Category Archives: Habitat Preservation

Soysambu Conservancy- Here are the Rains: Better late than never

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Written by Zurijanne Kelley, Soysambu Volunteer

The past two weeks there have been rains. Not your average rains that roll around for about a day or two and then disperses. No. These rains have been so frequent that Lake Elmentaita can now be seen glistening in the distance with waves of pink clustered throughout the lake from the flamingos. Before the rains, the flamingos refused to be seen on the far shores of the once dried portion of the lake. Even the two rivers that join together to flow into the lake are once again filled with flowing water!

As I move about Soysambu, I can see the difference that the rains have brought. The roads display track stories of vehicles and wildlife that have passed through, the grass is visibly greener and crisp with life and everyone and everything is happy that the rains have come. Even so, I think the rains forgot to remind the Great White Pelicans that he was coming and that they too should return to their islands on Lake Elmentaita so that their white bodies may be intermixed with the pink of the flamingos like a wondrous sunset. I hope that they will come soon as this lake which is 3/4 kept by Soysambu is an important breeding ground for these birds.

Soysambu Conservancy: Livestock as an aid to Conservation

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Written by Zurijanne Kelley, Soysambu Volunteer

On just a casual drive around Soysambu you cannot help but see various herds of cattle with lowered heads slowly ambling along. These indigenous creatures of Kenya come in various hues of white, brown and black, and number just under six thousand across the entire range of Soysambu and Delamere estates.
Prize Boran
Initially when Lord Delamere began his livestock enterprise he attempted to use species of cattle which were non-native to Kenya to no avail. After some time he looked at the resources available to him in the neighboring Somalia and had 600 Boran cattle brought to his estate. With the distinctive hump on their backs at the shoulders, Boran cattle are the pride and joy of Delamere estates. They survive on dry matter (their only source of subsistence is grass) which is more than enough for these large creatures whose coat shine at all times of the day.
male #1
Three types of cattle are bred here: pure bred, foundation and pedigree. The pride that the employees who work directly with the livestock have here is evident and exceptionally so with the cattle. Delamere estates participates in breeders’ competitions and rightly so with such a fine lot!
male #2
These beautiful creatures assist with conservation practices by supplying the conservancy with some funding through the sale and purchase of meat and dairy products as both cattle and wildlife share Soysambu and Delamere estates together (often you can see zebra mixed in with the cattle herds!) So if you’re coming to Soysambu don’t forget to take a picture of the Boran cattle also. They are worth it!

Top Picture: 15 year old cow with the latest of a string of twelve calves over the years. This prized female is pure bred and even donated some of her embryo to South Africa.

Middle Picture: A young 2 1/2 year old stud bull. Pure bred, this stud was entered into a Breeders competition in June 2009.

Bottom Picture: A second young stud bull of 2 1/2 years who was also entered into the June 2009 Breeder’s competition.

Soysambu Conservancy environmental beautification program

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Written by Soysambu Conservancy Education and Awareness Officer, Sarah Omusula.

Soysambu Conservancy has been involving Primary School pupils surrounding it in beautification programme for the last three school terms which has been successful and taken positively both by the School Head teachers and Pupils. The exercise has been taking place on the Nakuru- Nairobi Highway from Shiners Boys to Flamingo Camp.

By involving the young children it enables them to grow appreciating the environment and knowing that they are supposed to keep their environment clean and work with it not against it.The Schools involved so far are Kiboko, Kasambara, Echariria, Rhino and the latest joined schools are Kiungururia and Kariandusi primary schools.

After a hard day we gathered at place where we had lunch and a break. Everyone was happy to have been involved in this exercise! To motivate the pupils and teachers they were issued with a certificate of participation where more pupils want to join during the next exercise.

Children enjoying lunch on the highway

As we just started the programme Soysambu Conservancy will be assisting the participating schools in small projects which come up in their schools. As the programme started recently we want to involve more schools which are willing to take part in this cleaning exercise as far as toll station at Gilgil which is very untidy. This will be a success if more schools can register with Soysambu Conservancy (Call +254 (0) 50- 50622). We also call for donations for purchasing lunches for the kids.

The Lake Nakuru National Park to Lake Naivasha Project

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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.

Saving a beautiful flamingo sanctuary from extinction

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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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