Soysambu Conservancy

By supporting Soysambu Conservancy to erect 85 km (53 miles) fence, the benefits will be: protection to wildlife and the habitats; acts as a gene bank, for posterity and minimize Human wildlife Conflict among the neighboring Communities which will improve their living standards. 

Gene Rurka Of S.C.I.F during his visit

So far Soysambu Conservancy through donors has provided clean water to Game Njeru Community, donated Acaricide to Kiungururia Community, provision of desks, chairs stationeries, playing balls and microscopes to Schools, energy saving stoves and completion of the Elmenteita Dispensary.

1000 zebra moving from Soysambu to Amboseli

This is a very dramatic site. Kenya Wildlife Service are moving Soysambu Conservancy’s zebra to help replenish the prey population in Amboseli which were devastated by the drought . One thousand Burchells Zebra are expected to be moved over the next few weeks. On our last wildlife census in September 2009 the number of zebra numbered 3274. We will keep you posted.

The Solar powered fence is donated by Kenya Wildlife Service so far 486 posts have been put, wires to be put after completion of planting the posts.

Transafric Highway accidents

Recently accidents have been occuring on the Trans-Afric Highway causing deaths,injuries, damage of property and lose of animal life. This is due to lack of electric fence to contain animals to the lower side of the Conservancy. Kenya Wildlife Service has started to put up a 10 km solar powered fence so as to minimise the accidents but the rest of 75 km fence is yet to be fenced when funds are available.

Written by Zurijanne Kelley, Soysambu Volunteer

Perhaps you didn’t know that Kenya has been experiencing a drought for the past two years, and that key ecosystems have begun to feel the effects of this prolonged condition especially at Soysambu Conservancy. Surrounded by communities and roads on almost every side, Soysambu has become a safe haven for many wildlife species who have been driven inward by human development. However, with the species has come the need to supply ample drinking water in lieu of their numbers.

The largest water tank at Soysambu is over 30 years old and was created just for this purpose: to supply water to various troughs throughout the property for thirsty wildlife. Unfortunately, this life sustaining source is running on empty. The enduring lack of rains has resulted in the drying up of two rivers since April 2009, Mereroni and Mbaruk, which originally supplied our dam and then utilized gravity to bring the water to our tank. This tank is the only reservoir for the Conservancy to store water for wildlife.

Empty water troughs litter the Conservancy land, and for many who work and visit here it is an unbearable sight. Even Lake Elementaita has receded several hundred meters from the shoreline and is only a fraction of her former self. To combat this particular issue it has been decided (rather much needed) that the current and broken 25 year old submersible pump at Melia borehole needs to be replaced. This pump would utilize this particular borehole located on Soysambu Conservancy property to supply water to the troughs in the Melia area.

Left Picture: Two Soysambu employees display the broken water pump of more than 25 years. Middle Picture: Standing at the shoreline a view of Lake Elementaita twinkles in the distance. Right Picture: A view of the inside of the water tank supplying wildlife across Soysambu Conservancy.

Due to the unpredictability of rains associated with climate change we have to pursue other measures of providing for the wildlife here whose numbers extend over 10, 000 within 188 square km. The cost of this new pump is $4500USD in order for the Conservancy to break even(see post Soysambu: A reason for Celebrating). If you would like to make a donation towards the replacement of this water pump so that we may continue in our endeavors to provide a water resource for the wildlife please follow the associated links for donating on our website. With Soysambu being just over a year old (established May 2008) and the only conservancy within the Central Rift Valley measures to ensure the success of this Conservancy as a leading conservation organization is made possible by donor support.

Spring has definitely sprung on Soysambu, and with it has come the next generation of wildlife. Baby Gazelles, Impala, Baboons and Zebra can be seen running and dancing around on the fresh (albeit short) but never the less, green grass! Three new arrivals in particular have everyone talking excitedly, three brand new Rothschild’s Giraffe!  We are not sure exactly when they were born, but signs all point to sometime in the last week. The three calves are in a group of about 12 other adults and sub-adults living in the sanctuary around the lake sure. There is also another heavily pregnant female who looks ready to have her calf any day now! Soysambu Conservancy currently has a group of volunteers monitoring the giraffe and their habitat daily. The group from Africa Venture Volunteers is working on an ongoing identification project for the giraffe on Soysambu, taking pictures and monitoring movements and social groupings of the giraffe. The volunteers are also studying the habitat destruction that seems to occurring in areas of the Conservancy that the giraffe graze heavily. Acacia xanthophloea, or Yellow Fever Tree, is the primary food source of the giraffe, and in addition browsing the foliage, the giraffe are also stripping bark from the trunks and branches. This practice in some areas is leading to ring-barking and death of a number of the trees.  Giraffe expert, Julian Fennessy of Kenyan Land Conservation Trust visited with a prospective PhD student Zoe Muller to see the giraffe population as well as to meet with the volunteers and offer them guidance in their researching. There has been surprisingly few studies done on the Rothschild’s giraffe, so with the help of Julian, Zoe and the volunteers we hope to gain a better understanding of the giraffe on Soysambu as well as add to the information bank of the Rothschild’s giraffe. Thanks to Zoe Muller for the photos.

Here on Soysambu Conservancy we are not only working to protect and preserve the wildlife and habitat in our immediate vicinity, but the Conservancy land is a crucial part of a bigger wildlife and habitat protection project- The Lake Nakuru National Park to Lake Naivasha Project.

The aim of the project is to secure critical habitat for the free movement of wildlife between Nakuru Park and Lake Naivasha by connecting key community, private and public lands. Moving north to south, the long-term vision seeks to connect three nationally and internationally important water sources in the Rift Valley – Lake Nakuru, Lake Elmenteita and Lake Naivasha as part of a greater conservation area. The Project is involving land holders of small and large scale farms, businesses, properties already designated as wildlife sanctuaries, Kenya Land Conservation Trust; Kenya Wildlife Service; The Lakes Nakuru, Naivasha and Elmenteita Conservation Area (LaNNECA); and other conservation bodies.

As we look around us it can be disheartening to see forests and natural habitat being cleared to make way for more farms. However, a lion that recently roamed from Nakuru Park, through Soysambu all the way down to Lake Naivasha area was a symbol of hope that there still is hope in protecting this corridor. There is no doubt though, the window of opportunity is closing, which is why we are working right now to conserve this strip of precious habitat. So far the response and enthusiasm to the project has been very encouraging.

By supporting The Conservancy, you are not only helping to protect the wildlife, habitat and communities within and around Soysambu, but you are helping to preserve one of the last remaining wildlife corridors through the Kenyan Rift Valley. Please consider making a donation to Soysambu Conservancy, no matter how big or small, your money will go directly to protecting and conserving this land.

The day after I wrote the below article on the , our security team came across 30+ snares in one small area of Soysambu, proving that this really is a daily battle and something needs to happen now to stop it.

Pictured below is Soysambu Conservancy Community and Wildlife manager Charles Muthui with Mohammed, one of the security rangers unloading the snares yesterday (Saturday 7th Nov).  

Warning: The blog below contains links to some graphic images…

Poaching for the bush meat trade has long been a problem on Soysambu.

Trespassers break onto The Conservancy and set snares – nooses made from lengths of wire, attached to a tree, bush or fence and hung over animal trails (see image below).

The unwitting animal, be it an Impala, Gazelle, Zebra, Buffalo, Eland etc, walks into the snare and becomes trapped. The more it pulls or struggles the tighter the snare becomes, eventually leading to a cruel death by suffocation. The animal is then collected and either eaten, or the meat sold.

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Over the last two weeks the Conservancy has finally been getting some much needed respite from the drought. Below are some pics I snapped this afternoon on a drive through the Conservancy.

1. For the first time in 5 months there is finally some water in the Mereroni River, while it is not quite flowing into Lake Elmenteita yet, we are hopeful that with a few more showers the stream will reach to the lake shore.

2. Two young male Water Bucks enjoying the fresh juicy grass.

3. This Jackal and his mate stop mid Dikdik hunt to watch with curiosity as we drive by.

4. A Rothschild’s Giraffe enjoys the freshly budding leaves of a mathuthi bush.

5. Finally, the glorious site of The Nose and flamingos reflected in the lake water.

It is amazing that the colours in the landscape have changed so dramatically over the last two weeks. Incredible what a bit of rain can do!

-Kate