Live and let live!.. + THANKYOU!! and more

LOVE THIS PICTURE!! A huge male elephant just getting on with his day.. goats or no goats, this is where he wants to cross!

each ‘kind’ getting on with life.. Goats eating along the edge of the lugga and this big bull elephant calmly going about his plan!!

and on he goes!

Hi All.. Life goes on !.. ‘We’ are busy up on the ‘Milgis’ keeping the wildlife safe, teaching the importance of forests, and generally helping where we can!..Veterinary, Family planning, dams, explaining the implications of throwing rubbish out the back gate! and lots more…  No safaris though.. Although they have opened up our international airport..  I think  the only people traveling is essential…  this blog is about saying THANK YOU …. We just want to THANK all our supporters who never let us down… A huge GRATEFUL THANK YOU to every one that keeps an eye on us, every one who sends funds to keep us tiking along.. old and new support.. its wonderful…

I am including here below a cool report by Digs on the last 5 years .. It was funds given to the Milgis from the TANG prize… Please do have a look..  It gives a good account on what we have seen change over the last few years!  We are incredibly grateful to Gro Brundtland… and all you AMAZING NORWEGIANS!!.. What would ‘Milgis’be with out you all!???

please click below

Tang Prize 5 -year report 2020

I thought this lovely herd of Elephants milling around on the lugga is a real show of gratefulness to you all for bringing them a safe area to live in..

a big herd of elephants on the Milgis lugga.. happy, calm and safe!.. lovely to see!

Again the managers report in its raw form from June and July, so you can see whats going on… Its abit long winded as every scout was able to give his report…… but quite interesting to see the real prospectives and issues from each area in our vast coverage… if you have time try and read it as it gives a good idea on what is going on.. ie wild dogs disturbing, lions increasing fast, elephant movements, Sandal wood Scandal.. How forest (matthews) under protection?? is being raped + how many communitie’s are suffering from colds, etc etc… ( italics explaining more by myself)

These two months were dry and windy in most places. The nomads from Latakweny and Loikumkum moved towards Mpaash and Leonti after these places received some rains. Elephants have started moving up and now plenty of elephants are around Lkanto.

The lions are now down Milgis and reports are that 3 now have cubs, 9 cubs in total. The population is now about 24 along the Milgis and Barsaloi luggas.

Manager… Supukan Lesoloyia

• Asked the scouts to train the community about animals behavior and more so elephants as many people run away on seeing elephants and in the process harm themselves and later complain about elephants
• Informed the scouts about the dogs dyeing of distemper and how the vaccination was done
• Reiterated about polluting the environment with plastics stressed on the health (biotisho) of the environment..( every manyatta MUST be responsible for there little area.. )(x4)
  

  x4 Collecting rubbish around their homes!

  

  collecting rubbish along the luggas… Its all coming from up stream.. i wish people would realise what they are doing when they throw a plastic bottle out??

• Asked the scouts to talk to boys about dikdik killing
• Planned with the lkees unit (east Ndotos) leader how the tractor will be working while in that unit
• Asked the seiyia unit scouts and Lkiramat to give their unit leader support in the fight against sandal wood
• Asked all scouts and Lkiramat to talk about bush fires as many areas are now dry and could easily catch fire.  (x3)

x3..The ever valuable Ndoto Forest..  Full to the brim of herbal medicines!!

the magnificent rock .. Aldera..

From the top of the Ndoto Mountains..  .. A full herbal hospital.. The burning of this valuable asset MUST STOP!! ( We are very happy that the forestry department have woken up.. We will support you where ever we can!.. )

Scout leader… 

The scout leader went round the Ndoto and came up with the following report

• Ntill dam silted  x2
• Sidai dam broken x2
• Wildlife especially gazelles and ostrich friendly in Nairibi area
• Police in Suyian killed 2 warthogs for game meat and the community talked to them not to do it again
• Grevy’s dyeing in suyian area, 6 died while 2 were saved by GZT

x2 dam tractor, serviced, washed and ready for action! Next job is to repair all the dams after the floods and elephants playing.. Of course elephants are vital to solidifying the dam floors but some times they over do it!!

SEIYA UNIT  (Northern Lenkiyou Mountain,  West Lenkiyou, Nairimirimo, and Barsaloi Lugga)

The unit held its meeting at Laananikan at Lare Onyekie junction. The following are the reports from the scouts and Lkiramat. ( caretaker who work under the scouts to support his work)

Nkare Narok

• Elephants have come back to the area and are doing fine with plenty of water and pasture in the area
• Wild dogs a big bother in the community attacking shoats almost every day
• Leopards and hyenas attacking homes at night

Nchoro Nadua

• Lions in Leamo have taken over the lugga and no livestock now going there
• A lioness with 3 young cubs in the area after the one with 2 cubs started moving with her cubs
• Wild dogs attacking livestock in the area

  Letoole/Nairimirimo

• The area scout visited Naibor Keju, south of Kirisia and gave a report that people have been moved out of the forest and the forest is already starting to recover in most place and elephants are starting to come back to the forest.. xxx
• 12 elephants stayed in Nairimirimo after cattle left the area after a disease that makes cattle stiff affected the area and cattle moved out of the area
• Dam repaired at Letoole is full
• Grevy’s zebra on the increase in the area
• 2 elephants stayed at Loturo for quite some time
• 1 buffalo still at Nesirayo and doing well as there is plenty of water and pasture in the area
• Held a meeting at Swari and from the look of things nothing is forthcoming  (water Project pump was stolen)

Ljakuai

• The area has plenty of pasture and water is still flowing in the Seiya
• Reported that the Swari community is not cooperative and no one comes to the meetings?? ( see above)
• The scout talked to three people suspected of having the pump but they all denied having the pump

Ndonyo nasipa

• The Lkiramat in the area reported that elephants are destroying acacia trees in the area
• The community is really struggling with water problem and are requesting for their system to be repaired (the pump has been checked and we have discovered there is a problem with the solar configuration )
• There is plenty of water and pasture

Nadooto

• Malaria in the area
• Too many immigrants in the area due to some rain (nomads moving)
• Elephants went up Nadooto and crossed over to Naupa Nkuruki   ( new movements)
• Gerenuks on the increase in laishimi
• Small herd of elephants went up Barsaloi and came back  ( why??)
• Market at Langata Nanyekie opened and motorbikes moving up and down
• Dam at Nadooto done and completed

Losike

• The lkiramat in the area reported 3 resident male elephants in the area
• Small herd came from Nkare narok and went down Milgis lugga
• Visited Lenkiyiou and found many elephants
• Did not find buffaloes and wondered what happened to the herds

Naupa Nkuruki

• 2 lions in the area for some time now
• Wild dogs terrorizing residents of the area
• 1 hyena a big bother and attacks livestock during the day especially where young children are looking after the livestock
• Dogs dyeing in the area  ( distemper?)

Lkwasi

• Elephants destroying trees at the junction of Seiya and Resim
• Camel disease in the area, the entire Seiya ( respiratory and dangerous)
• There is plenty of water and pasture

Lodukan

• A big herd of elephants came up Seiya and went back
• Wild dogs disturbing people and wiping out dik diks in the area

Seiya Unit leader

• Informed the unit of one of the scouts is retiring and informed them that Lepokodou was made a scout and the recruitment of Lolwerikoi from Leaderos village ( Parsaloi lugga) as a Lkiramat..( Caretaker)
• He warned that Ndonyo Nasipa panels are not guarded properly
• He asked all scouts to keep an eye on what is happening in their area regarding sandal wood..
•  He said new Sandal wood is being cut in Nkare Narok.

• 

  Martial eagle..

NDOTO UNIT  ( Suruan, West, North, North East Ndoto Mountain,)

The unit held its meeting at Seren area and the following is their report

The unit leader welcomed the scouts and Lkiramat into the meeting and gave an overview of how things are in the area, he said Keleswa dam needs a trench made, he asked every scout who has an automobile to careful after an accident at Ndikir. He said the road is good and people tend to speed . the car that had an accident killed the driver and burnt to ashes with all the goods it was carrying. He also complained about the nutrition supplements given out to malnourished children as the biggest pollutant in the area as the plastics are thrown everywhere.

Lkotikal/Lesirikan

• Plenty of grevy’s and common zebras in the area
• Bush pig and lesser kudu on the increase in the Baragoi lugga
• Greater kudu now recovering in Lesirikan mountain
• Insecurity due to cattle rustling still a problem in the area
• Shoats not well in his area  ( Goats and Sheep disease)

Keleswa

• 20 elephants resident in the area
• The presence of elephants and insecurity helping save the dik diks as boys fear going out at night to look for them using torches
• Plenty of pasture and water for people and livestock in the area

Seren

• Common cold in the area
• Many elephants in the area
• Safaricom has started building a mast in the area near our water tank
• Less Ostriches around as they have moved down into the desert
• The Lkiramat wondered why Elephants have never gone on the slopes west of Seren but love going towards Mpatmpat ( Salt pan )
• Migrants from Baragoi who are living in the desert killing gerenuk for meat

Loodua

• Plenty of water and pasture in the area
• The road to loodua being repaired
• No more elephants in the area , they have moved towards Keleswa
• Greater kudu on the increase in loonkopit area, groups of up to 10 can be seen

Siteti

• Common cold among children
• No elephants in the area
• Leopard a big problem at night
• 3 people arrested stealing honey from peoples beehives

Suruan

• The mountain is now very cold
• Many elephants on the slopes and not many on top of the mountain
• Buffaloes at lekirau area of Suruan

A young Verreaux eagle owl.. Being very brave ( or Silly) out in the midday sun!

Taparsoit/lpakenyua

• Few elephants in lpakenyua
• People have moved to Cheni orok
• Loikumkum water project doing ok
• No more cutting of trees in the area
• Plenty of water and pasture in the area
• Plastics are now only found in loikumkum town area only
• Anti rabies vaccination has not happened in Taparsoit, Lekeri and Sererit
• Lions left the area.
• Taparsoit beehives have been cleaned and moved to a new site

Kasipo

• Sufficient water and pasture
• Not many elephants in the area
• Warned that road robbers are on the increase and we need to be vigilant as they can turn to anything

Bees’ project

• 15 hives in Sererit and Mekewa waxed and changed position
• 8 hives in Taparsoit cleaned and changed position
• 8 hives in Ntasate have bees in.
• Plenty of elephants in Takan area of Ntasate
• 3 greater kudus moved up Parmoti

LKEES UNIT  ( The Desert ) Ngurnit, to Chalbi, across to Ndonyo Mara, and Nyiru)

The unit held its meeting at Siagaan below the great rock of Poi..

Mpang

• Livestock not at home
• Two vehicles with tourist went down Parkoren past Lesilau and did not talk to any body
• One drum split into two from the top but the community still drinking as the turned the pipe to one tank
• One woman with Vistula needs help and a child born with the eye lid turned inward and not letting the eye to open  ( we will follow up on this to see if they know where to go )

Ldonyo Mara

• Insecurity in the area as livestock stolen from Lonjorin and Gaas areas
• The astronomer says the eclipse (x8) was about Corona but will not get to Samburu. He says the shoats’ illness will reduce and rain will not fail.

x 8 eclipse of the sun

• Wildlife came up after the rains and plenty of giraffes and oryx in the area.
• He said the motorbike movement in the desert is still on  ( we fear they are looking for giraffes)
• Lepirish and Aarge dams need to be cleaned

Mpagas

• • Plenty of pasture and water in the area
  • Not many elephants in the area
  • Common cold in the area
  • Water project went well and completed.. every one is VERY happy!.. (5 years on…a typical ‘Africa’ story) (x7)
    

    x7 digging the 3 km trench .. 

the pipe laid

• 

  covering the pipe

  

  

  over the rocks

  

  properly covered

  

  Community cant wait!

  

  off with her water

  

  the young lad rushed to catch a chance for his goats!

  

  ‘making hay while the sun shines!!!’  the community could not wait..

  

  the community standpipe .. Not usable yet!

• mpagas continued…….
• 1 boy with Madura
• 7 lions in the area near the Ltepes Ndare bore hole
• Ndoto conservancy wanted to make a camp in the area
• A lioness gave birth to 3 cubs in Nkutoto Elmartii

x7 before the stand pipe is ready

the teams camp

the Ltepes Ndare borehole being serviced.. before the team departs.. leaving the community happy!

Richard and Heather and their board can breath a sigh of relief!!.. Thank you sooooo much for your patience and support.. and thank you to the councillor for his perseverance to finally get the money that was meant to go towards finishing this project .. Weldone ALL..

the scouts report continues..

Lesilau

• Grant gazelles and gerenuk on the increase and very friendly
• 2 dams in the area need cleaning
• Livestock not in the area as pasture has reduced

South Horr

• A gang of 28 raided the town and was fined by the community 28 cows
• 14 elephants in the area
• Insecurity in the Waso Rongai area
• Common cold in the area
• 4 people died after dog bites ( rabies)(x5)
• Plenty of water and pasture

x5As we speak we are addressing the above situation as much as we can The vet team on their way out again with a new batch of rabies vaccines

Nkurnit/Mao

• Buffaloes in lepiri
• Few elephants in the area
• 3 Lions went towards langata Nanyekie

Lmoti

• Plenty of pasture but no water, they get water from Nkurnit and requesting for water dam and repair of their water tank   (Our tractor is there now)
• Working with GZT scout from Naimarei
• Since the Larapasi shooting of elephants no more elephants have gone there again  ( poachers in December 19 caught a group of elephants in a canyon and rained bullets onto the poor helpless elephants.. None killed on the spot, BUT Many died of their wounds later.. Very serious and not caught )
• Road robbers a problem in the area

Erreer 

• Elders moving cattle from Erreer
• Plenty of water and pasture
• Grevy’s drinking at Lmoti Oibor
• Lioness with 2 cub in the area.

Unit leader

• Over 30 elephants came via Illaut and went towards Langata Nanyekie
• Mountain patrol was good and there was nothing of concern in the area, the wildlife in the area are ok. They met some people in the mountain looking for honey and asked them to be careful about fire.(x6)
• 

  x6 mountain patrols

  

  a well earned rest its quite hard work climbing the Ndotos!

  

  They met this friend on their way up! black mamba….

• safari ants in the mountain rife.. danger to young helpless animals
• Patrols a good way to awaken and strengthen scouts and lkiramats

LKEREI UNIT.. ( South Ndotos, Milgis Lugga, Noonkeek, North East Lenkiyou, Latakwen )

The unit held its meeting at Ndonyo Wuas

Matepes

• People moved to Lolgoto and Mpaash areas after rain in those places.
• Plenty of water and pasture
• No elephants in the area

Nonchura

• Livestock moved to Nadooto area looking for greener pasture
• The scout visited Kikwar and saw many giraffes
• Increase in gerenuk in Nonkeek area
• Elephant chased by motorbikes in Barsaloi lugga
• Gun shots heard above Kikwar
• On his way the scout found an old elephant carcass near Kalepo camp and reported to them . the elephant had both tusks
• Buffaloes in Kikwar

Ndonyo Wuas

• Not many elephants
• Lions moved down Milgis
• Motorbikes moving up and down at night

Kurkum

• Plenty of pasture and water
• Elephants on the slopes and not coming down to the Milgis
• Leopard a big problem in the area
• There are 2 lions with 2 cubs, 5 in a pride and another 2 on their own

Leonti/Nemaalo

• Wild dog a big problem in the area
• Greater kudu on the increase
• Leopard attacking at night
• Gerenuk in leonti near lolmuny

Lemporina

• Few elephants in the area
• Plenty of water and pasture
• Many grant gazelles in the area on the Marti
• Leopard attacking at night

Langata nanyekie

• Common cold in the area
• Elephants on the slopes and not coming down
• Cows have started moving up the mountain

Keno

• No buffaloes in the area
• Lions are no longer in the area
• Leopard a big problem , killed 2 camel calves
• Women from Lepindira came for Sanservera but did not get any ( Rendille for their houses)

Lchoro

• Camels not ok in the area  ( a respiratory disease that has killed many pregnant females)
• An increase in Greater kudu at Pargir
• Warthogs in Ltirim Lolkeri on the increase

Sererit

• No elephants in the area, only a few up the slopes
• People now serious about fires as they know forest service is on the way and they want to be good so that they will not be moved out of the area  ( its a shame its got to this but the law here seems to be the only way to go Remember the fires last year??)  x3
• The lkiramat met many elephants at Leperere area on his way to the meeting.

Unit leader

• Since last year things have changed and no gunshots have been heard in the area
• Asked his scouts to be serious and vigilant in the area and make sure no elephants die in the area from poaching
• He informed his team that he is planning for a joint meeting with the lkees unit to iron out a few issues regarding working as a team.

Lemosa.. Our safari leader..

• He praised the scouts for the good work they are doing and said Milgis is admired because of the respect and good work they do
• Asked the scouts to tell the community that there are no safaris because of corona
• He informed them that all the money paid from tourists to the community is no longer there until the safaris resume.
• Asked scouts to be serious and do their work without worry, and don’t get involved with politics
• He informed the scouts that Helen and her team will go round to check all the areas.

My fascination on rainbows!! .. is it raining?.. Well it is in some places…. BUT very patchy .. some places are VERY green and some places are bone dry!

Just to finish off a couple of clever survival technics from birds!!

A sunbirds nest right next to a hornets nest.. nobody comes near the nest !!

white headed buffaloe weaver protects its nest with thorns..

a closer view!

Thankyou all… None of this would happen with YOU!!  Keep smiling……