Field Report March 2011 Ewaso Lions is a grassroots project in northern Kenya whose mission is to promote the conservation of lions through applied research and community-based outreach programmes. Formed in 2007, Ewaso For lions. For people. Forever. Lions investigates the ecological and social factors affecting the lion population in protected areas and community lands within the Ewaso Nyiro ecosystem. The research will guide the long-term conservation management of this area. Ewaso Lions puts education and capacity building at the forefront of our conservation efforts. + Message from Ewaso Lions In this Issue: Welcome to Ewaso Lions’ new Field with local peoples’ needs in mind; Report through which we share some of coexistence between carnivores and Lion Update p. 2 the highlights from the past few months. people cannot be achieved without the It’s been an intense field season with a support of local communities. Warrior Watch p. 3 mixed set of accomplishments and We are a small, independent project and challenges. The lion population in rely on the support of people like you Camera Traps p. 3 northern Kenya remains at risk and we who share our passion for the lions, are literally working around the clock to people, and intact ecosystems of northern School Support & advance conservation. Kenya. We are stretching our funds as far Scholarships p. 4 The project is in its third year now, and as we can, but we need your help to keep we continue to evolve and sharpen our going this year. Staff News p. 5 effectiveness. Our research and -- Shivani and Paul conservation activities use sound science How You Can Help coupled with practical goals to make sure p. 6 our impact is greatest. We always work www.ewasolions.org LoremEwaso Ipsum Lions Field Report MarchIssue | 2011 Date Did you know: Less than 2,000 lions remain in Kenya 50% of Africa’s lions have disappeared in the past twenty years In the Ewaso Nyiro Ecosystem human- lion conflict is the number one threat on two camels. Currently, the In July we successfully removed Lion Update population in the Reserves is doing Lguret’s tracking collar. well and taking advantage of this Unfortunately, the collar’s GPS unit We currently monitor 40 lions in prolonged dry season when prey is was damaged – possibly chewed off three prides across 1,100 km2 of the concentrated along the river. by his brother Loirish – and did not vast Ewaso Nyiro ecosystem. We are collect as much data as we expected. constantly on the move, traversing Magilani, the famous solitary lioness The decollaring operation, held in the Samburu, Buffalo Springs and who gave birth to two cubs in conjunction with Kenya Wildlife Shaba National Reserves and Westgate, was seen in February for Service, Samburu National Reserve surrounding community the first time since last August. We staff, and Save The Elephants, was a conservancies. Our team is in daily are relieved to her and her cubs long and costly operation, but went contact with local people to keep tracks. Living outside the reserves, smoothly. The data collected by the track of the lions in the community Magilani and her cubs face constant collar has revealed some interesting areas. threats from people and competition trends. Lguret moved quickly out of with livestock. Ewaso Lions scouts the safe confines of the reserves at In 2010, two lions were killed. One and warriors monitor their night following a camel settlement young male lion from the Ngare Mara whereabouts and we hope she’ll south of Buffalo Springs. He would Pride died in November upon move back into the safety of the return early morning and settle back choking on an impala bone. Another Westgate Core Conservation Area in the reserves before repeating this young male was shot after it preyed soon. pattern. Lguret now roams the reserves without the collar and was last seen mating with females in the Ngare Mara area. Lion Census in Shaba the rocky hills; and temperatures soar over 35°C (95°F). It’s not Due to the drought in the region and the potential increase in conflict We have resumed our lion census in uncommon to go for days without seeing a track. However, we remain between livestock and predators, we Shaba National Reserve since are focusing a lot of our efforts in determined to find these elusive stability has returned to the area. Westgate Conservancy. We need Shaba is a spectacularly beautiful Shaba lions and complete this vital funds during this critical prolonged landscape, but extremely difficult to census. Doing so will provide the first dry period to continue with our efforts of helping the communities, work in. Roads are few and tough on complete lion census in this part of northern Kenya. providing water, mitigating conflict vehicles; lions are difficult to track in and tracking the predators. www.ewasolions.org Dolor Sit Amet 2 LoremEwaso Ipsum Lions Field Report MarchIssue | 2011 Date Warrior Watch conservation. With the support of the was a great day and we were Northern Rangelands Trust, we fortunate to see lions, elephants and The Ewaso Lions Warrior Watch recently expanded in the more. Sasaab Lodge continue to programme has now been running neighbouring Mpus Kutuk support our wildlife educational for one year. The five Samburu Conservancy. In January 2011, we drives into the reserves with warriors, supervised by our own included a further 3 warriors from children, warriors and teachers, as Jeneria Lekilele, are actively Westgate and 6 warriors from Mpus engaged in wildlife conservation Kutuk to join this successful we continue to implement our within Westgate. They host meetings programme. After a 2-day training Kenyan Kids on Safari programme. in their community areas, investigate session, the 14 warriors are now cases of human-wildlife conflict, and excited to be working in Thanks to donations from Madeliene report on wildlife sightings on a conservation and have already Todd and Stuart Allum, and Afrique weekly basis. Our Sunday education reported interesting wildlife Horizons, we provided GPS units for lessons have been very effective and sightings including packs of wild data collection and mobile phones to the Warriors are now able to read dogs, lions, kudu and eland. Through and write. Due to the success of this expansion, we hope to have a improve communication between the Warrior Watch we will be including connection of warriors engaged in warriors, the conservancy scouts, three new Warriors in February. and Ewaso Lions. conservation. We are looking at the wider picture We are seeking donations for more of creating a regional network of As an evaluation and incentive for the field equipment. Through the support warriors engaged in wildlife Warriors, we took them on a game of the warriors, and engaging them drive in Samburu National Reserve. It in conservation, we hope to secure a future for wildlife. We can only do this with your assistance and Working in the National Reserves encourage you to support this important programme. Uaso Bridge Reopens Shivani’s own photographs. Buffalo Springs and Shaba National In the massive floods last March the Reserves. The management plan was main entrance into Samburu National And we’re happy to report the facilitated by the African Wildlife Reserve was destroyed. Thanks to bridge connecting Samburu and Foundation and officially launched in your donations, Ewaso Lions Buffalo Springs has been rebuilt and November. It signals an historic provided a new and improved reopened, allowing us to reduce our moment for the region by unifying entrance into the park. We worked travel time and costs between the management for the three reserves with a Kenyan artist and reserve two reserves. which make up one shared management to design a striking ecosystem. Through the plan, Ewaso mural that will welcome visitors to New Management Plan Lions will play a large role in all one of East Africa’s best parks. The predator monitoring. We Between 2008 and 2010, Ewaso Lions entrance now showcases Samburu’s congratulate the Samburu County played an important role in unique wildlife and landscape, with a Council and County Council of Isiolo developing a new overarching gorgeous lioness based on one of on this joint management plan. management plan for Samburu, Camera Traps Our new Camera Trap project has camera trap has malfunctioned, but successfully captured images of rare thanks to Madeliene Todd we and elusive predators within the acquired two new cameras. However Conservation Area of Westgate. we would still like to deploy a further Using non-invasive camera traps is trap in the Conservation Area and helping us build a valuable database one in the Pukur Lugga near camp of predator sightings both spatially and are currently seeking additional and temporally. Unfortunately, one funds to do so. Dolorwww.ewasolions.org Sit Amet 3 LoremEwaso Ipsum Lions Field Report MarchIssue | 2011 Date Other Carnivore News sightings of leopards in Westgate in November alone. African wild dogs The long rains appear to have failed are present and we recently and vegetation in Westgate has recorded a large pack of 20 quickly disappeared with livestock individuals. Cheetah numbers have overgrazing. As a result of the dry also increased and we are happy to conditions, predator sightings have report that a few females have cubs. been superb. One day provided a The Ewaso Nyiro River has dried up, predator bonanza: 11 wild dogs, 1 however, and wildlife dynamics hyena, 7 lions, 3 cheetahs – all within within the parks will change as it gets 2 hours! We had more than 20 drier. School Support & Scholarships We have continued to support the As an incentive for the teachers of the give a child the benefit of local schools in Westgate Lpus Leluai School we were able to education through 4 years of Conservancy over the past few offer them a Teachers Safari, an secondary school education, months.