Saving a Baby Rothschild’s Giraffe on Soysambu Conservancy

Just as the sun was slipping behind the Mau Escarpment I received a call that an endangered baby Rothschild’s Giraffe was in distress. I jumped in my car and rushed there with blankets and phoned the Animal Rights Reserved mobile vet unit in Naivasha. They are about an hour or so away so all we could do was keep the baby warm and give comfort.

Gabi and Maddie comforting baby giraffe

Gabi and Maddie comforting baby giraffe

The sun was setting and there were hyenas close by so I asked our Soysambu Conservancy  rangers for assistance. Mike, who has been on the giraffe monitoring team, arrived with the Conservancy vehicle. While we waited for the Vet Unit to arrive the baby become stronger. When the mom came around we moved away hoping the baby could get up with it’s mum’s encouragement. It was just too weak from many hours lying in that position. When the mom moved away we kept it warm and rubbed it’s body and legs, trying to  get some circulation going. It finally lifted it’s head and sat up but still couldn’t stand and we couldn’t get it on it’s feet despite our best efforts.

Baby Giraffe lifts his head

Baby Giraffe lifts his head

The mobile vet unit arrived and immediately went to work getting the baby giraffe on it’s feet and examined it for injuries.

Standing for the first time

Standing for the first time

Examining Legs

examining legs

The Vet decided it was in good shape but had been lying there in the cold for so long it was numb so he massaged it’s limbs. It was amazing how quickly he responded.

Vet Massaging

Feeding milk and glucose

Feeding milk and glucose

The team then mixed a bottle of milk and glucose and after some coaxing he drank two bottles.

Walking without help

With that in him and feeling better he got up on his own and wobbled a bit but took a few steps. We decided to move as far away as possible and still observe with headlights dimmed to let it’s mom reunite with her baby. It was only a few minutes before she came up to him and touched his head and I guess, told him to follow her. She walked a few steps and he didn’t move, so she went back to him and maybe said “come on, there are hyenas about and you better come with me now”. (only my speculation) Well he followed her a few steps and stopped. She turned around and encouraged him again and he followed. Then he was looking for food so they stopped. She moved on and he didn’t follow so she came back, touched his head and he followed. This happened a few more times until they moved on. A little while later the baby sat down, I guess exhausted, and we were worried but he got back up again and followed her into the bush.

We think the mom was in the process of giving birth near the track from Kekopey to Elmenteita and she became spooked by a vehicle so took off running, the baby came out and hit the ground pretty hard. It is a tough birth in the best of circumstances. They usually get up and start feeding in about 45 minutes up to a couple hours. He had some scrapes on his legs and it was some time before he was discovered. The placenta was very close by so we assume this is the scenario.

A HUGE thanks to Animal Rights Reserved for their quick response which resulted in saving the life of an endangered species!!!

Kat Combes, CEO Soysambu Conservancy

AWARENESS AND DE-SNARING WEEK

Bush meat is a term used to describe meat taken from the wild. Historically, hunter-gatherer communities used bush meat as a source of protein in a sustainable way. Today however, bush meat poaching has evolved from a low subsistence activity to a huge commercial trade supplying urban and even international markets. Illegal poaching for bush meat has contributed significantly to wildlife loss and poses a great threat to species conservation.
Snares are indiscriminate, strategically positioned across animal tracks to capture, maim and kill wildlife, for this reason Soysambu Conservancy in collaboration with BORNFREE FOUNDATION team and Greensteds International School set aside a week to carry out De-snaring, Education and awareness activities as from 2nd may and ended on 6th, the work was well done as a total of seventeen snares was collected over the period.
Thanks team for you ensured the safety of our animals in the wild, keep it up.
Shared from;
Community Education and Awareness Desk.

Briefing before De-Snaring.

Soysambu and BORNFREE Team.

Soysambu and BORNFREE Team.

De-snaring Team
De-snaring Team

WORLD EARTH DAY

The day was well spend by making Kenya Green through a tree planting exercise organized by Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp in collaboration with Soysambu Conservancy, Echariria primary, Kiboko Primary and Kasambara youths. One thousand trees were planted within Serena Camp at the shores of Lake Elmenteita as part of Agha khan Trust Fund activities.
Thanks team for being part of us during this day as we celebrate and appreciate Nature for what it is to us. Don’t be weary in conserving our Environment.
Shared from;
Community Education and Awareness Desk.

Tree planting on progress.

Team at work.

The CEO Soysambu Conservancy,Serena Naturalist and Echariria primary Teacher planting their tree.

ENVIRONMENTAL BEAUTIFICATION 2012

This is an activity carried out every year in the third month, it is organized by Soysambu Conservancy in collaboration with the surrounding schools and wildlife stakeholder. This day 17th of March, it has been done by representatives of Soysambu Conservancy, Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp, Build Africa Kenya, four schools; Greensteds International, Kasambara Primary, Echariria primary and Kiboko primary. The participants were One Hundred and Forty Two (142).
The day was great with lots of fun and at the end of the day, Nairobi –Nakuru highway the area between St. Mary’s Hospital and Shiners Boys was clean.
Friends, lets reach out and talk of the goodness of a clean Environment to both humans, domestic and Wild animals .
Join us! Make Kenya Clean and Green.
Shared By;
Community Education and Awareness Department.

The group at their starting point.

The group at their starting point

Team after the Exercise.

Team after cleanup ready for a talk.

 

LAKE ELMENTEITA BIRD COUNT

The January 2012 Water bird count for the Lake Elmenteita was carried out on the 21st as from 6: 00 am.The turn up for the volunteers was good over two hundred Volunteers Participated and fourteen groups were formed.Each group was assigned a portion of the Lake, and everything was fine. The wetland bird species for the lake was diverse with a great reduction in the flamingo numbers. The other observation was that the water level for the lake was very high.
The activity is usually organized by the Ornithology Section, Zoology Department, National Museums of Kenya in Collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service, and other Natural Resource Organizations.

Shared From:Community Education and Awareness Desk.

The White-Necked Cormorant on the Island

The White-Necked Cormorant on the Island

Cormorant drying the wings with the Grey-Headed Gull

Cormorant drying the wings with the Grey-Headed Gulls.