6 DAYS MAASAI MARA, LAKE NAKURU AND AMBOSELI

When it comes to game-viewing, there is nowhere in Africa richer in wildlife or more eventful in encounters than the Maasai Mara. A pristine wilderness of haunting beauty. On the other hand, Amboseli National Park gives the best chance to come too close to free ranging elephants of Africa. You will also have opportunities to meet the Maasai people and visit a Maasai village. The park also offers spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Lake Nakuru, besides the flamingos that the lake is famous for, there are approx 400 other species of birds visiting the lake. Also, many species of game can be found in the park including the introduced Rothschild's giraffe, black and white rhino, waterbuck, reedbuck, lion, buffalo, leopard, baboon and many species of plains game.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Nairobi/Masaai Mara
Leave Nairobi in the morning at 8.00 am drive to the view point of the great rift valley, descend the escarpment and drive via Narok then to Maasai Mara for lunch at the campsite followed by afternoon game drive in Masaai Mara famous for its black manned lions and yearly migration of wildebeests, dinner and overnight at the camp.

CHINA DONATES ANTI-POACHING EQUIPMENT TO MAASAI MARA GAME RESERVE

Chongqing Municipal Government donated cameras, binoculars and other equipment to Maasai Mara Game Reserve. The donations are aimed at tracking down poachers as well as monitoring animal movements at the reserve.

Sun Zhengcai, a member of the political bureau of the communist party of China and Secretary of the Chongqing City, presented the equipment to Narok county governor Samuel Ole Tunai at a ceremony held at Keekorok Lodge. Also present during the ceremony were Principal Secretaries Ibrahim Mohammed (Tourism), Richard Lesyambe (Environment), KWS director William Kiprono and Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) managing director Muriithi Ndegwa.

A partnership agreement on tourism and trade between the county and the Chinese Municipality was also signed in a ceremony that was witnessed by Judy Wakhungu the Environment Cabinet Secretary.

While receiving the equipment, Tunai acknowledged that the donations will help fight poaching and added that the county would employ more rangers to help in the anti-poaching fight. He urged the local communities around the reserve to help in the fight and effectively participate in wildlife conservation because it is their heritage and source of income. He also noted that the number of Chinese visitors to the park stands at 50,000 and was optimistic it could hit 100,000 by end year.

Source: Standard Digital

KWS TRANSLOCATING 150 ELEPHANTS TO MAASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

First allow me to pass you some gossip I just recieved from Maasai Mara...It rained yesterday night therefore today Wildebeests did not necessarily have to risk it all catching a sip along the banks of Mara River after pools of water emerged as a result of the rain...then there was this click here by Shiyazer Rafique near Mara Serena, AMAAAZING!!!

Friday 24th Aug, The Kenya Wildlife Service posted on their Facebook page...quote:

Previous Translocation Exercise; KWS

" The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is set to begin a month-long exercise from Tuesday, August 28, 2012 to translocate 150 elephants from Narok North District to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.
The exercise aims to mitigate rising cases of human-elephant conflict in the area. The translocation is set to greatly minimize the human-elephant conflict particularly regarding to crop raids, property destruction, human injuries and death.
It is also expected to reduce incidences of elephant mortalities and reduce KWS expenditures on Problem Animal Control (PAC).
This is the second phase of the translocation exercise. In the first phase carried out late last year, a total of 62 elephants were successfully moved from Narok North District to the Maasai Mara.
These elephants have since been monitored intensively by GSM/GPS satellite collars, aerial and ground patrols.
A number of the translocated elephants will also be fitted with GSM/GPS collar chips to monitor and track their movements. Rapid change in lifestyle of local communities from pastoralists to crop farming and other incompatible land-use practices have tremendously led to increased human wildlife conflict in the Narok County.

Such conflict in many areas is mainly attributed to increased human population and loss of elephant habitat due to uncontrolled human activities, especially crop farming, charcoal burning and human settlements.

Narok County is currently designated as one of the human-wildlife conflict (HWC) hotspots in the country with elephants identified as the most problematic wildlife species.
Earlier this year, KWS launched a national elephant conservation and management strategy. The document provides a clear roadmap for conservation and management of elephants in Kenya for the next 10 years.

The elephant strategy seeks to reduce cases of human-elephant conflict and increase the value of elephants to people and habitats. It outlines strategies KWS and other conservation partners will use to protect the species, particularly in key strategic locations, such as dispersal areas, migration corridors and in the human-elephant conflict hotspots such as the Narok ecosystem."

For all your Safaris needs in East Africa, contact:

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