Peace for Lions 25 Years Saving Cheetah Zebra Bar Codes Lion Warriors Make Peace in the Rain

notes from the field SPRING 2016

Peace for lions 25 years saving cheetah Zebra bar codes Lion warriors make peace in the rain

ith rain comes conflict. During northern Kenya’s rainy season, hunting becomes more difficult for Wlions because their prey grows stronger and fast- er with the abundance of vegetation and water. Lions are forced to travel longer distances in their hunt for animals like impala and gazelles, and on their way, they encounter abundant livestock that are easy to target.

Ranchers and pastoralists in the region rely heavily on their livestock, so they may retaliate against the lions for killing their goats, cows, or camels. Since November when the rains returned, Ewaso Lions has recorded 45 incidents of lions attacking livestock and has stopped the killing of lions an estimated 26 times. As a result, no lions were killed during this period.

Ewaso’s core field team works closely during the rainy

season with the young men – known as warriors – who

are part of their Warrior Watch team. Warrior Watch A

l p

r t participants are stationed in their native villages and trained in human-wildlife conflict negotiation. They display a genuine empathy for the loss of the livestock, and they are skilled in calming tensions and working to prevent future problems from occurring.

As Jeneria Lekilelei, Ewaso Lions’ Field Operations and Despite high Community Manager, recalls, “One day, the lions killed camels in five locations. I sat with the herders under a bush all day. I explained the camels weren’t prop- incidence of erly attended. I said, ‘Have you ever heard of a camel being killed when herded by a proper person?’ They conflict this rainy said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘Then you can’t be angry at the lions.’ Because I had talked with them, they were willing to season, no lions leave the lions and come back with me to the village.” Jeneria stayed with them until late in the night to make have been killed sure no one went after the lions. The next day, he went back to check, and found the lions safely back in the Samburu National Reserve. Top: Samburu warriors re- or harmed. port lion sightings and any incidents of conflict. Inset: Despite the high incidence of conflict this rainy season, Jeneria Lekilelei, Ewaso the fact that no lions have been killed or harmed is a Lions’ Field Operations and testament to the power of Ewaso Lions’ work with the Community Manager, leads people who must live among the lions. the Warrior Watch program.

Ewaso Lions Celebrating a Quarter Century of Cheetah Conservation

Scott Miller Cheetah Conservation Fund © Suzi Eszterhas / www.suzieszterhas.com

t often takes time – and a lot of the much-lauded livestock guard- vationists throughout the world, determination – for a big conser- ian dog program, which has been leading to the inception of WCN. vation vision to become suc- adopted by other conservation

I n e

cessful. Twenty-five years ago, Dr. groups. Many interns who started It has been 25 years since CCF l

y Laurie Marker moved to Namibia in the field working with CCF have was founded, and its partnerships a from the United States to found the also gone on to become conserva- are now stronger than ever. CCF J Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF). tion leaders. continues to grow and foster those She planned to work with local relationships, helping the cheetah farmers to address their issues with Laurie also played a key role in the population in Namibia climb by cheetahs and prevent human-chee- early development of the Wild- approximately 40 percent since its tah conflict. life Conservation Network (WCN). work began. CCF is now the lon- Left: Charlie Knowles with Laurie Marker When first pursuing his interest gest-running cheetah conservation and Chewbaaka during Charlie’s visit CCF started off small, working in conservation, Charlie Knowles, program in existence and is proud to CCF in 1996. Center: Dr. Marker with only a few local farmers. The one of WCN’s co-founders, learned to have changed long-held nega- instructs students in the CCF clinic. team understood that building of Laurie’s impressive efforts in tive perceptions of the cheetah in Right: CCF conducts education pro- partnerships takes time and results the field and sent a letter to her in Namibia. Twenty-five years ago, grams for visiting school groups. Inset: wouldn’t be instant. Eventually Namibia, asking how he could help. many Namibians viewed cheetah Laurie Marker working with Khayam at relationships grew, and CCF has Through his collaboration with Laurie, as pests but now proudly declare Wildlife Safari in Oregon in 1985. now worked with more than 5,000 Charlie was inspired to create a way their country to be the “Cheetah farmers on innovative solutions like to support other individual conser- Capital of the World.” Citizen scientists count the zebra with a bar code

he very first Great Grevy’s Rally 90% of the total wild population. created citizen scientists out of It is vitally important for Grevy’s T450 people by sending them out Zebra Trust to understand where into the field with cameras to count the population is trending – if it is Grevy’s zebra for a weekend.

An incredible 118 teams explored northern Kenya, bringing together people from all walks of life. Par- ticipants ranged from tourists to community members to key county officials. Together, they covered 25,000 square kilometers, cam-

eras on hand to snap pictures of Great Grevy’s Rally

each zebra’s unique stripe pattern Great Grevy’s Rally – every Grevy’s zebra has a unique pattern of stripes, much like a hu- increasing, decreasing, or remain- Every Grevy’s zebra has man fingerprint. The photos they ing stable – to inform their conser- took were then uploaded to a data- vation work. base that uses new technology to a unique stripe pattern, read zebra stripes like a bar code, The early results are promising. allowing for easier identification of One school bus full of children saw much like a human individuals in the future. over 50 Grevy’s zebras, an expe- rience mirrored by several other fingerprint, which The goal is to attain accurate groups. Overall, this was a unique numbers of how many of these opportunity for everyday people can be read like endangered equines currently live to spend time as hands-on conser- in select Kenyan parks. There are vation scientists, contributing to a bar code. only an estimated 2,500 Grevy’s the protection of a highly endan- zebras left in Kenya, accounting for gered species. Great Grevy’s Rally Grevy’s Great 415-202-6380 or emailing [email protected] emailing or 415-202-6380 by calling know us let please form, electronic in newsletter WCN the to receive prefer you If #63038 CFC #30-0108469 EIN WAYS TO GIVE conservation. in work enduring and heroic Partners’ to our vital is port Your sup kind wildlife. to protecting dedication your We appreciate greatly Conservation Wildlife In Invest thrive.co-exist and for wildlife people and to innovativesue strategies conservationists who pur supporting entrepreneurial their natural habitats by preserves species and WCN protects endangered

Donate stock or other securities other or stock Donate plans estate your in WCN Include else ofsomeone behalf on agift Give donor amonthly Become online or fax phone, by mail, Donate - -

NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID OAKLAND, CA 209 Mississippi Street PERMIT NO. 259 San Francisco, CA 94107, USA Ph. (415) 202-6380 www.wildnet.org