LAIKIPIA – A NATURAL HISTORY GUIDE LAIKIPIA – A NATURAL HISTORY GUIDE A publication of the LAIKIPIA WILDLIFE FORUM First published in 2011 by Laikipia Wildlife Forum P O Box 764 NANYUKI – 10400 Kenya Website: www.laikipia.org With support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nairobi, Kenya Text: Copyright © Laikipia Wildlife Forum 2011 Artwork: Copyright © Lavinia Grant 2011 Illustration (p. 33): © Jonathan Kingdon Illustration (p. 78): © Stephen D Nash / Conservation International Illustrations (pp. 22, 45, 46): © Dino J Martins Maps: Copyright © Laikipia Wildlife Forum 2011 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise – without the prior consent of the publisher. ISBN 978–9966–05–363–3 Editor: Gordon Boy Contributing writers: Anthony King (AK); Chris Disclaimer: The Laikipia Wildlife Forum has made Thouless (CT); Dino J Martins (DJM); Patrick every effort to ensure the information conveyed in K Malonza (PKM); Margaret F Kinnaird (MFK); this guide is accurate in all respects. The Forum Anne Powys (AP); Phillipa Bengough (PB); cannot accept responsibility for consequences Gordon Boy (GB) (including loss, injury, or inconvenience) arising from use of this information. Original paintings by Lavinia Grant, reproduced with the kind permission of the artist Printed on Avalon paper – 100 % chlorine free, made from 60 % bagasse waste derived from Maps: Phillipa Bengough, Job Ballard sustainable afforestation. Design: Job Ballard Printed by The Regal Press Kenya Limited, P O Box Coordination: Phillipa Bengough 4166; 00100 – NAIROBI, Kenya Cover: African Wild Dogs against the backdrop of Mount Kenya. Back cover: Aloe nyeriensis. (Paintings by Lavinia Grant) 2 Laikipia – A Natural History Guide CONTENTS FOREWORD 5 WELCOME 7 INTRODUCTION The Lie of the Land 9 The People 12 The Conservation Effort 15 THE ECOLOGY A Land of contrasting habitats 19 Grassland and Open Woodland 21 Acacia–Commiphora Woodland 25 Forests 29 Evergreen Bushland 33 Rivers and Wetlands 35 Scarps and Inselbergs 39 MAP OF LAIKIPIA & ENVIRONS 42–43 THE FAUNA 1. INSECTS 45 2. Other ARTHROPODS 51 3. REPTILES and AMPHIBIANS 53 4. BIRDS 57 5. MAMMALS 63 – Checklist 67 Ten of a kind – ALOES 73 ADVISORY Useful Information for Visitors 77 Further Reading 80 Credits and Acknowledgements 82 LAST WORD About the Laikipia Wildlife Forum 84 Laikipia – A Natural History Guide 3 4 Laikipia – A Natural History Guide FOREWORD In this day and age of climate change and of to depend more and more on spin-off from the escalating human population pressures, the wildlife in their midst. natural world – and humanity’s place in it – is becoming increasingly embattled. The Laikipia Against this background, the publication of this region of Kenya stands out as one of only a guidebook – the first comprehensive account of few places without any formal Protected Area the natural and human history of Laikipia – is a status where it has been possible, across vast particularly welcome development. Laikipia – A expanses of private and communal land, to Natural History Guide sheds important light on consolidate wildlife habitats and to preserve the region’s diverse habitats and wildlife, as well their biodiversity, while managing critical natural as on the conservation challenges of meeting resources sustainably for the benefit of all. the needs of future generations of people. The Laikipia Wildlife Forum is to be commended for This is no mean feat, given the many different producing a booklet that, over time, will help land uses such an integrated conservation and Laikipia to build on its fast growing and fully resource-management vision must take into deserved reputation as one of Africa’s and the account. All the people of Laikipia – ranchers, world’s most scenic, interesting and rewarding pastoralists, commercial growers, small-scale travel destinations. farmers, small businesses, cooperatives, local community groups, and the operators and staff of tourism concerns – are to be congratulated on pooling their interests for the common good. The benefits of a secure and healthy natural environment are becoming ever more readily Francis Ole Kaparo apparent to all these stakeholders. Chairman National Environment Management Authority At a time when wildlife populations outside (NEMA), Kenya National Parks and Reserves elsewhere in the country are in steep decline, Laikipia’s abundant wildlife – in Kenya, second only to that in the famed Masai Mara Ecosystem in terms of density – is proving a particularly valuable asset, underpinning a now-thriving eco-tourism industry. The growing economic benefits of tourism have discredited earlier perceptions of wild animals as being unavoidably in conflict with human endeavour. Faced with the prospect of an increasingly arid climate, the people of Laikipia can expect, over future generations, to have Laikipia – A Natural History Guide 5 0 26 km 52 km MARALAL Scale 1:1,300,000 1cm = 13km WAMBA KISIMA SUGUTA MARMAR ARCHER’S POST KIMANJO KINAMBA DOL DOL KINAMBA ISIOLO NGARUA RUMURUTI TIMAU NYAHURURU NANYUKI MERU Equator NDARAGWA NGOBIT MOUNT NARO MORU KENYA ABERDARE MOUNTAINS LEGEND Elevation (metres) Over 4,400 Towns 3,900 – 4,400 Tarmac Roads 3,400 – 3,900 KENYA All weather (murram) Roads 2,900 – 3,400 Laikipia Rivers 2,450 – 2,900 NAIROBI District Boundery 1,950 – 2,450 1,450 – 1,950 0 950 – 1,450 0 450 – 950 6 Laikipia – A Natural History Guide KARIBUNI Welcome to Laikipia Laikipia is one of Africa’s and the world’s most Northern White Rhinos, Laikipia may represent exciting wilderness safari and wildlife tourism the final chance this embattled subspecies has destinations. The combination of abundant of breeding again in a wild setting and thus of wildlife, spectacular scenery and extraordinary staving off otherwise certain extinction. The four cultural diversity in a setting dominated by the rhinos were in December 2009 transferred to the iconic backdrop of Mount Kenya makes for an Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia from the Dvur unforgettable experience. Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic. After Tsavo, Laikipia is Kenya’s most extensive The ‘Laikipia experience’ comes largely free of wildlife haven, forming part of the much broader the constraints that apply in most National Parks 56,000-km² Ewaso Ecosystem. All of the ‘Big and Reserves. Night game drives, guided nature Five’ mammals – elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, walks, bike tours, horse-riding and camel treks lions and leopards – occur in Laikipia. Indeed, – all prohibited in most parks – are just some of the Ewaso elephant population (of about 7,000 the exhilarating activities that await visitors to animals) is, in Kenya, outnumbered only by that Laikipia. People too are an integral part of the in Tsavo. Wildlife population densities in Laikipia Laikipia experience. A well-developed tourism are, in Kenya, comparable only with densities to infrastructure complete with high levels of be found in the globally renowned Masai Mara community involvement and participation gives Ecosystem. the visitor privileged access to the cultures and customs of the region’s Mukogodo Maasai, Half of all the endangered Black Rhinos found Samburu, Pokot and other peoples. in Kenya today are in Laikipia, which is home to no less than 37 % of Africa’s overall Eastern Our hope, in presenting this comprehensive Black Rhino population. Moreover, Laikipia may and beautifully illustrated guide, is to give all of now support as many as 250 lions – a significant Laikipia’s visitors the perfect companion to what proportion of the estimated 2,000 individuals that promises to be a rich and intensely rewarding remain in Kenya. Laikipia experience. The Ewaso Ecosystem hosts the largest Welcome to Laikipia! populations left on Earth of various other Elevation (metres) endangered, range-restricted mammals, Over 4,400 including both Grevy’s Zebra and the Reticulated Giraffe. In both cases, fewer than 3,900 – 4,400 3,000 animals survive, of which nearly 40 % 3,400 – 3,900 are in Laikipia, which also supports the only Maj. Gen. (rtd) Peter Waweru 2,900 – 3,400 remaining viable population of Jackson’s Chairman 2,450 – 2,900 Hartebeest, as well as an expanding Laikipia Wildlife Forum 1,950 – 2,450 population of the globally 1,450 – 1,950 endangered African Wild Dog. 0 950 – 1,450 In providing a safe refuge for four 0 450 – 950 of the world’s last eight surviving Laikipia – A Natural History Guide 7 8 Laikipia – A Natural History Guide INTRODUCTION The Lie of the Land Laikipia is a land of high plains ranches in the intermediate and locally domesticated and rolling hills straddling the areas, and semi-nomadic pas- African cattle. Equator in Kenya between toralists in the dry north. Mount Kenya and the Aber- Land in the Mukogodo area dare Range on the eastern The natural vegetation is a of northern Laikipia is d ivided edge of the Great Rift Valley. mosaic of grassland, savannah up into ‘Group Ranches’ – Lying in the rain shadow of (open woodland) and forest. community-owned private Mount Kenya, the 9,500-km² companies that allow people upland – despite its elevation Land Use to maintain a traditional semi- (1,800–2,000 m above sea level) Extensive ranches, of 3,000– nomadic system of rearing – receives much less rainfall 125,000 acres apiece, cover cattle, sheep and goats. Some than other parts of Africa of much of Laikipia. The ranches group ranches have set up comparable altitude. As a re- are mostly privately owned, but conservancies dedicated to sult, most of Laikipia enjoys a one belongs to the Kenya Gov- wildlife conservation through cool, dry climate. To the north, ernment, while two (Ol Pejeta community-operated tourism the landmass drops away over and Eland Downs) are owned enterprises. the Laikipia Escarpment to the by conservation organisations.