The ViewFinder
NEWSLETTER : ISSUE NO 65, SEPTEMBER 2011
[COMMUNICATIONS][POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF NAKURU NATIONAL PARK][CLIMATE CHANGE][PROBLEMS IN THE MAASAI MARA, AGAIN ]
COMMUNICATIONS
Since our internet provider changed hands in the last few months, we have had a little trouble receiving emails. Not only does the inbox get clogged up, but connection speeds have plummeted. To improve the situation, we have set up an alternative email address. The aim is to wean ourselves away from the africaonline address over a period of time. While we will continue to receive emails on the africaonline address, we will be sending out from the main address: info@viewfindersltd.com. We very much hope that nothing drastic gets lost in the process.
As a way of improving Sunworld Safaris’ understanding of what we are doing, we also copy our client emails, both incoming and outgoing, to Gabriele Nowak so that she is in the loop with what is going on in the Viewfinders office.
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Our photo this month was taken by Jean in the Maasai Mara, and we share it with you for no particular reason, other than that we are concerned over the plight of lions everywhere. They are declining drastically, due to both people pressure and the widespread use of the deadly Furadan which, despite being banned in Kenya is still being indiscriminately used with drastic effect, wiping out not only lions but other predators such as jackals, hyenas, vultures, and more.
POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF NAKURU NATIONAL PARK
Lake Nakuru National Park is probably the most popular in the country, with by far the largest number of visitors. KWS are negotiating with neighbouring Soysambu Conservancy to expand the park towards Lake Elmenteita, which would also increase the size of the existing park by 6,000 hectares.
CLIMATE CHANGE
The drought earlier in the year was described as the worst in sixty years. Large areas of the horn of Africa including northern and eastern Kenya suffered extraordinarily dry conditions and many thousands of people were displaced. The refugee camp at Dadaab was overrun by people from Somalia, most of whom walked over a hundred miles in their desperation, often losing the elderly and the very young along the way. The aid agencies moved in as quickly as they could, as the camp became more crowded by the day. The authorities were reluctant for this camp to increase in size so dramatically, citing a ‘possible terrorist invasion’. But they were overruled by public opinion and support, and a massive fund-raising exercise brought 84 million shillings in a very short time, donated by ordinary Kenyans through their mobile phones. The area around Lake Turkana, particularly to the west of the lake was also hard hit, and thousands of people were starving. Relief trucks from organisations such as the Red Cross endeavoured to carry emergency food and medical supplies by road, but were hampered by bad road conditions, which were then exacerbated by flash floods. Recently, unexpected rain has arrived, and as one observer put it “it’s hard to convince people that there is a drought when you are standing in a puddle”.
Why is Africa always so unprepared?
PROBLEMS IN THE MAASAI MARA, AGAIN
The migration season has just about come to an end this year, and has already been described as one of the best ever. We have had several crews filming there, two of them in 3D, and all report spectacular river crossings and large numbers of predators. Right now, the wildebeest are all but gone, and the grass is green, but short (one of our drivers compared Rhino Ridge with a golf course), due to an overabundance of cattle in the reserve. Filming fees in the Mara Conservancy have been increased to match those of the Narok County Council, so it is now KSh 30,000 per week for a crew of less than five, rising to KSh 50,000 per week for more than five. Never backward in their approach to the collection of money, the Narok CC now insist that the park entry fee is only valid for the day of issue, not for a 24-hour period as was the case previously. It used to be that if you arrived in the reserve at noon, your daily entry payment was good until noon the next day. Now it is only valid for the day of arrival, and next morning, you have to pay for the second day. For some years the entry rate for Kenya residents and vehicles has been KSh 1,000 per day. The Council announced that they were going to increase this to KSh 1,200 per day, and even got new tickets printed. This announcement was met by uproar from the tourist industry, as a result of which they backed down, but only verbally. Now drivers are being told “but the ticket says Sh 1,200, so that is what you must pay, otherwise the books won’t balance”. Are they trying to kill the goose that lays the golden egg?