2019 Highlights

By Hannah Campbell

As we reach the end of 2019, we would like to invite you to celebrate some of our key achievements over the past 12 months with us…

Zero Poaching

Loisaba’s K9 Unit out on patrol. © Alastair Boyd

Due to the increase in investment, National Police Reserve status and additional training programmes, poaching incidents at Loisaba have been reduced to zero, with no major security incident occurring in the conservancy this year.

Two Lionesses Collared

Collared lion at Loisaba Conservancy. © Hannah Campbell

In May 2019, another lioness was collared at Loisaba to allow the real-time tracking of the pride using an app, with a chip in the collar activating alarms that are attached to bomas. This ensures guards are on high alert when the lions are around!

In November, this lioness unfortunately sustained a serious injury to her leg, thought to be sustained by a zebra kick. After examination by a vet from Kenya Wildlife Services, it was concluded that recovery would not be possible and the difficult decision to euthanise her was made.

On the 19th December, a further lioness was collared to continue the important coexistence work of Lion Landscapes. Read more about how initiatives at Loisaba are addressing issues with human-wildlife conflict here.

Five Giraffes Fitted with GPS Tracking Devices

Reticulated giraffe GPS tagging operation. © San Diego Zoo Global

In the single largest GPS satellite tagging of giraffe in history, 28 solar powered GPS satellite tracking units were fitted to endangered reticulated giraffe in northern Kenya from 27th August – 5th September this year (five of which at Loisaba). This exercise was carried out in order to better understand their spatial movements and habitat use in the wild. Read more here.

Black Leopards Scientifically Recorded at Loisaba

Black leopard caught on camera trap at Loisaba Conservancy. © San Diego Zoo Global

In February this year, San Diego Zoo Global released a paper confirming the presence of melanistic leopards in Laikipia, with observations on five different dates and five different camera locations. Read more here.

Request for Loisaba to Become an Eastern Black Rhino Sanctuary Sent to KWS

Memory of Black Rhinos at Loisaba. © Down to Earth Films & Kathy Campbell

Loisaba has recently sent an application to Kenya Wildlife Services requesting permission to become a Rhino Sanctuary. Black rhinos were last seen on the property in the early 70’s, and it is our aim to make Loisaba a permanent home for rhinos again. Read more here.

Invasive Species Removal

JCB backhoe digging a pit for the invasive cactus. © Hannah Campbell

With the help of a generous donation through The Nature Conservancy, we have been able to purchase a JCB backhoe in order to help with the removal of the invasive cactus, Opuntia engelmannii. This investment has made a significant improvement to the efficiency of controlling the species, enabling removal of the cactus at over five times the rate of the previous method. The dug up cactus is now also being used to provide cooking fuel for our anti-poaching unit – read more here.

Community Engagement

© Ami Vitale

During 2019, 47 students have been supported through education, including full payment of school fees, books, uniform, school supplies, transport and school trips. The Loisaba team meets with all sponsored students every term to provide advice and support for their studies. We continue to hold education days at our Conservation Centre, hosting 18-20 students per event. The children take part in exercises demonstrating the importance of food webs and conservation of all species and basic mammal ecology.

Since 2017, Loisaba’s Community Liaison Officer has been visiting Ewaso Dispensary every Monday with our Clinical Health Officer who attends to patients, as well as restocking the dispensary with medication provided by the government. In addition to this, medical outreach clinics are held monthly in communities that have little access to medical care. Over 1,500 patients were treated in 2019. Read more here.

Thank you!

Whether you’ve been to stay at one of Elewana’s lodges here at Loisaba, supported us with a generous donation or simply followed our work on social media, you are a valued part of Loisaba’s network.

If you would like to support our work further, visit www.loisaba.com/donate.

Thank you for your support. Here’s to a successful 2020!

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How Removing an Invasive Cactus Species is Helping to Provide Meals for Our Security Team

 

An elephant feeds on the invasive Opuntia cactus. Photo © Gustavo Lozada/TNC

By Hannah Campbell

Prickly pear is a group of flat-stemmed spiny cacti that produce edible fruit. Some prickly pear species are also cultivated as ornamental plants, valued for their large flowers. Two of the best known species, Engelmann prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii) and the beaver tail cactus (O.basilaris), commonly occur in the southwestern United States.

Prickly pear was first introduced to the conservancy in the 1970’s as an ornamental living wall, when the negative impacts were unknown. Since then, it has unfortunately spread to a wider area of the conservancy.

© Mario Moreno

With the help of a generous donation through The Nature Conservancy, we have been able to purchase a JCB backhoe in order to help with the mechanical removal of the plant. The use of the backhoe has enabled removal of the cactus at over five times the rate of the previous method – using large knives known as ‘pangas’, shovels and wheelbarrows.

Cactus removal team working to cut down the cactus.

The JCB backhoe burying the cactus. Photo: Hannah Campbell

But what to do with the uprooted cactus? Prickly pear is incredibly resilient, and even a tiny part of a plant can take root and grow again if left behind.

As well as digging deep pits with the back-hoe to bury the opuntia in, the same grant has enabled the installation of a ‘BioDigester’, which turns any organic waste (including cactus!) into both a rich fertiliser and a gas – which is then used to cook food in the security ranger canteen. This helps both to dispose of the removed cactus, and save firewood/purchase of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), a much more eco-friendly way of cooking!

The BioDigester

When the cactus has finally been eradicated, any other organic matter including kitchen waste can be used to run the BioDigester, meaning there will not be an incentive to plant more of this nightmare species!

If you would like to help us in our efforts to remove this invasive species and protect crucial wildlife habitat, visit www.loisaba.com/donate.

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GivingTuesday 2019

GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, it has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

For GivingTuesday this year, we are encouraging donations towards health outreach clinics in Loisaba’s surrounding communities. Currently, there are very few clinics available to many of the communities surrounding Loisaba – only two out of five have one. This means many people have very limited access to health care, being several days walk from the nearest clinic.

© Ami Vitale

Loisaba currently holds a monthly outreach clinic in alternate communities which aims to see and treat as many people as possible, along with assisting at a local dispensary every Monday. This is carried out by collected government supplied drugs from a pharmacy in a nearby town, and driving into the communities – providing medical care to over 1,500 people. Loisaba also provides stipends and training for Community Health Workers, in order to help provide health care on a daily basis.

© 2019 Matthew Gann

A recent guest at Elewana Collection’s Loisaba Tented Camp, Jillian Gann, is helping to raise funds for health care in the Loisaba Communities. A recent survey in our communities has shown that the top priority for women is medical care. Help us by donating here.

$50 will fund one of the weekly visits to Ewaso Dispensary

$100 will fund a training day for the Community Health Workers

$200 will fund a monthly medial outreach clinic

© 2019 Matthew Gann

Donated funds will go to Loisaba Community Conservation Foundation Inc., a 501(c)3 qualified Charitable Trust, meaning all donations from the US are 100% tax deductible. LCCF does not take administration fees or costs associated with your donation, so all funds raised will go directly to the project.

You can also donate through our Loisaba Donation page – www.loisaba.com/donate.

A huge thank you to Jillian Gann for supporting our efforts in providing necessary healthcare to those with limited access, and to Loisaba Community Conservation Foundation for their continued support.

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