The ViewFinder
NEWSLETTER : ISSUE NO 51, MARCH 2008

[STORY SO FAR][MAMMAL DISCOVERED IN TANZANIA][FIRE IN LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK]

STOP PRESS:  Since the bulk of this newsletter was written, and we were about to “hit send”, the situation has changed. Yesterday Kofi Annan managed to get the two political protagonists to sign an agreement.  We now have a ‘coalition’ government committed to peace, to restoring Kenya to its former glory, to ending the violence and unrest that hit the country in January. So it’s “SITUATION NORMAL” again.

STORY SO FAR

No-one can have failed to hear that our election results were dubious, and triggered off angry protests leading to the deaths of well over a thousand people, and the displacement of upward of half a million more.    While the situation was extremely serious in some parts of the country, the international press – as they do – blew it out of all proportion, giving the impression that the entire country was in flames and that we were all being threatened on a minute-by-minute basis.  The reality is that there were just two days when we were unable to go into Nairobi because of road blocks (blocked by the police, to contain the trouble makers).   This meant that for two days the shops and petrol stations did not receive deliveries.   Two days only, but it was enough for the press and the international community to move into total panic mode, putting travel advisories in place without much thought for the consequences.   As a result, 90% of our tourists cancelled, and the economy suddenly fell into a state of crisis, from which it will take a very long time to recover.   People throughout the world were fed the same footage of isolated acts of violence, day after day, hour after hour, giving the impression that the country was unsafe and that we were in an irretrievable state of violence, civil war, genocide and terror, with tear gas canisters raining down.     We are all angered by the press coverage that you saw, which was pure sensationalism.  Like vultures on a carcass, the press gorged on the bad news.   As soon as things began to improve, and there were good things happening in Kenya, the press were gone – to Chad, to Afghanistan, to Sri Lanka, anywhere where there was more mayhem and disaster.     Where was the coverage of a lone game warden single handedly saving 865 people from being killed by unruly youth?  Where was the coverage of two ladies in the rift valley driving through roadblocks of burning tyres collecting children’s clothes for the displaced kids in camps?  Where was the coverage of vegetable sellers in a remote market collecting donations of 20p to raise funds for medicines?  Where was the coverage of the overflowing collection boxes in supermarkets, filled to overflowing with donations of food, books, toys, clothes, blankets, sanitary towels, utensils, and water?   

Another aspect of the situation that has hardly been covered is the enormous humanaitarian effort that has been made by ordinary people in many different ways to assist those people who have been forced from their homes into makeshift camps.    A group of Sarah Miller’s friends in Winchester got together and started knitting.   The following herd of rare and enchanting creatures (ursa sp.) have now been delivered to Eldama Ravine, one of the hardest hit areas in the Rift Valley.    So 36 children who had lost everything now have a little ray of sunshine to help them on the long road they face in getting over the trauma they have been through

We would like to reassure everyone that we are here, we are safe, and we are looking after film crews, although it would be nice to have more of them.   Throughout even the worst days at the start of the year, there was not one incident involving a tourist, a visitor, or a film maker, or even a non-Kenyan of any kind.    And we should point out that right now is probably the best time ever for filming wildlife.   The weather is gorgeous.  The parks and reserves are nearly deserted, many camps and lodges having closed down.  So if you want that special up-close-and-personal footage of big cats, elephants, etc you can get it without having to worry about 48 minibuses and Landcruisers getting in the shot. Please ignore your government travel warnings – they are written by people who have no idea of what is going on, who cannot even point to Kenya on a map.    Rest assured that we are monitoring all areas of the country on a regular basis, and 99% of them are perfectly safe.   The remaining 1% is probably also safe, most of the time, but could possibly flare up if the politicians’ negotiations become too protracted.   We simply would not send you into, or anywhere near a ‘war zone’, or indeed any area where there is likely to be any unrest of any kind.    

Despite the problems, we have obtained 12 film licences this year.   We have a long-term crew in Amboseli, and have had crews in the Mara, Samburu, Laikipia, Tsavo, Nairobi and the Aberdares, with more passing through en route to Tanzania and Sudan.      Come on – Kenya needs some positive footage, some beautiful footage, and - let’s face it – some help.   Too many people have had to take a 50% cut in salary, too many people have been laid off indefinitely, too many people really want to get back to work.

NEW MAMMAL DISCOVERED IN TANZANIA

Another species new to science has been discovered in Tanzania, again in the Udzungwa mountains.   In the same highland forest where the new monkey Kipunji was found in 2003, a new species of elephant shrew known as the grey faced sengi was discovered on a roll of film from a camera trap.   This is the first new species of sengi to be found in more than 126 years, and it is the largest species so far, weighing in at 1.5 lbs.     Two populations are known, covering just 115 square miles in a fragile forested area.  

FIRE IN LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

Having said that the country is not on fire – now I have to contradict myself.   Towards the end of February, a smallholder in the Congreve area between Soysambu and Nakuru NP decided to burn a very small patch of grass.   There was a high wind at the time, and within minutes the fire was out of control.   The flames spread rapidly both on to the Delamere’s ranch and into Nakuru NP.   It raged for three days, during which time everyone within reach tried to put it out – residents, wardens, the army.   Wind was a real problem, and the whole area was dry.  The fire jumped over fire breaks and spread rapidly, endangering several lodges and camps as well as homes.   Eventually it was put out, but an area of more than 50 sq.km was destroyed.  Many trees were burned, including the euphorbia forest where most of Nakuru’s rhinos live.   Now there is a very real risk that many of the herbivores in the park will starve.   This dramatic photo is by Andrew Nightingale.