FIM AFRICA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP HELD IN SOYSAMBU

Posted on October 17, 2011 by beaty limo

This year’s event was held in Soysambu Conservancywith participants drawn from Kenya,Uganda,Tanzania,Zambia and South Africa.The event was flaggeg off by Lord Delamere and Lady Ann Delamere on Saturday 16th October 20011.The spectators turned up in large numbers.The Vice President of the FIM graced the occassion where the quads and the bikes competed on a 48km long course,crossing the two rivers ,main Narobo-Nakuru highway and back to the Conservancy.

By Duncan Oduor

Flags of the participating countries.

Lord Delamere is getting ready to flag off the participants.

PICTORIAL PRESENTATION OF THE HISTORY OF LAKE ELEMENTEITA

Posted on October 13, 2011 by beaty limo

Have a look at these pictures that were taken in 1950s and compare them to what we have on this great Kenya’s Wetland.

By Duncan Oduor.

The lake was a breeding site for the Sacred ibises.

The lake was a breeding site for these Sacred ibises.

A research Boat in 1957.

Nesting flamingos on nests left after rising water.

Newly hatched flamingo.

The young and the adult flamingos roosting on the islands.

Nesting flamingo fighting off a threatening Marabou Stork

Great White Pelicans colonised some islands from Greater Flamingos which first occupied them.Delamere Nose Hill in the middle ground.

AN egg in one of the scanty nests of feathers and straws on the lake made by Greater Flamingo due to inadequate mud.

An egg in one of the scanty nests of feathers and straws made by Greater Flamingo due to inadequate mud.

FLAMINGOES

Posted on October 6, 2011 by beaty limo

How many species of flamingoes do you think we have in the world? They are divided into six races as follows:

Phanaecopterus ruber-American flamingo=Ph. ruber ruber,
Phanaecopterus antiquorium-European or Greater flamingo=Ph. ruber ruseus,
Phanaecopterus chilensis-Chilean flamingo=Ph. ruber chilensis,
Phanaeniconaias minor– Lesser flamingo
Phanaecoparrus andinus-Andean flamingo
Phanaecoparrus jamesi-James’s flamingo

Only the first three can be said to be of three separate species. The species of Phanaenicopterus have bills of swallow-keeled type which only a part of inner surface of the mandibles covered with fine filtering laminae.The other three all have bills of deep-keeled type with only a part of the inner surface of the mandible covered with the filtering laminae. Birds with deep-keeled bills are adapted to feed on very small organisms as opposed to those with swallow-keeled bills that can be more extensive in their tastes and the number of laminae per centimeter varies from species to species. The number of the laminae dictates the size of food that can be grabbed on the filtering mechanism but the laminae of the Greater flamingo do not all lie in the same direction but across each other in a way that they have a different action from three other species.

By Duncan.

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS VISITS SOYSAMBU

Posted on August 4, 2011 by beaty limo

The Soysambu conservancy is a great place to be for conservation related activities especially for group of students. Students from all over the world can be hosted for field activities of their studies choice. The students get to interact physically and practically involve with what they have learnt theoretically ranging from geology, Biology, Hydrology, Pedology, History and more. The fact that this place is situated right in Great Rift Valley, the interconnection of the Lake Elementaita Lake Nakuru and Lake Bogoria and the numerous biodiversity found here makes it ideal place for universities and colleges to learn more on their fields of specialization. The Lake Elmenteita being a Ramsar Site (Wetland of International importance), Important Bird Area and now a World Heritage Site is sharing a buffer zone with the Soysambu Conservancy making it more protected and healthier for wildlife. For these reasons, we have been hosting groups and teams of students from several universities. The George Mason University has been organizing trips for its students to stay at the Soysambu Field Study Centre for a good time and the good rapport between the two organizations has made it a sustainable project. There is currently a team of twelve university students from George Mason staying with us for field studies with instructors lead by Ryan Valdez and Carlos.We have a great time with them here as we look forward for future collaboration.

By Duncan Oduor,

Soysambu Field Study Centre.

The GMU Dinner time.

Livestock management talk by Mr.Benson,the Livestock manager Delamere Estates.

Talk on stonewall building.

Students getting ready to set camera traps..

Camera traps setting with instructor Ryan inspecting.

GMU Students distributing gifts of stationery to children in Soysambu.

Baboon caugtht by a camera set by sudents..

more baboons..

ENHANCING SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION

Posted on August 1, 2011 by beaty limo

The attainment of such a practice entails lots of sacrifice, but the end product yields great fruits, this gives the Conservancy the morale to invest in such activities to ensure that the protected area habitats remains intact.
The objective of buying the jikos idea from the Paradigm company was to cut down on the firewood usage by the surrounding Communities. The idea is disseminated to the community through group education and demonstrations .
The jikos from this group are of two types; Envirofit and jikopoa both uses only two medium sized firewood and cooks a meal for up to six individuals.
Advantages .
ß Portable and durable
ß Uses less firewood
ß Occupies less space in the house
ß Easy to clean
ß Does not pollute the environment
ß Less dangerous to children.