Wild life conservation and exploration of East Africa

We have a really good knowledge of the terrain which is worth both generally and more precisely thanks to an experience of more than twenty years. We are in direct touch with the  Kenyan Wild Life Service (KWS) : equivalent to the water and forest service in France – with which we signed an agreement in favour of the protection program for rhinoceros. We undertook to pay 1% of our annual turnover in exchange for which the KWS provides us with a technical a scientific cooperation. Specialists, notably from the veterinary unit, with which we keep up a good relationship, give explanations to the participants. Animal conservation: backbone of our tours. The issues and difficulties of conservation are explained to the participants during the tour, but above all, during the meetings with KWS officials during which the following issues are tackled: 1) the ground occupation conflicts between villagers and elephants, 2) the conflicts between villagers and wildlife as far as water is concerned, 3) the problems of the reintroduction of rhinoceros.

1) Ground occupation conflicts between the villagers and elephants

Many people think that elephants observed in a park live there permanently, while they are definitely not sedentary. Indeed, there are natural migratory routes that enable the pachyderms to cover very long distances from north to south according to the seasons and hygrometric variations. Those routes notably go over the slopes of the massif of Mount Kenya. Yet, the increase in the populations of the Kikuyus and Meru generates the installation of small farms on the same slopes.

The extent of the conflicts between the populations and wild life is worth being showed and explained: those serious conflicts can sometimes be fatal to the extent that electrified defence lines had to be connected, notably between Isiolo and Meru, in order to respect both the migratory routes of the elephants and farm properties.

When the density of elephants per km2 is too big and is likely to modify the ecosystem, moving processes (translocations) are called for. It consists in very impressive operations: the elephant is put to sleep thanks to a hypodermic pistol shooting coming from a helicopter. When the field is too irregular, the sleeping animal has to be found first and then, with a tractor and a winch, it is put on a first trailer in order to be moved to a site accessible by a special truck equipped with a huge wood planter 8 m high and 3 m wide. The container is taken down thanks to articulated arms and is taken apart so as to form only a plate surface in the shape of a cross. Then, the animal is turned over by about thirty men on the other side on the floor planter, which can be reassembled all around the animal’s body. The container is then reloaded on the vehicle. Another injection is necessary to wake the elephant up and make sure the animal is not asphyxiated by its own weight during the journey. The different steps of the process are explained to the guests thanks to the broadcasting materials.

2) The conflicts between villagers and wildlife as far as water is concerned

Water sharing between wildlife and men is also one big focus. For years, the Kenyan government contented itself with developing a policy of space demarcation that gave the populations the feeling that animals were more precious than villagers. But nowadays, the authorities have come to realize that it is not the best way to associate men with conservation. This is why the policy of today consists in establishing development projects supported by the border populations, who consider the parks as an economic opportunity, and not a strain anymore.

Several community development projects were born on the areas surrounding Meru National Park, notably in favour of a best water sharing. Watering places are kept for wildlife, but others are created for the cattle, and drinking water pumping systems installations were made for the villagers. We propose to our tour guests to meet a community of villagers in favour of such a project. There, too, we can provide further explanations.

3) The problem linked with the reintroduction of rhinoceros

Nakuru Park is one pilot park as far as the reintroduction of rhinoceros is concerned. A sanctuary of rhinoceros can be visited. A KWS specialist teaches our guests how to make the distinction between the white and black rhinoceros and then, he provides the information about their ethology (animal behaviour science). The problems linked with poaching are also tackled. The aim is “giving more” to our safari, which does not consist merely in a simple pictures recollection without any legend.

Back to the top