The Milgis Trust

This post was posted by mistake! So I must now finish it! I am not sure how to take it off! I have not been able to post my ‘Milgis News’ blog, for the last ten days so decided to try this one, and it went strait on and its not finished!!

Its an interesting question anyway which I will write about tomorrow..

This post was posted by mistake! So I must now finish it! I am not sure how to take it off! I have not been able to post my ‘Milgis News’ blog, for the last ten days so decided to try this one, and it went strait on and its not finished!!

Its an interesting question anyway which I will write about tomorrow..

This post was posted by mistake! So I must now finish it! I am not sure how to take it off! I have not been able to post my ‘Milgis News’ blog, for the last ten days so decided to try this one, and it went strait on and its not finished!!

Its an interesting question anyway which I will write about tomorrow..

What on earth happened to the year.. It was only January the other day, now its May, the rainy season already!!… mmmm… But we do have good news from the Milgis!

18.14

Elephants have been on the move once more!. Back to places 30/40 years ago they were completely wiped out of.. Now its a safer place to be as an Elephant than most places!, with our help, and our scouts and informers are being extremely vigilant.. Water is their problem now, which we have tried to solve for them also with pan dams, on their routes!

The smart new Nursery classroom in Latakwen

Some sad Eley news too… A two year old youngster that we darted and treated with Matthew the KWS vet, with a very swollen leg is taken by Hyenas..

Water for the people in Urra, west Ndotos.. THANK YOU VOSS!!

5 more needy children are lucky to go to school,

Most of the now 24 pan dams we dug have water in them!! Unfortunately the rains seem to have been quite patchy through out the area… But its sufficient, because luckily the people here are still nomadic, and if they haven’t had rain at home they can move.. ..

Despite this incredible show in the Matthews, it didn’t pour with rain this night..

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But impressive sight anyway !

18.55.. The same cloud just over half an hour later in the moon light, and not a drop of rain!!

Great excitement on the radio this week as the news of 34 Elephants venturing north into areas that they have not been seen for a very long time.. For obvious reasons with the situation at the moment I am not saying where, but a very significant happening as it means that they are generally feeling safe up here… I would like to say well done our scouts, and informers and also especially to the communities, who are now working incredibly close with THE MILGIS TRUST to keep their wildlife safe!..Good for them!

As our Milgis Logo portrays.. The Camel (the communities) protecting the Elephant ( the wildlife)..

‘Gentle’ being the operative word! they don’t want to bother people! This is a painting, done by Nderitu on the wall of the new class room in the Milgis school! Portraying again, you mind your on business, the Eleys will as well!.. Talking of new!!.. We also have a huge thank you to Toto Trust for the beautiful new colourful Nursery classroom in Latakwen..

Thank you TOTO TRUST!

While we are on the subjects of Elephants.. This is a sad story about this poor little youngster.. We had a call on the radio that there was a small Elephant, the size of a donkey all on his own dragging his leg, down in the lower Milgis.. Matthew the KWS vet flew up with Pete, from OlPejeta to dart and treat him.. But its not as easy as that!! We battled to get to where he was, and against our better judgement we decided to follow the Milgis Lugga to where he was.. mmmm Not a good plan!! Because the rains in November/December had been so good the sand on the Milgis Lugga was incredibly soft we got stuck and stuck and STUCK!!.. Eventually we walked the last 6 kms in the heat of the day!, carrying all the veterinary gear to where the Elephant was being monitored, by our scouts, and a very helpful KWS team from Marsabit.. By the way KWS we are so grateful to get your support up there!
We were lucky after an hour in the incredibly thick bush to beable to dart and treat his very swollen leg.. probably a bullet wound.. We got him up again and our scouts spent a week with him, watching his every move as much as they could in the thick bush, and from all reports he was making a good recovery.. They were trying to make friends with him, and making good progress, so that we could move him to an easier place to monitor him.. Then unfortunately we got a report that they had started seeing Hyena tracks around.. Before we were able to make the next complicated plan, about 30 hyenas came in and killed him in the night..

I’m afraid we were devastated …. This is another result of poaching sadly..

To happier things!.. We THANK VOSS foundation once again, for all the incredible support they give to the Milgis.. We are unbelievably lucky to be working with you… In February friends of VOSS walked with the camels from the Milgis out to Urra, west of the Ndotos, to open another water project !! Once again an beautiful celebration, people came from far and wide to say THANK YOU… This is now the 4th water project we have done with VOSS.. The others are in Latakwen, Sware, and Ol Donyo Nasipa!

The girls from Norway! Thank you for coming all this way to help..

Urra is a little centre, in the foothills of the western side of the Ndotos.. There is a small school, and many people live around in manyattas..

The well, and solar panels, and the watchman’s house.. His job is to look after the solar panels, and well, and to make sure there is plenty of water for the people of Urra, and the Elephants!!

The beautiful Samburu women singing their praises to the Voss visitors.. Wonderful singing and dancing, and lots of fun was had by all..

Beautiful clean water up at the Urra school..

Before! Why did we choose Urra.. During the dry times the people in Urra really struggle to get to water, and when they do the Elephants kept on breaking their wells every night, but they put up with it!! People from 20 kms around were also coming for water here as well.. It became an impossible situation.. SO They came and asked for help!

A carpet of Dung in the drought, from all the animals visiting the well..

Logistics of doing these water projects.. Interesting!!

The sponsorship programme…

This Samburu girl from Parsaloi is very clever!! She passed all her primary school exams with flying colours but her family could not afford to send her to secondary school.. All the family livestock had been stolen in a raid, and her father had died.. So she was sent back to primary school.. But the teachers said this was ridiculous, so asked the community to try to help.. The community tried their best to help her out, but she did not have enough to see her through to the 2nd term so would be sent home, so I am pleased to say the Little Troll Foundation has guaranteed her through the to the end of her schooling.. Thank you so much, to them and to the others, wanaduma, and other Norwegian friends this year who are helping us send 5 new children to school, making the sponsor programme now helping 25 children.. All who have the same story as this girl..

All the Dams are full, or nearly!! Below is the newest one at Lorok Onyoke, a really really dry place usually.. In the dry season the nearest good water is around 15/20 kms away.. thank you to our friends in Portugal..

Before and after pictures!

Lorok Onyoke pan dam..

At our last scouts meeting we had the pleasure of welcoming our 5 new scouts… 3 of them are women, 2 men.. one is the person who rescued the cheetah, plus one other who knows the very steep Ndoto mountains like ‘the back of his hand’ … I felt it was a great moment to talk about what the Milgis Trust is doing… One of the reason for this is because of a thing we call ‘siasa’… politics in English.. It even exists out here…

Hello every one…No I’m not dead, just been very busy travelling, or safariing as we say!

For those that don’t already know this is how I make my living!.. Walking safaris through paradise and beyond with camels carrying the gear!..

Loooong time since my last blog!! We have walked the length and breadth of the area that the Milgis Trust covers with our camels since December 2011… From Mt Nyiru in the north, a huge massif, just to the South East of Lake Turkana..

photo taken from the lovely grassy plains to the East of the Ndotos.. Ol Donyo Mara are the hills to the right

To Baio to the East, this amazing Mountain in the Kaisut desert catching the beautiful evening light..

across the beautiful Ndoto Mountains.. 3 times!, Once from the South, then the North and then we went with the VOSS women to open the new water project at Urra in the foothills to the West of these magnificent mountains!
And lastly Lenkiyio (The Matthews).. Through the lovely forests and into the Ngeng valley.. This is Matthews Peak

Over the top with the camels!!.. quite a feat..

It has been absolutely fabulous to see for ourselves the good work the Milgis scouts are doing, and what we are achieving…(Now 28 scouts and 15 informers!!) AND I think we now have proof that the Elephants can take the credit for no fires burning on the Mountains!!.. Its absolutely wonderfull news!!.. Contrary to a news paper article saying that Elephants don’t like to climb mountains.. I don’t think its true actually!.. Because numerous times we have followed Elephants up very narrow and steep paths, and with out there good work we would be still cutting our way through!!

This dung up near Aldera rock proves it!!

And these paths is what they create… With out them this thick bush is impenetrable!! In the last 30 years because the Elephants weren’t around, all up the flanks of our valuable ‘Islands in the desert’ , the water towers of Northern Kenya, the bush became so thick that when the people could not get there animals up in to the mountains for dry season grazing they started lighting fires.. Absolute destruction beyond belief was happening, BUT now the Elephants are back this ridiculous passtime of burning, has has become a thing of the past I am happy to say.. Hip hip hooray!! AND

A HUGE ‘ONE UP’ FOR THE ELEPHANTS!!!

We have been watching in total dismay as Mt Kenya and the Aberdares, both National parks have been burning completely out of control.. Huge huge fires.. I don’t know how they started, or by who but they have been very serious, just for fun i took this picture on the 15th March, just before sunrise…

The sun rose right over the top on this day!!

Back to our Mountains the Ndotos and Lenkiyio (Matthews) and Nyiru.. Yes so far, there have been no fires and if you have been following my blogs you would know how desperate it has been in former years.. several Blogs on this terrible and stupid situation …Fires lit by people who have decided it would help to get rid of this very thick bush, and of course one just can ‘ Kiss goodbye ‘ to the whole side of the mountain.. With the strike of one match the Samburu have no idea what damage they are doing to their very own future.

Happy New Year to every one, and heres to a safe, and happy 2012 to all creatures great and Small.. … We celebrated our new year near the WILD Dog’s… What a pleasure !!!..

These 3 pictures were taken by Lemagas, with an ordinary camera!!

Inside their den…

Then this little sequence of beauty’s with the night camera, in the same den!

Theres at least 12 puppies, and maybe 14 adults

We left the night camera in the den for a week, and found the dogs had, had a good chew on it!! But it still works..

Painted wolves.. Thats a better name for these beautiful animals..

The Milgis Trust Thanks Marwell Zoo and Zeke Davidson for your support.. Below is a small introduction by Zeke of the work we are doing together.. .. The technical side of things!.. ( Sorry his pictures would not post, so I’ve improvised with mine)

Hello to all the Milgis Trust Bloggers! I still feel new to the Milgis, but have been visiting here for the past 18 months or so now. I work with Marwell Wildlife, a Uk based charity dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and other natural resources. We achieve this through restoration of species and habitats, promoting sustainable living, and by inspiring change through science, education & public engagement – which is something of a mouthful!

Marwells Speciality.. The Grevy Zebra.. Thanks to Marwell Zoo introducing us to these night cameras, they really opened our eyes.. Theres far more out there than one thinks, but its very nocturnal!! H

Suffice to say that when the trust approached Marwell in January 2010 with a request to look at “some data” they had, and help to get some monitoring established, we jumped at the chance to work with this dynamic, dedicated and intensely passionate team. The data is turning out to be a quietly understated GOLDMINE for conservation action. We will get to more on that in a few months time as we develop analyses out of the historic information we have in hand already. But I am sure I don’t need to explain the value of continuous sightings reports from 24 scouts making daily observations of wildlife in the Milgis ecosystem over the past 5 years! We hope to plot the return of elephants to the Milgis and beyond, to catalogue her amazing biodiversity and to provide information that will help people living here make real time decisions about conserving their environment, while maintaining their livelihoods and traditions in a timeless lifestyle that is still relevant today.

As we settle into 2012, we can happily say that the ground work has been laid for a long term partnership between Marwell and the Milgis Trust. We at Marwell are thrilled and feel really honoured, not to mention incredibly lucky, to have been sought out by Helen and her team. Over the past two years we have instituted regular training workshops for the growing force of scouts, ( now nearly 30, and 12 informers) we have standardised observation methodologies and entered the digital age by converting the data collection onto a computer based database.

And that is the real nub of this post, because not long ago we had word that our efforts to help Milgis Trust raise funds specifically for elephant conservation and research have been successful. In a phone call from their Head Quarters, the US Fish and Wildlife Service African Elephant Program confirmed that we had been successful in our grant application. We are now ready to begin a wide scale elephant conservation project, underpinned by the scouts and their data collecting activities, and the ongoing work of the trust.

This is hugely significant news. The focus on elephants will serve as a flagship to understanding not only how the Milgis functions, but how all her species use the land, her resources and coexist alongside the pastoralist Samburu people who live there too. Elephants have lead the way for our partnership and just as the young ones follow the old matriarchs back to Mt. Nyiru and beyond, we will follow them too. Learning from their travels which habitats are most important, which areas need close protection, which water points are their old standbys for crossing the barren lands and how we can ensure their permanence now that they have returned.

The area the Milgis Trust covers.. remember wildlife does not know borders, so the scouts follow their migrations.. There are NO fences, and these important water towers are needed to keep the Fauna and Flora well watered and fed!

This elephant project will focus on conserving habitat connectivity for African elephant (Loxodonta africana) populations in Northern Kenya , and will be the most northerly based elephant conservation study in East Africa. So this work is a vital expansion of the direct efforts being brought to bear on the global conservation of African elephants. As Helen has always maintained, elephants have historically inhabited this ecosystem, although were absent for several years from the mid 1980′s until more recently thanks to poachers. By formally undertaking research and monitoring on these mega herbivores we will maintain the area as a holistically functioning ecosystem, without fences or segregation between wildlife and local pastoral communities. This area is an important migratory corridor between the complex of protected areas in the south, (Laikipia and Samburu, Buffalo Springs and wildlife reserves), the Marsabit Massif to the north east (the northern extent of the Samburu-Laikipia elephant population) and Mt Nyiru ( in the north west.)

However, much of this information is still based solely on local anecdotal knowledge. To ensure that it is accepted by both the communities and planning authorities we will have to put the Milgis elephant highways on the map with irrefutable data. In spite of the serious depletion in elephant numbers since the late 1970s, this area is currently home to the second largest elephant population in Kenya. The area is extremely isolated geographically, and elephants are facing several threats, including, among st others; intensifying habitat loss and fragmentation owing to the expanding human population, severely limiting climatic conditions, persecution by commercial ivory poaching and indiscriminate and illegal killing..

The Milgis Trust Elephant Project (MTEP) will be continuing to investigate this human/elephant conflict and the spatial dynamics of the population through the established network of Milgis scouts and engaging pastoralists in a programme of community based conservation activities. The project will seek to understand elephant habitat use and behaviour, sustainability and conservation in remote northern areas, and will also engage local communities in education workshops and participatory planning, in an effort to increase awareness, involvement and ownership of elephant conservation. In this way we are building a legacy of community based conservation and management with less dependence on foreign aid and external funding. These are tried and tested methods that have been used with great success in areas such as the Ruaha wilderness in Tanzania where large carnivores have had a reputation of man eating, the Tsavo-Amboseli Ecosystem in Kenya where lion guardians are recruited from the Maasai warrior caste who have historically hunted lion as a rite of passage, and for the long term protection of mountain gorillas in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, to name just three examples.

Already we have begun to build a detailed Geographic Information System (GIS), or electronic map, to be able to visualise the landscape the Milgis elephants are using..The urgency for providing scout training is growing as increasing elephant presence in these areas might potentially also increase the opportunity for conflict with people and livestock. Conflict is chiefly anticipated over water availability, especially during times of drought. It is therefore vital that the Trust’s operations continue to promote elephant conservation to local communities whilst increasing community awareness of the benefits of elephants.

You might wonder what the trade off for living with elephants would be to a family living in a simple manyatta right in among st these giants. Well, local communities have already expressed positive attitudes to wards elephants as they are perceived to provide essential benefits to their pastoral lifestyles. There are many examples, but just one here, they maintain open routes through dense bush and provide access to mountain grazing areas. This access facilitates sustainable grazing as herds of livestock can be relocated to allow lowland areas to recover during dry seasons. Until recently these areas had been lost to community grazing management as elephants had been absent from the area for many years. The people were now turning to burning, to beable to get their livestock into the mountains, with devastating results. However, with the elephants gradual return, these valuable resources are slowly becoming available again. This observation comes directly from the people living in the Milgis area and is a key reason why the Trust has established this project. This work is a direct response to the communities request for assistance in securing their livelihoods and forms part of the Trusts commitment to improving resources through conservation action.

All this is a very neat fit for Marwell’s conservation goals through the restoration of species and habitats, promoting sustainable living, and inspiring change through science, education & public engagement! But you can follow all that on www.marwell.org.uk and on Twitter and Facebook too.

Its been an amazing year in the Milgis!.. Drought, Death, Rendille ‘invasions’, Rain, Floods, beautiful flowers, Elephant poaching, Grass and LIFE!!!!!… These are some of my favorite pics from this last year !..

Rain brings Lillie’s!

Elephant Shadows!

Mountain layers.. South Ndotos..

The only hippo in the Ndoto’s! With a ‘tusker’ on his nose…

This striped Hyena is so beautiful..

Guerenuk??? Elkanto sunrise!

The suns early morning golden rays catching these Lillie’s..

Flooded… for those that have been to Elkanto!! We could not get a vehicle off the hill for a month!

A White Tailed mongoose passed here!

Leo himself…

Early morning travelling… This is what we do for a living when we are not loosing sleep to keep the Milgis alive!!

Gardenia dew!..

Serpent??

Poi in the mist!

Celebration of life!.. Red billed hornbills..

ON Safari! (You might come across a very nice article written by Lucia Van Der Post in the Tatler Travel mag., but I am sure Hugo did not choose the pictures for the article.. This is my favorite of that safari!!..)

self taken again… This angle OK???!

Who said elephants don’t climb mountains!! We climbed this very steep hill for a sundowner to find that our Friends had enjoyed several sundowners, and bitings (no trees left) before us! THEY LOVE VIEWS!!

Cycad.. Endemic to this region.. This is what the Matthews Range and Ndotos Mountains are famous for? Yes its one of the oldest plants in the world, but its not all these exquisite mountains have to offer…

Equal pointers!

Cave drawings…

We three kings know where we are going.!!..

Ratel track…

Eleys and Shadows… Beckoning us into the new year!.. How does it go?.. .. ‘Come all ye faithfull’ to the Wilderness..GET IN LINE AND LETS GO!

Our aim for the Milgis is to keep these beautiful animals safe, calm, and living harmoniously with the proud and cool Samburu people… LONG MAY MAN AND ANIMAL LIVE IN TUNE WITH EACH OTHER!!!! http://milgistrustkenya.com

HAPPY DAYS TO YOU ALL… AND THANKYOU!!!..

The theme of this absolutely wonderfull Milgis Primary School parents day!! LONG LIVE OUR CULTURE ‘OUR’ WILDLIFE AND THEIR /’OUR’ HABITAT!!… This is our future…
The Milgis Cultural Club, with their Teacher Mike Lesiantaam leading the beautiful dance, called ‘Kichome’.. The words of this song, remind people of the seriousness of getting married.. and what follows.. Urging the communities to respect marriage ceremonies, conduct marriage in an acceptable manner, and keep it sacred.. Through this process, communities are formed, through a nuclear family..

When we were invited to this special day, I had no inkling that it was going to be so special and so close to my heart and what I believe in… I told them that it was the best parents day that I had even attended in my life!! How special it was..

The next song, touched on discipline.. respect to the elder generation.. Women and Men.. Discipline helps to cultivate peace and promote harmony among the community members.. The next song was about Wildlife, how important it is to protect and preserve.. Wildlife is sacred to to the Samburu communities, and should be protect at all costs.. So where did we go wrong?.. Who taught us to kill it? we didn’t used to…

Thumbs up to that!! We need our wildlife!

The mothers!.. They sang a wonderful song of THANKS to all that had helped them get to where they are.. They have a beautiful school, with 6 classrooms, water, teachers and books.. They have Dams, Communications, health services, etc etc and they gave Pete and I two special carved and beaded sticks, as a present..

The mothers having a break, in the shade of one of the classrooms, note the picture of Leopards, above their heads.. Every where you look in the Milgis School, one is reminded that looking after your environment is the key to a good life!

Next was our scouts with their wonderful teacher Titus Lekirere, on a serious mission to explain the value of trees!! Trees give us every thing we need.. From Shade to wood, to fruit to browse for our Animals, from wood for fires to wood for our sticks.. From bringing the rain, and stopping desertification, to EVERY THING.. We must respect them!!.. This last year throughout the drought, James Lentamalei, planted and managed to keep at least 30 trees alive, by bring water from 5 kms away by donkey.. He was given lots of praise by these youngsters.. Lentamaleis trees are now about 6 feet tall..

it was a great gathering of the community!

Last but not least… the results!!… 3 top students of each glass..

Class I Class 2

Class 3

Class 4

Class 5

I hated my schools that I went to, so when I was asked by the community to build a school for their children, it was a daunting prospect, and there was one condition… The school would have to be influenced by the Milgis Trusts concept.. PRESERVING THE WILDLIFE, THEIR HABITAT, AND THE PEOPLES WAY OF LIFE.. Maybe I worded the last bit wrong, but its the Culture of the Samburu, to me that is so valuable.. I’ve lived amoungst many different peoples, but none of them have the respect for each other, better than the Samburu.. They don’t need police, and jails they need elders!! Wise old people with plenty of experience!

I am so proud of our school as it follows our principals…The three .. Wildlife, Environment and Culture Clubs they have formed are so important, and are flourishing! The Head master of the School, Johnathan Loltianya handed this note to me, after I had told him how delighted I was with the way the school was going.. It described what each dance or song was about, and finished with these words!

Core values of Culture.. Culture in a community helps unite members, guides them positively, and binds them in love and harmony. Culture protects the youth from abuse, the elderly from abandonment, and it promotes respect amoungst different genders.. Without Culture , the society behaves like blind people, lost in a field of terraces, gullies and deep cliffs… CULTURE IS PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ARE CULTURE.. THEY SHOULD NEVER SEPARATE!!

The milgis Primary School…November 2011

and below in August 2011!

All is good!!

These days in Northern Kenya you can not walk past a manyatta ( pastoral homestead) with out somebody calling from inside inviting you in for a cup of milk!! They have too much, and its just extraordinary times up here! We have had more rain than any one can remember!… What an extraordinary change from a few months back when it was dust, famine, raging winds and desperation and now long grass, flowers in their billions, calm days but unbelievable floods to beat all years!!

A couple of before and after pictures! Dust at Leamu in the evening light..

Same spot a few months later!!

A couple of Elephants passing Elkanto in June.. 2011
It was just a few days after the first rain came, so it has greened up abit..

Same spot Nov 2011.. Heliotropium flowers!

A month or so ago, in fact before Pete’s walk these Luggas were highways, every one from Humans, Livestock, Elephants, Hyenas and cars were charging up and down.. Luckily they’re so big there is no possibility of a traffic jam!.. NOW they are huge flooded rivers, just taking any thing down thats in front of them.. This is the Seiya up stream, where the Ngeng comes in..

The Junction of the Laana Nikan and Parsaloi, below Elkanto, where they become the Milgis.. Its now over a km wide! Below is the Milgis at Leamu..

The floods this year have been very very exciting, and we gather that people who have not waited for the rivers to subside have lost vehicles… ( In the old days if you came across a flooded lugga you waited till it went down before you crossed, but these days people don’t have the patience or the knowledge) BUT even the trees have to hold on really tight, ..

9.15 am.. there one minute .. The next.. 9.22 am GONE!!

Sadly now I have heard that about 200 trees, Acacia Tortilis, and Doum Palms have been washed away!..

We had breakfast under this Acacia on our last safari… Oh so sad after all they’ve been through!

Well with these good rains we now have Pelicans on our bird list!!

And so many types of grass!! Yes this is in the NFD! ( in the colonial days one had to get a permit, to go to the harsh Northern Frontier District!.. It was known to be such a hard place for people to survive, and if you got lost, or you broke down, you would struggle to survive, and where would the authorities start to look!, you only got a permit if you knew what you were doing!) This doesn’t look harsh!!

A lovely male Desert warthog, Hes got very impressive tusks!!

Then of course the most wonderful thing is the Flowers.. Below is not hail, but Heliotropium!

Fallen petals..

And the scented air.. After all that dust and wind imagine how pleasant it is now, no wind… calm…. cool!!

Look how this lovely flower below holds the water..

Interesting thing also… This area in the picture below was burnt by a Rendille guy by mistake, when he lit a fire to try to keep the Hyenas off his sick camel that could not get up.. I think it was an unfortunate or lets say careless accident.. oh well, he also lost his camel, burnt around 5 acres of valuable camel browse, and look also nothing has grown at all..

And this below was burnt in 1999, and there is still no grass, after a record at least 10 inches of rain!.. So why do they burn.. It is a thing I will never understand, but there was very little burnt this year, and with the invasion from Marsabit it was surprising.. Does this mean we are winning!! I think so!