A brief summary of recordings in Samburu on the Long Term Monitoring for the month of July 2008.
Total monthly rainfall: 21(totally unexpected rains)
Number of Days Spent Monitoring: 14 days
Total Number of Individuals Recorded: 218
Total Number Bulls: 4
Total Number Cows/Calves: 214
Proportion (%) Recorded Last Month: 86%
Number of Mature Bulls: 4
Number of New Calves: 1
Number of Estrus Females: Nil
Number of Deaths: Nil
Recorded Births: 1
Estrus/Matings: None Recorded
Other relevant information:
The month of July/Aug (summer) it’s normally when we receive a lot of request from international volunteers or Interns, wanting to come out to Africa to interact with both nature and the local people. At-same time-share their experience.
This season, we had three international students Peter who just finished first his degree in and the two brothers Klingenstein still in their high school. The one and half month they stayed sow them going through a number of tasks.
Peter’s main duty was to go through all the six years or more data of MIKE forms, with the help from Mike officer Onesmas Kahindi. This was very valuable data for us, and that is why priority was given to that project. Apart from sorting out the MIKE data, the boys also helped out in many other duties like, in several occasion they accompanied Daniel to the local schools around, help to enter row LTM data, went along to for cattle collaring around the community conservancy, They also participated in the treating injured elephant calf, At the end we felt that there was proper interaction between all us, there contribution was appreciated.
Buffalo and Shaba General Management plan
Introduction:
The General Management Plan for Buffalo & Shaba, commenced around April this year when Tusk force was going around Buffalo Springs, Shaba Samburu and the adjust community conservancy looking what needs to be considered while making the ten year plan.
This Management plan was something that was long over-due. After the tusk force finished going around. A meeting was conveyed and small sub-committee we were form this include, Security committee, Park operation, and bio-diversity, and many more others. It was agreed that they would meet on different times under their selected chairperson, In this case STE was fully represented, Onesmas was on a community committee, and Shivani, Bio-diversity, and I sat on park operation/ and security committee.
On July 17, I made brief trip to Nanyuki to participate in park operations for two days. Unfortunately I have already missed number of sitting, because I was walking following Shadrack streak when those meeting happened.
However, better late than never! I was present on that last meeting. It was actually finalizing most of the things that were discussed previously.
Among the many points that got discussed are, creation of community conservancy on south bank and Shaba. This was raised as matter that needs to be addressed almost urgently.
The boundaries were also something that got discussed. The few present politicians, AWF, Isiolo county council, were caution to spearhead the process of talking and sensitizing the community on the importance of this issue and to hold public Barazas quite regularly.
While this process is going on, the committees sow the need to look for funds to hire some locals community scouts in-order to work with other already established authority. County councils, KWS, and other community scouts within the region like W/gate scouts. At the end, it was decided that after further consultation. Another steering committee will met to monitor the progress of all the sub-committee result.
On July 22 our LTM patrol routes, found sick limping lonely calf. The fact that he was a lone and not moving much was enough for us to inform Dr Chege to get his view. The Vet’s advice was to keep monitoring for a couple of days, then get back to him. We called the vet on the situation of the calf and our advice was he should come the following day since the animal is not doing well.
The following day, Dr Chege, arrived by mid-day, and by then the calf was located. All was set for the immobilization of the calf. The trouble was that he was with a herd (Artist family) and normally that is where the difficult will be.
After one or two attempts, finally we went around the family and we got dart in. Since the females we suspicious the whole time they come back to the calf, and we had the difficult time to keep them off from the calf. When the calf went down it was even more difficult since they pushed their way to the point we thought they will hit us.
Finally the Vet had chance to attend the calf! The wound on the calf looked very much like bullet hole, he tried to feel with his fingers if its anything he could pull out, but nothing was coming out. He then pumped a lot of, anti-biotic into the wound, and we revived the calf. Since the calf was quite skinny there was need to do the operation much fast in order to revive him.
Attachments:
Like many other institution, Moi University offers a degree in wildlife management among many other programs. Every summer the college dispatch students for attachments program to different institution across the country. One of their main partners is National Parks, and National Reserves who are in-charge of managing the daily operations in protected areas.
At-least every other time Isiolo and Samburu county councils have the University students attached to them, They end up sending them to the elephant research team and normally the students tend to spend more of their time with us.
Depending on who goes out, the university students normally accompany the field team, and take notes on what we do. They are normally fascinated how one can tell the difference between one elephant from the other. At end they also make attempts at-least one or two families they know.