Soysambu Conservancy

Category: Community, Conservation, Habitat Preservation, Wildlife | Date: Nov 13 2009 | By: Kate Jennings

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.

Tags: Rift Valley Conservation, The Lake Nakuru National Park to Lake Naivasha Project

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Category: Community, Conservation, Wildlife | Date: Nov 08 2009 | By: Kate Jennings

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).  

Tags: Kenya bush meat trade, snares, Soysambu Conservancy

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Category: Community, Conservation, Education, Rothschild Giraffe, Wildlife | Date: Nov 06 2009 | By: Kate Jennings

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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Tags: Bush meat trade, Kenya, poaching, Soysambu Conservancy

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Category: Wildlife | Date: Nov 05 2009 | By: Kate Jennings

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

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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: Habitat Preservation, Wildlife | Date: Oct 16 2009 | By: Soysambu guest blogger

I am Carolyn German (McDonald), an American wildlife artist who has just returned, with my husband, Clint, from an unforgetable visit to Soysambu, a gorgeous conservancy, complete with a volcanic crater and increditible views in every direction. I was priviledged to be graciously invited by Kat Combes to come experience, visit, sketch and photo.

Imagine - the majestic Rothschild giraffe nibbling on the top of an acacia tree, a big male cape buffalo barely visible in the thick bush, flamingo in flight on the soda lake, and zebra from every angle. All the wildlife have a healthy curiousity.

Along with Kat, the conservancy staff share a desire to benefit the community while preserving the area. We were pleased to take Safaricare bags to help the two schools on the conservancy.

Like the pelicans that rise on the thermals, my heart smiles when I return in my thoughts to Soysambu Conservancy - it must be protected - a rare jewel in this hectic world.

Carolyn is an artist and above is an image of a Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum) which she painted whilst at Soysambu.

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Category: 1, Conservation, Great White Pelican, Rothschild Giraffe, Wildlife, black rhino | Date: Oct 11 2009 | By: Soysambu guest blogger

My name is Jenny and I recently had the privilege of spending two weeks at Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya. Soysambu, geographically nestled in the Great Rift Valley, is home to a teeming abundance of beautiful wildlife. While I was there I came to realize just how special this place was. It’s not often that people get to experience these animals in their natural habitat. Most of these animals are only viewed in Zoo’s or National Parks.

In Soysambu, animals are free to come and go as they please. It is a credit to the Conservancy that even with their freedom these animals choose to make their homes on Conservancy land. While I was there I saw Cape Buffalo, Impala, Thomson’s Gazelles, Grant’s Gazelles, Rothschild’s Giraffe, Waterbuck, Dik Dik, Burchell’s Zebra, Eland, Flamingos, Pelicans, and numerous African birds. I also was fortunate to be able to participate in a bi-annual Wildlife Census for the Conservancy. After gathering the data is it clear that wildlife is prospering there. Great things are in store for Soysambu in the future. Kat Combes, of Soysambu Conservancy told me her dreams of bringing the once present Black Rhino back onto Conservancy land. To see this dream come to fruition will be a wondrous site. It might take many years of fundraising and planning but I have no doubt that she will reach her dream. She certainly gives her whole heart to this Conservancy. After observing her over the two weeks it is clear that Soysambu is her heaven on earth.

I feel fortunate to have been able to experience everything that Soysambu has to offer. I have come home feeling well rested and knowing that these majestic animals are being well cared for. I know that in the future if I am having a bad day I will be able to close my eyes and be transported back to a land where the graceful Giraffe are “dining” with their family, and the Gazelles are swishing their tails while frolicking with their friends. All the while the beautiful sound of the African Dove can be heard boasting of what a special place in the world this is.

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Category: 1, Conservation, Rothschild Giraffe, Wildlife, endangered species | Date: Oct 04 2009 | By: Kate Jennings

Twice a year a Game Count is conducted on the entire of the Soysambu Conservancy, to give an idea of animal numbers. It is impossible to get an exact count on most animals, however using particular techniques a general idea can be established!

Rangers, staff, volunteers and residents assembled at the head office at 6am to collect counting sheets, binoculars and vehicles. The property was divided into 11 sections and groups of 3-6 people designated to each section, plus an aerial count of larger animals, like Giraffe and Buffalo, over the entire property.

The count took most groups about 3 hours, but the last group didn’t finish until 11am after scrambling through the dense scrub of the Lake Sanctuary!

Some of the notable sightings included a Leopard, 4 Hyena, 4 Bat-Eared Foxes wrestling across the plains, and 3 Ground Horn Bills. 63 Rothschild’s giraffe were counted, including quite a few newborns! There were only 7 Colobus Monkeys seen, which adds to suspicions that the population size has dropped.

Over 200 Eland were seen, and 67 warthog were counted, both numbers having increased since last count in MayThese figures are very encouraging as both these species are targeted heavily by poachers. And last night I saw my first Aardvark on a night drive! Very exciting stuff!

Tags: Soysambu Conservancy

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Category: Conservation, Wildlife, endangered species | Date: Sep 25 2009 | By: Kate Jennings

Last week the Conservancy was home to a traveling lion! Foot prints (pictured below), growls in the night, spooked horses, whispers of 2 Masai cattle being taken in the bordering Ututu forest…

With the help of some Kenya Wildlife Service trackers we followed the footprints from near the main office right across the property to the foot of the Sleeping Warrior, where we lost them. Several days later he was seen near Lake Naivasha passing through several properties (photo below). We can only guess where he is off to, The Mara perhaps- Wildebeest for dinner?

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Category: Community, Education, Great White Pelican, Rothschild Giraffe, Wildlife | Date: Sep 03 2009 | By: Kate Jennings

We’ve had quite a busy time in here these last two months!

In early July we had a group of people associated with the George Mason Uni (GMU) in America come out to see Suganoi House, the site of the Conservancy’s CREATE (Centre for Research, Environment and Arts Teaching on Elmenteita). We had a great time and the outcomes from the two weeks work were really positive. The research centre once up and running will have a laboratory, art centre museum and library, dorm rooms and tented camping, communal dining room, bar and out door recreation area. All this will be available to groups of researchers, artists, volunteers and anyone else wanting to spend time at the conservancy for work or research! A lot of work to be done and funds to be raised but it can all be done! The GMU folk also kindly donated exercise books, mathematic sets, and soccer balls to both the primary schools on the conservancy, Mbogo and Kiboko Primary- all of which were received very well! Mbogo Primary also had a volunteer, Holly Fagan from England, help with teaching some of the older classes as well as games with the nursery school. Holly had conducted several fundraisers at her school in the UK and was able to raise enough money to support the Mbogo Primary porridge program for the remainder of the year. Well done Holly!

In late July we had Gene Rurka, Chairman for Humanitarian Services of Safari Care International (SCI), spend two weeks out here working with the local communities and Soysambu Conservancy on several projects. SCI donated 50 desks and 5 microscopes to local schools, 100 portable stoves to local families. On top of this the big project was installing a 4600L tank water piping to bring water from a bore-hole on the west of the property to the medical clinic at in Elmenteita village. Soysambu Conservancy, SCI and the people of Elmenteita worked hard for the two weeks, digging and burying 5km of piping, installing fittings and erecting the tank and tank stand. It all paid off in the end, seeing the looks of happiness on the locals faces as the fresh drinking water flowed into the village for the first time!

That brings us to August. This month we have 3 volunteers, Kendall Smith has been helping the nurse in the Soysambu Conservancy clinic just near the head office. Shalyn Pack and Allan Turner have been continuing the studies on the Rothschild’s giraffe population. This is helping us to further our understanding of the population dynamics and total number of giraffe we have here – they have confirmed sightings of 42, including one brand new baby! They are also studying the impact the giraffe are having on the acacia trees around the western side of the lake shore- they are stripping bark from the trees which in many cases is ring barking the tree leading to its death. We want to know why this stripping is happening and whether or not it is sustainable to the future of the trees in that area. Alan is also starting to do some monitoring of the lake levels, to get an idea of how fast the water is receding.

This month the CEO Kat Combes house became an animal shelter when we had an injured flamingo named Nekundu (swahili for pink) living with us for a short while. Nekundu had flown into a power line and damaged the nerve in her right leg, so she was unable to stand. She had also had some damage to her left wing. The vet and flamingo expert weighed in with their knowledge, and we fixed Nekundu a delicious mix of bread, spinach and lake algae. Sadly despite all our TLC Nekundu died after five days.

So for now we are all keeping busy catching up on office work. We have been getting a little bit of rain each day the last week or so. Hopefully it will keep up as the lake is drying up at a rather alarming rate. All the pelican chicks that have just hatched need the water as a barrier from predators.

Tags: community projects, Lake Elmentieita, Soysambu Conservancy, volunteers

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