has been RECENTLY Also under “Field Characters”, the same making slow progress, tail fully fanned, book says “an all-black morph occurs in and back feathers raised. considered a Somalia and coastal Kenya and Tanzania.” southern Somali Britton doesn’t even mention it as it CALLS has no racial identity, having been shut Four different calls were recorded, three endemic, confined away in a drawer and left as Tropical of these ringing and loud with an almost to two rivers where Boubou! “Gonolek” quality to them. And finally, Sinclair & Ryan in Birds it has been found in of Africa state that the Tropical Boubou 1. A repeated, loud “wee-ooo” given gallery forest. “… also occurs in all-black morph which from an exposed perch at a rate of is glossy black (not dark slate-grey, like slightly more than one per second. Slate-coloured Boubou).” 2. A loud, double “weeerk-weeerk” three metres. There is much scattered We can only imagine that the original also from an exposed perch, the call acacia species and Dichrostachys, collectors on Manda were just that, and lasting not much more than a second, amongst the unidentified broader leaved merely brought in the specimens with and the spaces in between sets non-legumes. We are given to understand no details of what the birds said, did slightly more than this. that this growth is over much of the or any other vital piece of information. 3. A throaty, four-note set “jhi-jhi-jhi- island although we only covered some Then, as it seemed unlikely that two jhi” lasting a little more than a second two kilometres from the airfield. species of Boubous would inhabit an with a second or so pause between offshore island, it was decided, without each set. DISCUSSION any investigation whatsoever in a most 4. The female answering the male as Erlanger’s Boubou has been recently unscientific manner, to treat them as a part of the duet, with a throaty, soft considered a southern Somali endemic, melanistic morph of sublacteus. churr starting almost the same time confined to two rivers where it has been Not only are these black boubous as the males “wee-ooo” single call, found in gallery forest. On the Jubba distinctively coloured, much glossier and and lasting fractionally longer. river, it is said to occur in two morphs, smaller than sublacteus, they remain in one black and the other black-and-white, like pairs, inhabit a different strata, are HABITAT whilst on the Shabeelle river, that runs extravert as opposed to the skulking, The habitat of Manda Island is quite parallel with the coast, only the all-black intravert sublacteus, have an entirely extraordinary. The floor has much bird is found. Because of its location in different set of vocalisations and an reddish, sandy cover but with some a region long torn by war, there is little aerial, open parachuting display. In short, coral rag on the surface. The bushes information available on the species. East not only are they a different species, but only grow to a couple of metres, but are Coast Boubou (sublacteus) occurs along they belong in a completely different impenetrable where undisturbed. Only the Kenyan coast from the Somali border grouping within Laniarius. The calls the very occasional tree reaches beyond to south of Dar es Salaam. It penetrates are ringing but not bell-like, suggesting

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L. erlangeri. However our conviction We have no doubt that the birds of Manda that the Manda birds are the same as the Somali birds will probably require DNA Island living sympatrically with sublacteus sequencing. If that proves them to be the represent a Kenyan resident population same then L. erlangeri would be replaced of what IS thought of BY SOME as a Somali by L. nigerrimus as the first specimen was collected at Kapini in 1878. endemic, Erlanger’s Boubou L. erlangeri. If our conviction is right, then the presence of the bird in scrub along Lamu’s airstrip just goes to show that Gonoleks. When we experimented as Garissa, Taita and Makindu; and along highly visited locations are not without with playback and known recordings our, (northeastern) border, the Ethiopian their surprises. What remains is to of sublacteus taken in situ, we only Boubou L. aethiopicus. ascertain and map the extent of the succeeded in bringing in other sublacteus, In the old treatment of Tropical habitat on Manda Island and the extent of whilst the black Boubou showed no Boubou, there was a fourth member other forms of land use (which may not interest. of the group, and this was erlangeri. be extensive yet, due to lack of drinking Likewise playback of the black Nguembock et al’s DNA studies on Somali water). Boubou taken in situ impressively specimens from two populations show We also need to determine the threat attracted others of its kind whilst that the bird has nothing whatsoever to to Manda Island from the development sublacteus showed no interest do with the Tropical Boubou clade, and of the proposed Lamu Port and from whatsoever. The parachute display is more closely allied to ruficeps. Whilst burgeoning tourism development, which reminded Brian of the display flight treating the Tropical Boubou complex, has already resulted in a road that crosses of Sooty Boubou L. leucorhychus, the the authors, like everyone else, state that the island, bisecting the forest/scrub. churring of the female in duet and the “within sublacteus, occasional birds along This road has resulted in an inordinate male’s penchant for finding high perches the Kenya coast are black morphs,” but amount of motorbike traffic and has from which to call is reminiscent of Red- extend the range to incorporate the Tana encouraged uncontrolled charcoal naped Bush-shrike L. ruficeps, but nothing delta. burning. It will be important to explore is reminiscent of anything to do with the Whilst claiming to have taken DNA the possibility of getting local agreement Tropical Boubou group. material from every race of every and support for a protected area to Recently Nguembock, Fjeldså, Laniarius, they completely ignored the ensure this Boubou avoids extinction in Couloux and Pasquet published a black Boubou of the Kenya coast stating; Kenya. thorough revision of the genus Laniarius “L. a. sublacteus also has a black morph in “Phylogeny of Laniarius: Molecular in the area around the mouth of the Tana data reveal L. liberatus synonymous with River in Kenya (Stresemann, 1947).” Brian Finch L. erlangeri and ‘‘plumage coloration” To complete their study, they should A leading Kenyan ornithologist. He is the as unreliable morphological characters get some DNA material from the six co-author of The Birds of East Africa, and for defining species and species groups.” specimens collected on Manda Island that The Birds of the Horn of Africa. He also Their work revised the Tropical Boubou are in the Nairobi National Museum. specialises in reptiles and butterflies. complex, breaking the birds in Kenya We have no doubt that the birds of into Great Boubou L. major of the Kenyan Manda Island living sympatrically with NIGEL HUNTER uplands and west of the Rift Valley; East sublacteus represent a Kenyan resident Currently Executive Director of EAWLS. Coast Boubou L. sublacteus on the entire population of what is thought of by some Has been a keen ornithologist since he Kenyan coastline extending inland as far as a Somali endemic, Erlanger’s Boubou was a teenager.

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Alley

52 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT Wanted! one of our chimps is missing

By Diana Hunter

onsider this fence. It is 14 feet by or known to the chimp for performing to enable quick re-entry, as well as - high, has a “Y”-shaped top, a specific purpose. David Mundia tells exit. She knew that preparation was Coutrigger wires sticking out the story: “A colleague had dropped a everything. When the caregivers three feet, chicken wire rising four bunch of keys in the chimpanzee house couldn’t see her, they would start to feet from the ground, and it is charged a few months after she arrived. Alley got call her, and often she was back inside with between 6.2 and 8.0 kilovolts, a stick, poked it through the grill to get before they caught a glimpse of her on - more than enough to kill you if you the keys, and methodically tried one at a the wrong side of the fence. held on to it. But the amps are low, time in the padlocks. I was new then, but But why does she escape, and so you’d probably just get hurled I thought: ‘Wow! These animals are really what does she do when she gets out? backwards instead. I personally intelligent.’” Does this make her a kind David Mundia isn’t entirely sure. wouldn’t go near it. of Chimp Mastermind? Alley is a gentle “Usually she just sits outside and But I am not Alley, the supreme chimp and very expressive, and that time doesn’t go far. Perhaps she likes being escapologist of the Sweetwaters she understood she had to give the keys on her own, or maybe she is just Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Kenya’s Ol back in exchange for her favourite food: a curious and wants to see what it’s like Pejeta Conservancy. I am fascinated ripe banana. to be a human, looking at her own by this female chimpanzee, who has When chimps arrive at the sanctuary, kind from the other side. She knows become a heroine of mine because they are introduced gently to the concept it’s not a good thing to do though, she has actually escaped regularly of an electric fence by the caregivers, who because we get upset with her, so over this fence that has been modified show them what it does, starting with a when we know she’s been out and tell again and again to cope with her very low voltage. The first fence was basic her off, she makes submissive sounds extraordinary exploits. So, how on but specifically designed for chimps and as a kind of apology. I think this is why earth does she do it? copied from the Chimfunzi sanctuary in she is so secretive because really she It all started when Alley, then aged Zambia. Only about 10 feet high, it proved doesn’t want to upset us.” six, arrived at the sanctuary in 1993 as to be a mere inconvenience to Alley, who The fence was modified further. part of an original group of 10 chimps became a professional escapee from early Needless to say, this only increased from the Jane Goodall Institute in 1997. Amazingly, she always came back. the challenge for Alley. She managed Burundi. She was a happy and healthy At first, the rangers didn’t usually detect to swing over the overhang of live chimp but David Mundia, a caregiver her absence unless she failed to appear at wires at the top and not touch the who has worked with the chimps the chimps’ house for food at noon. As it earthed ones that would shock her. since the beginning, quickly noticed turned out, she was, quite literally, out to When the whole fence was then Alley’s early leanings towards the art lunch… earthed, she worked out that by of escapology and her exceptional The team of fencers had to find standing on a dry stick as a ladder flair for using tools, and indeed out exactly how she was getting out: while twisting the middle wires keys. A National Geographic feature a dangerous hobby given the many together, she could short circuit the (February 2010) on the chimps of predators prowling the Ol Pejeta. The fence and also make a handy gap. She Congo’s Goualougo Triangle, who fencers mounted an ambush and, sure would ‘Superman’ though the gap, are remarkable for displaying very enough, caught her using a long, perfectly landing with a neat forward roll on advanced behaviour without having dry stick propped up against the fence the other side, dry sticks at the ready. had any human contact, says that it as a ladder, allowing her to jump smartly Masterful. is not uncommon for chimps to use over the top. They found she had secretly With Alley continually one step tools, but less common for them to use collected a ready arsenal of sticks and ahead, the caregivers wondered if her a succession of two tools, modified placed them strategically along the fence temporary escapes were her way of

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expressing boredom. Enrichment (such as finding hidden food, or toys to play with) isn’t generally necessary for chimps in such a large area (the sanctuary covers about 240 acres), but they decided to give her the most important job they could think of. They made her adoptive mother to a three-year-old orphaned chimp called Zee. This seemed to work wonderfully: Alley didn’t attempt to escape for almost a year and a half. In fact, unbeknownst to the caregivers, she was training Zee as her accomplice in her secret methods. Lulling the caregivers into a false sense of security, Alley also made sure that Zee bonded with her best friend, another female chimp called Cheetah. Now, she could start breaking out again. Her forays weren’t as frequent as once a week, but with Zee being distracted by Cheetah, Alley no longer ran the risk of the younger chimp having a screaming tantrum when she was away. Things had The fencers even made sure that the simply lifted the bottom wire with a stick become a little trickier also because the chimps couldn’t see them working in case and rolled underneath. What to do? A fence had been alarmed for short circuits. it gave them ideas. This fence stopped four foot-wide panel of chicken wire was In 2005, the sanctuary got an Alley for a year or so, and the caregivers secured along the lower part of the fence entirely new fence courtesy of the Arcus hoped it was finally ‘Alley-proof’. Not to prevent the twisting-the-middle-wires- Foundation. This is the fence it has today. quite. After a year of studying it, Alley together technique, the ability to make a

Top: Alley in the sanctuary. Bottom: Caregiver Anthony Kamau checks the most complex section of the fence, where Alley likes to try out her new techniques.

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The electric fence that surrounds the Chimpanzee Sanctuary

for her to come back, and want her to When chimps arrive at the sanctuary, they get them into the next enclosure,” said are introduced gently to the concept of an David. “It definitely makes our job more challenging. She likes interacting with electric fence by the caregivers, who show humans, so maybe she wants to be with them what it does, starting with a very low humans more or it’s her way of saying that the fence won’t hold her inside. voltage. We’ve often hidden and waited with a camera, but we’ve never got a picture of her escaping.” gap, or to go underneath. Outriggers were timing, etc. They became a double-act, The company that made this fence fixed on the inside of the fence to prevent going out together. Sometimes Victoria say it is now the most complex ever made the use of ladders. Surely, all this was informed on them by screaming when to contain chimps, who are notoriously going to work? Alley was away, so the caregivers learned good at solving problems and can be very No chance. Do not underestimate the that when Victoria was with Cheetah, and adept at using tools. With the unique powers of Alley. David says: “I’ve seen Alley and Zee weren’t around, Alley was challenges this fence brings, surely many chimps escaping, but none of them definitely up to something. The alarms Alley’s outstanding ‘problem solving’ do it like she does with such thinking, were checked, they patrolled the fence, ability makes her one of the world's most planning, reasoning and logic.” No one and the emergency fencing team was put intelligent chimps? Does David think she really understands how she works out on alert. might get past the latest version of the her methods without getting shocked in The last time Alley got out was about modified fence? He pauses. “She might. I the process, but somehow, this time she five months ago, when David was talking think maybe she wants to be an engineer knew the chicken wire was earthed. This to a group of visitors and saw several when she grows up.” meant that she could twist the live wires chimps further down the fence, on the together with the chicken wire, et voila!, same side as him. As soon as they spotted the fence was shorted, a trusty dry stick him, some chimps dived back through the was instantly employed as ladder to get gap in the wires into the chimp enclosure. above the outriggers, and out she popped, The others were gently persuaded back Credits: shock-free and ready for action. in by the caregivers, but not before David With thanks to David Mundia and all at The only solution was again to noticed how the chimps inside and out the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary. distract Alley. Victoria, another young had lined up to stare at each other – “just orphaned chimp, was successfully like the tourists look in on them. ” Diana Hunter adopted by Alley, but again, by 2006, “The other chimps definitely think is a writer and photographer and Victoria was being happily palmed off Alley is their heroine. They like to owner-manager with her husband Alex on Cheetah so that Alley could give Zee follow her. When they see her, Zee and of Ol Pejeta Bush Camp at the Ol Pejeta further training in stick selection, escape Victoria with sticks, they line up to wait Conservancy.

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THE curious incident of the giraffe in the night-time

BY Zoe Muller

iraffe have a bad reputation. ‘abandon’ their young soon after birth. take it in turn to look after this crèche, Ask any safari guide about their Rather than being symptomatic of allowing the other mothers to leave in Gbehaviour and they will delight in neglect, however, this behaviour protects search of food and other resources. This telling you how giraffe are bad mothers, the calf from the dangers of its new system has evolved to ensure maximum abandoning their young hours after environment. Hiding it in a secure place calf survival: female giraffe are actually giving birth and leaving them alone and protects it from agile predators and the maximising the survival potential of their vulnerable in the bush. Keepers of captive hazards of the open savanna and ensures young, making them rather undeserving giraffes too will tell of problematic it remains in a shady place to avoid of the ‘bad mother’ tag! mother-calf relationships – sometimes, overheating. I am studying a population of the mother refuses to let her newborn The diligent mother usually keeps Rothschild’s giraffe within the Soysambu calf suckle or come close or, worse, she her calf hidden for the first few weeks of Conservancy in Kenya. Having spent rejects it completely, forcing the keepers its life but she returns regularly to feed many hours observing giraffe in Kenya to intervene to save its life. it and check on it. As it gets older and and elsewhere in Africa, I was already In the wild, giraffe exhibit an unusual stronger, she will start to take the calf out sceptical of their reputation as bad parenting system: they hide their young and herd it with other young calves in a mothers, but recently I witnessed an for the first four weeks of life. This has crèche system formed by females of the incident that really made me question given rise to the theory that mothers same group. Typically, the adult females what we know about giraffe parenting

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Opposite Page: Adult female intrigued by the carcass of a dead baby giraffe. Top: Juvenile and adult female inspecting the carcass of a dead baby giraffe. Below: Adult female inspecting the carcass of dead baby giraffe.

had a four-week-old calf at foot. This calf In the wild, giraffe exhibit an unusual parenting had a seriously deformed hind leg, which made it instantly recognisable. It was system: they hide their young for the first four either born with a deformed leg or it was weeks of life. This has given rise to the theory that injured early on, but the calf could always mothers ‘abandon’ their young soon after birth. be observed having great trouble walking and it spent most of its time standing still. Like a doting mum, F008 could always be found keeping vigil right next behaviour. There are approximately good because there are no lions on the to her calf. During many field trips, I 65 Rothschild’s giraffe in Soysambu property. Part of my research involves never saw F008 much more than about Conservancy, and they are pretty identifying all giraffe individually, which 20 metres from her compromised calf, successful reproducers. There is always means I get to know them very well, and and on each occasion she was standing an abundance of young giraffe at any one in particular caught my attention. by it regardless of the rest of the herd’s one time, and their survival rate is One of the females, (identified as F008), behaviour. Normally all adults in a herd will synchronise behaviour – they will all be foraging or ruminating together - but F008 would not do this. She always stood by her calf. This behaviour is interesting in itself – she was clearly compromising her own health (through decreased foraging and increased stress from extra vigilance) to protect her calf, thwarting this notion of ‘bad motherhood’ in this individual at least. On May 3, 2010 I headed out into the field for my usual daily observation and on the transect I found a large group of giraffe in an area where they are not normally found. This was a surprise, but what was even more surprising was their behaviour. The giraffe at Soysambu are well habituated to vehicles and are

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Other giraffe highly interested in the carcass of dead baby giraffe.

the adult females approaching the Despite the large amount of evidence for such carcass and nudging’ it with their muzzles, then lifting their heads to look behaviour in elephants, this exploratory or around before bending down to nudge investigatory behaviour of dead conspecifics and it again. F008 was present and involved apparent ‘protective’ behaviour of the carcass has in this behaviour with the other adult seldom been recorded in other mammal species females. The juveniles were tentatively approaching the carcass, would bend and certainly not in giraffe. down to it, apparently sniff it and then jump up suddenly and run away before returning to repeat this behaviour. normally very relaxed and calm. On this by what was happening and decided to 21:30:I returned that evening as I morning however, I found a large herd of retreat, sit quietly and watch. This is what expected to find some predators in the 17 females all highly vigilant and running I saw over four days: area. Instead I was surprised to find 15 around in apparently bizarre patterns. adult females all clustered around the They were also scared by my vehicle – 3rd May (Day 1) carcass, closer than they had been during something that never normally bothers 08:00: When I found the carcass, there the day. They were highly vigilant and did them. were 17 female giraffe in the area, not move off as I approached. F008 was I stopped the vehicle and expected all running around in distress. Their present and close to the carcass. them to settle but they carried on running movements were haphazard, they were around and when they did stop, they highly vigilant and very unsettled. I 4th May (Day 2) would stare intently at one particular positioned the vehicle away from the 09:50: I expected the carcass might have area of bush where they seemed to be carcass and observed the herd for the been taken by predators during the night, congregating. I needed to find out what next three hours. All 17 ran around but found it to be intact, in the same they were so excited about and so I drove the area being vigilant, continually position and surrounded by seven adult over to that area of bush. F008’s injured approached or retreated from the carcass females, including F008. All were walking calf had died and its body was lying in an and showed extreme interest in it. F008 around the carcass and being vigilant. open area of grass. was in the group. It looked like it had died maybe an 15:35: There were 15 adult giraffe in the hour previously, apparently from natural 16:45: I returned to find 23 female area, this time 11 females had been joined causes. It was a sad moment and I felt giraffe and four juveniles in the area, by four males. The females, including for F008 ,who was one of the females again all quite restless, walking around F008, were still circling the carcass, running around, but I was fascinated and being vigilant. This time I observed approaching or retreating and inspecting

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it by bending down and sniffing or nudging with their muzzles. I noticed that while the females showed great interest in the carcass, the males showed none – they were either foraging or inspecting the females for mating opportunities. At no point did any male go closer than 100 metres to the carcass.

20:45: I returned again at night to try and observe predator activity only to find the carcass still untouched and surrounded by three adult females, including F008.

5th May (Day 3) 07:45: On first inspection, no giraffe could be observed. However, after stopping the vehicle and scanning with binoculars, I noticed that there was one adult female present - F008. I noted that she seemed to have left the carcass for the first time since it had died and that Adult female nudging carcass of dead baby giraffe with her muzzle. she had moved to stand under a large tree approximately 50 metres away from it. She was not foraging or ruminating, just standing still in one spot. open area. The carcass had been taken by ‘protective’ behaviour of the carcass has predators. seldom been recorded in other mammal I sat in the vehicle and observed her for species and certainly not in giraffe. about 10 minutes until I drove slowly 14:00: No giraffe sighted in area. Giraffe are highly social but we are over and she moved away. I went to only just beginning to understand the inspect the carcass - it was gone! After 7th May to 12th May (Days 5 to 10) complexities of their social systems and a lot of searching, I finally located its The site has been visited several times family networks. This incident provides remains and found that it had been half- each day to see if giraffe have returned unique insight into one aspect of giraffe devoured by predators (probably hyena) to utilise the area. No giraffe have been behaviour that we rarely see – that of during the night. seen there since F008 was there alone family ties and the effects of the loss of on the morning of May 6. I have never a herd member. I hope that by reporting It was at this point that I realised it had seen anything like this behaviour in wild these observations, people who have been dragged approximately 50 metres giraffe. had similar experiences or observed to the left of its original location and was I am not going to speculate on the such behaviour might report them so now resting by the big tree, exactly where motivations or possible ‘emotions’ that we can build a clearer picture of this I had seen the mother standing when driving this behaviour – I will let you aspect of giraffe behaviour and ascertain I arrived. So my initial recording that draw your own conclusions. I simply whether this is an isolated incident, or if she was 50 metres from the carcass was wish to report on the interesting chain of it is much more prevalent in mammals incorrect – in fact, when I had arrived and events that I observed. than we have initially allowed ourselves first observed her, she had been standing It is well documented that elephants to believe. over the half-eaten remains of her calf. show great interest in the carcasses of dead elephants and herd members, 14:00: Later that day, F008 was back in and this is often viewed as evidence the same spot – standing over the carcass of their empathic nature and ability to Zoe Muller in its new position by the large tree. No ‘mourn’ their dead. Regardless of such Has spent the last 10 years working in wildlife conservation and research across other giraffe were around. anthropomorphic labels or attribution Africa and has had a life-long interest of human emotions, what is clear is 17:45: F008 was still there, still standing in giraffe. She is now based full-time at that elephants do exhibit unusual and Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya, having by the tree and remains, being vigilant. uncharacteristic behaviour around the set up the Rothschild’s Giraffe Project Still no other giraffe in the area. carcass of a dead elephant (Douglas- which is the first ever research programme Hamilton et al., 2006; McComb et al., dedicated to studying the endangered 6th May (Day 4) 2006). Rothschild’s giraffe. 08:45: F008 was still in the area, but Despite the large amount of evidence was now approximately 200 metres for such behaviour in elephants, this More information about Zoe and her away from the tree where the carcass exploratory or investigatory behaviour research can be found at: was yesterday. She was standing in an of dead conspecifics and apparent www.girafferesearch.com

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Climate Change affects TANZANIA bird distribution

BY Colin Beale

ardly a week goes by without the region’s avifauna and can we really harder to identify, not least because climate change being in the mitigate them? detailed information on the long-term Hnews, and anyone who has Tanzania has seen a rise in mean patterns of change is rarely available. watched the changes in weather temperatures of nearly one degree Yet such information is critically patterns in their home areas over Celsius since 1990, and (perhaps more important for conservation at this recent decades knows that something importantly for wildlife) changes in both time: without knowing what species is changing. But what does all this the timing and amount of rainfall are also are already responding, and in what mean for wildlife? Globally, we hear widespread. Predictions indicate that ways, it is hard to develop sensible of extreme examples such as the much of East Africa will actually get 7% long-term conservation strategies. threats to polar bears and indications wetter. However, it can be difficult to see Indeed, some scientists are already that migrant birds arrive on their what effect this will have on wildlife – we suggesting that climate change will breeding grounds in the north earlier might see starving animals in prolonged force animals out of existing protected and earlier. But what about here in droughts, but this has always been the areas, creating a need to protect new East Africa? The data shows that the case because of the variability in East regions currently devoid of animals. climate is certainly changing, but what African climate. The more gradual effects The Tanzanian Bird Atlas (TBA) impact will these changes have on of prolonged climate change are much project has been gathering data on PHOTO BY COILN BEALE COILN BY PHOTO

Spotted Morning Thrush

60 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY SPOTLIGHT

Map indicating how climate change is affecting Spotted Morning Thrush species.

the distribution and seasonality of birds particularly interesting that many of the bit to reduce the impact of further change since 1983, whilst also incorporating range expansions have brought species through mitigation. Better yet, we can use records from the existing studies. into extremely well studied areas like these results to ensure that we develop Most importantly, this project has also the Serengeti – climate change must be win-win-win management for adaptation maintained a detailed record of when and causing some underlying change in the (new habitats in new places) and where visits have been made to different Serengeti environment that we have yet mitigation (reducing CO2 and minimising regions of the country, so real changes to observe directly, but the birds notice the degree of change) and conservation in distribution can be identified and or, should we say, react to it. (making sure the habitats are valuable differentiated from those that are caused Atlas data and this sort of analysis whatever happens). by changing observer effort alone. can therefore be used to identify priority One striking example is the Spotted species (perhaps those showing greatest Morning Thrush, a visible and highly change, or those that are simply good vocal species unlikely to be affected by indicators of more subtle changes) and observer bias. Previous records starting priority locations (where change is Colin Beale A Research Fellow and lecturer in with Britton, 1980 (shown on the map happening fastest, and where ongoing Ecology at the University of York, UK, above in red circles), show the limits of changes may create newly valuable sites). currently based in Arusha, Tanzania. this dry country species. Of particular These studies can also help us His research interests focus on interest is the westward expansion develop management strategies. Further understanding the ecology of species across the Rift Valley and into the Lake changes in our climate are already distributions and investigating the Victoria drainage basin. Why do these inevitable, and we can do nothing to stop impacts of climate change on ecological changes happen? Certainly climate plays them. But we can plan for it, making sure systems. a part, but probably not directly, only that suitable habitats are maintained in through subtle (or not so subtle) changes the areas where species are currently in habitat and food availability. It's moving, and we can make sure we do our

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 61 PORTFOLIO CAPITAL CLICKS PAOLO TORCHIO FEASTS ON THE RICHES OF NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK

62 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY PORTFOLIO

Nairobi National Park is the only protected area in the world close to a capital city, a mere 10km from Nairobi city centre. It is 117km2 and is famous for: Top Left: Leopards Below Left: Black rhino

This page Top: Lions Bottom: Hartebeest

For further details: www.kws.org

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 63 GET YOUR

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64 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY CONSERVATION CHARACTER

organise successfully or not, it is difficult to structure policies and practices aimed Elinor Ostrom at improving resource sustainability and benefits capture. The global community is now faced A Nobel prize for local with “new” problems: climate change, food insecurity, energy insecurity and so communities on. While current solutions, such as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and biofuels, By Esther Mwangi show great promise, they also pose substantial risks, the largest of which is rolling back the gains of governance linor Ostrom won the 2009 Nobel free-rider problem. This suggests that reforms enacted in prior decades. Prize in Economic Sciences, the individuals are less likely to contribute For instance, decentralised forest Efirst woman to win the award to collective endeavours unless there management now appears to be in direct in this category. She and Oliver E. is material reward or coercion. In confrontation with recentralisation as is Williamson shared the USD 1.5 million natural resource management these evident in the implementation of REDD, prize for work on economic governance. models have consequently led to policy or with large scale land acquisitions As a post-doctoral fellow, one of my solutions that nationalise resources for biofuels and food security of richer most treasured moments with Ostrom under government ownership and/or nations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. was sitting on the back porch of her management, or to resource privatisation Ostrom’s work warns of the futility of house enjoying the sight and sounds of and individualisation. top-down solutions and further argues a an adjacent forest and working through Ostrom explores a third alternative case for institutional diversity. the notion of poverty. Ostrom drew upon to the state and to the market, which This Nobel Prize comes at a most apt the example of her childhood to make a is how resource users faced with an moment indeed. point on conceptualising poverty. Raised interdependent situation can organise Importantly, and for the first time, by a single mother, she mostly shopped in and govern themselves to obtain joint resource dependent communities can thrift stores that sold second-hand goods. benefits over time (including sustainable justifiably claim a Nobel of their own. Similarly, Vincent Ostrom (her husband), use) despite the temptations to free-ride, Their stewardship is quite directly was raised on a farm without running shirk, or act opportunistically. She finds recognised by this Nobel Prize, just as water. Neither of them thought they were that though interdependent resource hope is renewed in their capabilities poor, even though they might have had users might individually face temptations regardless of governance threats much less ready cash than many of their to free-ride or to act opportunistically, presented by current global challenges. peers. they often are able to develop a shared On another occasion, during a lunch perspective of the resource system and with guests just after I had successfully organise themselves to obtain mutually- defended my PhD dissertation, in beneficial outcomes, including Esther Mwangi response to a question on best practice sustainable resource use. A scientist working in the methods for establishing the effects of They repeatedly forests and governance governance reforms, Elinor Ostrom said: communicate and programme of “Ask them!” i.e. ask the people who live interact with one the Center for and are directly impacted by reforms. another and thus International These are just a few of my many learn whom to trust, Forestry Research Aha! moments I had while working what effects their (CIFOR), in Bogor, with Ostrom, and they nicely bring actions will have Indonesia. together the person and the scholar. She on each other and demonstrates that people themselves how to organise (not necessarily governments or donors) themselves to gain are the best identifiers of their own benefits and avoid problems and the most appropriate harm. They possess crafters of solutions to their problems; social capital with they have done this over many years of which they can build action, failures, successes, learning, and institutional arrangements experimentation. for resolving natural Over the past three decades her resource management work on natural resource management problems. has relentlessly challenged some of Without an adequate the most dominant models of human knowledge and understanding behaviour, including the logic of of the circumstances collective action, which is based on the under which people self-

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 65 SPOTLIGHT BOOK REVIEW THE JOURNEY WITHIN

veterans and enthusiasts alike. With over 200 pages of photographs from parks all over East Africa, it contains visual masterpieces from the world-renowned wildebeest migration to adrenaline-filled lion chases. With a foreword from the paleontologist and conservationist Dr. Richard Leaky and an introduction by Patel, this book offers a personal account of nature through the lens of a masterfully wielded camera. Patel’s passion and self-proclaimed duty is to create awareness for conservation through his work. “Through the photographer’s lens, I feel I have looked in on the dynamics of life itself,” he writes in his introduction. With this book, he can help us do ooking up from my desk, I can see Not only does he portray some of the the same. a tide of swaying stalks rolling greatest sights nature has to offer, but he Lbeneath the sapphire oblivion that also provides an insight into nature that is the African sky. Clouds drift gently is untainted by humans. By presenting the by, sending tattoos of shadow across photographs without captions or text, he the savanna. A lone lion, bathed in the preserves the wild beauty of the scenes BY: DINESH PATEL glorious sun, omnipotent in its natural he has not so much captured as borrowed majesty, stands on a small, dark mound, from nature. The reader is able to “sit Published in 2009 looking out upon the wilderness. back, relax and enjoy the journey”. Published by: Dinesh Patel Unfortunately for me, my desk does Although very simple, the book not overlook one of East Africa’s many acts as a reminder of the importance ISBN: 978 9966-05-187-2 national parks, but it feels like it. I’m of conserving nature by showing us its looking at a book, Dinesh Patel’s The true beauty. However, by leaving out the Reviewed by Atticus English Journey Within, and the glories of Africa’s human aspect, the author does little to Student at Hilcrest High School untamed nature are alive at my desk. I expose the true state of some of Africa’s am instantly consumed by the beauty. most beautiful sights. To those involved in Through nearly 45 years of photography, the world of conservation, Patel’s camera the author has compiled a striking lens may even seem slightly rose-tinted. testimony to the plants and animals of Either as a coffee table centrepiece the savanna. Just looking at them, you feel or as the keystone to a wildlife book you are there. collection, this work is perfect for safari

66 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY THE MIGRATION AND MORE Photosafari by Paolo Torchio Contact Paolo on [email protected] and visit the web www.paolotorchio.net for more details, in the Photosafari Page. A selection of my best wildlife images now for sale at Photomural Gigiri Warwik Centre, next to the American Embassy. All kinds of paper and enlargement available.

KENYA’S INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIODIVERSITY, LAND USE AND CLIMATE CHANGE TOWARDS A NATIONAL CONSERVATON FRAMEWORK NAIROBI, KENYA, 15-17 SEPTEMBER 2010

Kenya’s wealth of biodiversity so vital to human wellbeing and planetary health has yet to be fully inventoried. The conservation of Kenya’s biodiversity calls for a full inventory of species and a national plan that takes into account likely changes in land use and climate. The International Year for Biodiversity is an opportune time to take stock of Kenya’s biodiversity and the conservation challenges ahead.

We are pleased to announce that the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service, African Conservation Centre, National Museums of Kenya, Department of Remote Sensing and Resource Surveys, Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development and Kenya Forest Service among other agencies will host a conference titled Kenya’s International Conference on Biodiversity, Land use and Climate Change.

The conference will bring together conservation scientists, planners, graduate students, managers and policy makers to coordinate species inventories and map Kenya’s biodiversity. Participants will consider how to collate, integrate, analyze and share information using the best available mapping, data storage and analytical tools. The concluding session will discuss a national framework for conserving Kenya’s biodiversity, taking into account land use, livelihoods and climate change, drawing on international and regional experience from neighboring East African states.

The conference will include the following sessions:

• Biodiversity assessment • Land-use and Climate change • Biodiversity informatics • Ecosystem services • Land-use and livelihoods • Policy implications • Poster sessions

Participants wishing to present poster sessions should contact us on; [email protected] by August 15th 2010.

The conference will be held at Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi from the 15 to 17 September 2010. We invite broad public participation. Registration forms and payment details are available at www. kenyabiodiversityandclimatechange.org. The registration fee is Ksh 4,000/- for individuals and Ksh 10,000 for Corporations. Confirmation will be issued on receipt of payment.

EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY 2010:3 – SWARA | 67 SPOTLIGHT REAR WINDOW

SUNDOWN WITH SPARROWHAWK

BY PAOLO TORCHIO

he Great Sparrowhawk is a branch to branch. The sparrowhawk is Paolo Torchio beautiful and uncommon bird of normally very elusive but one evening An Italian - born wildlife enthusiast Tprey. It is a resident of wooded I was lucky enough to receive an who lives in Kenya. All the pictures of areas - in this specific case the trees just unexpected visit from the female right in in front of my Nairobi house. front of the balcony of my house. She was the Great Sparrowhawk’s nest on It has nested in one of the eucalyptus not scared at all and stayed on the branch www.paolotorchio.net there for years. The remaining chick from for a while, enjoying the last ray of sun the last brood of two has just left the with me. A rare opportunity for some nest, making its first attempt to fly from intimate photos of this fine creature.

68 | SWARA – 2010:3 EAST AFRICAN WILD LIFE SOCIETY