Soysambu Conservancy

Category: Community, Conservation, Great White Pelican, Habitat Preservation, Ramsar, Wildlife | Date: Nov 05 2009 | By: Kate Jennings

This article written by Beatrice Obwocha appeared in the Kenyan national newspaper The Standard today (5//11/09)

From the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, the shoreline of Lake Elementaita looks like a desert surrounding a small patch of water.

The western and eastern shores of the lake hold little patches of water from hot springs while the main basin of one of Rift Valley’s smallest lakes is turning into a dust bowl.

One gets the impression that they can walk right across the remaining muddy patch that stretches several kilometres.

When strong winds blow, a whirlwind of grey dust sweeps right across the lake whose water levels have declined to less than half a metre deep.

Not even water from the recent rains pounding Nakuru and its environs seem to have made a difference on the lake.

Thousand of flamingos that used to line its shores, giving them a pink hue, have migrated elsewhere as the lake’s water level has declined to its lowest in 20 years.
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Tags: , Flamingo, Soysambu Conservancy, The Standard

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Category: 1, Community, Conservation, Education, Great White Pelican, Habitat Preservation, Ramsar, Rothschild Giraffe, Wildlife, endangered species | Date: Jan 31 2009 | By: soysambuconservancy

Students at Mbogo Primary School on Soysambu have begun writing students at Lincoln Elementary School in Mundelein, Illinois in the USA. It was quite the project. Artist Michelle McCune brought the letters out when she came on safari in late November. Sarah Omasula, our Community Education director began working with the students and teachers at Mbogo Primary School which is a short hike from the Conservancy’s head office. Charles Muthui, the Conservancy’s Community and Wildlife Manager introduced the programme.  Bro Jenkins, a former school teacher in Nairobi assisted Sarah with handing out the letters and over two days helped with everything from handing out biscuits to explaining what a Pen Pal friend meant. One of our new rangers filmed the project with very old video camera. He took some amazing footage which  compiled into this very amateur video. It really shows the enthusiasm and hard work to complete the letters. These children came off their school break, donned their uniforms (those that were fortunate to have hand-me-downs). Many walked quite a distance on two separate days. I hope you enjoy the video and  wish to give to their school needs such as food, water, desks, supplies, uniforms, building repair, power and so much more!

Tags: Artists and Education, Community, Community Outreach Kenya, Conservation Education, Education, Kenyan Students, Pen Pals, Wildlife

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Category: Conservation, Great White Pelican, Habitat Preservation, Ramsar, Rothschild Giraffe, Wildlife | Date: Sep 23 2008 | By: soysambuconservancy

Soysambu is the only area of open land left in this part of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley where the wildlife have come to take refuge from expanding human development. The soil is fragile and can only sustain grasses which provide food for the wild animals and cattle. Once an area successfully utilized only for livestock and hay cultivation it now has around 12,000 wildlife competing for the same resources. Lake Elmenteita which Soysambu borders on 3 sides was named a Wetland of International importance by the Ramsar Convention in 2005. This lake now hosts the only breeding colony of Great White Pelican in East Africa. Many populations of lesser and greater flamingo also occupy the lake. It is a birders paradise.  You can’t imagine how important this is to the whole string of Rift Valley Lakes!  Semi endangered Rothschild giraffe are happily reproducing here along with the Colobus monkeys, cape buffalo, eland, gazelles, impala and just about everything else. The Acacia woodlands, the Euporbia groves, the leleshwa bush all add up to areas in need of forestry preservation when everything around us is getting flattened. I could go on forever… How can we preserve this amazing array of flora and fauna and operate in a sustainable way utilizing all the resources available and to help the surrounding communities benefit from their wildlife heritage by developing programmes for poverty reduction and education? These were the questions facing us then and now as we are building the Conservancy. I am not an expert on these things, but learning fast, and looking for every way possible to protect the land, the wildlife and the culture. Any suggestions and comments are greatly welcomed and appreciated. 

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