The ViewFinder
NEWSLETTER : ISSUE NO 63, MARCH 2011

[TRANSLOCATION OF ROTHSCHILD’S GIRAFFE BACK TO THEIR ROOTS][NEW DISCOVERIES ][NEW VISAS REQUIRED FOR TANZANIA][NEW REGULATIONS ON NON-KENYAN VEHICLES][ADDITIONAL COST FOR FILMING IN NATIONAL PARKS]

TRANSLOCATION OF ROTHSCHILD’S GIRAFFE BACK TO THEIR ROOTS

The endangered Rothschild’s giraffe originally ranged throughout Uganda and Western Kenya, as far east as Lake Baringo.   Long ago they were heavily poached and subjected to heavy human pressure.  A small number were rescued from the Soi area by Betty Leslie Melville and moved to the outskirts of Nairobi (Giraffe Manor) where they bred successfully.   Some were then transferred to other areas in the rift valley.  Eight of these animals have now been returned to their original area at Lake Baringo. In a joint operation between Kenya Wildlife Service, the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Northern Rangelands Trust and the RUKO Community Wildlife Conservancy eight of these animals were moved by lorry from Soysambu Conservancy and then by barge to the community-owned sanctuary on the shores of Lake Baringo. This landmark translocation is re-establishing Rothschild's giraffe in an area from where it had disappeared.  Originally named after Lake Baringo, one of the Great Rift's lakes in Kenya, the Rothschild's giraffe is one of the most endangered sub-species of giraffe in the world. They have long been missing from their native habitat, and with fewer than 700 left in the wild, have not been seen in the area in nearly 40 years.

  transloc

Photo by Jose Kalpers.

NEW DISCOVERIES

It is heartening to remember that new species of animals and plants are continually being discovered in East Africa.  One of the most recent has been found in Uganda, an endemic species of lizard found on Lolui Island.  This distinctive black and gold skink has been named Trachylepis loluiensis. So far as is known, this is the first lizard endemic only to Uganda – Tanzania has over 30 species while Kenya has 10.    Lizards are generally solitary creatures, but this Ugandan one is highly gregarious, occurring in large colonies, and living on lake flies which occur in huge numbers on Lake Victoria.  Scientists are somewhat baffled, as this creature has never been recorded on the mainland.  Could it be an ancient species that has been ousted from the mainland, or is it one that has evolved independently for life on an island?
Now to a bizarre insect, which was first collected in 1933, then again in 1948, but does not appear to have been seen since.  This is known as “the terrible hairy fly”, or Mormotomyia hirsuta.  It has non-functional wings, its eyes are smaller than one would expect, it has long spider-like legs and a dense covering of yellow hairs.  Entomologists don’t really know what other fly family it might be related to.    It appears to thrive on bat guano deep inside caves, and has thus escaped scientific notice.  However, when rain washes guano out of the caves or rock clefts, the flies also get washed out into the open.  The fly was located in eastern Kenya, and scientists are now trying to establish the size of its range.

NEW VISAS REQUIRED FOR TANZANIA

Another new development for film crews is the introduction of a new CTA visa for Tanzania.  They can only be issued within Tanzania.  They cannot be issued by Embassies abroad, and are not supposed to be issued at airports or borders either.    They have to be issued in Moshi.    They can be pre-processed by your fixer in Tanzania, and cost US$100 per person.  The validity is for the length of the shoot, or a maximum of two months.    Officially film crews should be allowed to enter Tanzania without any additional visa, but because this is a new thing some officials insist on issuing a tourist visa at the point of entry. 
Red tape is alive and well!

NEW REGULATIONS ON NON-KENYAN VEHICLES

For some years, Tanzania has refused to allow Kenyan registered vehicles into Tanzanian National Parks.  Now Kenya has retaliated, and gone one step further.  Tanzanian vehicles (and any other vehicle that does not have Kenya registration) are no longer allowed into Kenyan National Parks and reserves.   This will make things difficult for people owning Tanzanian filming vehicles to follow the migration into Kenya, and will also affect the overland tourist trucks that run expeditions throughout Africa. 


ADDITIONAL COST FOR FILMING IN NATIONAL PARKS

Over the years, Kenya Wildlife Service have not increased their filming fees which are still affordable.  In the past we have occasionally been charged a ‘conservation fee’ being 15% of the total paid to KWS in any particular location.   This has always been applied only in the event of crews filming off road.  However, it seems that KWS are now charging this amount to all crews in National Parks. The amount is calculated by adding crew park entry, vehicle and driver entry, and filming fees, and taking 15% of the total.  This amount has to be paid to the warden, and cannot be paid in advance at HQ.

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