Masai Mara Project Updates and Achievements from Q1 2018 - African Impact

Hours Spent on Each Activity

8% 12%

37%

9% 15% 19%

Big Cat Monitoring

Game counts

Conservancy work

Conservation Education

KGS Guide school

Data Entry

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Volunteers tirelessly assisted in the projects ongoing intensive predator monitoring in the conservancy, which is important in finding the prey-predator densities and abundance.

Lion, cheetah and leopard were extensively observed in the conservancy. This is important in monitoring their movement patterns and studying their behavior.

4 prides of lions were monitored and different individuals profiled in the conservancy.

21 adult lions and 35 cubs were observed.

6 adult cheetahs, 6 cubs and 3 leopards were sighted, identified, profiled and closely monitored.

• “14 years During the April club, volunteers coming to theholiday Mara and the third time on had this project should give you an idea of how highly I rate it. Where the to such workan with teenagers else canchance you have amazing wildlifecompleting experience while making such a great contribution to the conservation their Presidents Award physical recreation efforts to preserve that experience for future generations? A well organised and important project. Money very well hours. Teens were trained spent.” -inTIm,athletics; UK, Big Cat Research Volunteer 2018 including sprinting, long jump and high jump!

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Volunteers conducted grass monitoring surveys to measure the density in different transects. This is essential for the development of grazing management plans.

Volunteers uprooted some invasive plant species in the conservancy. The plant species are harmful to the animals and inhibits the growth of other plants. Volunteers built about 20 fences to control soil erosion in the eroded parts of the conservancy.

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Wildlife counts were done in 8 sample areas. This provides wildlife data in wildlife distribution trends over time.

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Volunteers spent time preparing and delivering lessons to local primary schools. This encourages a passion for wildlife conservation and environmental consciousness.

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Koiyaki Guiding School students developed presentation skills. They were also introduced to foreign language and were exposed to other areas of the globe (through presentations given by the volunteers).

“I’ve been privileged with experiences that I would not have had if I weren’t volunteering. We’ve made trips into the nearby town for lunch, and we’ve gotten up close and personal with animals on a walk through the conservancy. We‘ve formed friendships with the local people. I feel that my experience volunteering has been so much richer than a tourism experience could have been. “

- Jacklyn Tuckey

“This is our third time volunteering with African Impact out here, and I’ve loved it this time just as much as I did the very first time. The wildlife out here is incredible - so many big cats, elephants, giraffes and many other beautiful animals, all in their natural environment, wild and free. I still can’t believe how close we get to them, in a respectful way that doesn’t disturb or upset them.

The savannah stretches out endlessly and the African sky is huge. And we always meet so many different and interesting people – from the volunteers we’re working with, who are all ages and from all over the world, to the project team who are just brilliant, and the Maasai people.”

- Sarah & Tim Ward

THE MARA TEAM ☺