Africa

New Lions Found In Mara

News from Predator Aware - WildlifeDirekt

These Lions we found on the night of the 21st December in the Siana Wildlife Conservancy Masai Mara. There were three of them, a mating pair and this Lion above.We were all so excited as the drought was making Lions very difficult to find.These we found at 11 o’clock at night.We were also very pleased to find these two males.One we have not seen for a very long time and one we have never seen before.






Rains end the drought on 25th December, What a Christmas Gift!!
Relief from the drought arrived on Christmas day and it has made the area come alive.
It has rained well since then and has ended the terrible drought of 2009.





Helph 2010 Predator Aware
Save Our Lions and Leopards

The night before christmas - Die Nacht vor Weihnachten

Twas the night before Christmas,when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicolas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads;
And Mama in her kerchief,and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter´s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave a luster of midday to objekts below;
When what to my wondering eyes should appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver so lively an quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick!
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer!
now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away, all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle,mount to the sky,
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of toys - and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling,

I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes, how they twinkled!
his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
he was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know
I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but he went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings,then turned with a jerk,
And laying a finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Die Nacht vor Weihnachten

Es war die Nacht vor Weihnacht, als durch das ganze Hause, keine Lebewesen sich regte, nicht mal eine Maus. Die Strümpfe waren sorgfältig am Kamin aufgehängt, in der Hoffnung, dass St. Nikolaus bald kommt.
Die Kinder waren gemütlich ins Bett gekuschelt, während Träume von Weihnachtsgutsle ihn ihren Köpfen tanzen, und Mama mit ihrer Nachthaube und ich mit der Schlafmütze hatten grade unser Sorge/Gedanken abgelegt für einen langen Winterschlaf, als draußen auf dem Rasen sich so ein lautes Geklapper, dass ich aus dem Bett sprang,
um zu sehen, was los ist. Rüber zum Fenster, sauste ich wie ein Blitz, schob das Schiebefenster zur Seite und stieß die Fensterläden auf. Der Mond auf dem Leintuch von frisch gefallenem Schnee verlieh allen Dingen da unter eine hellen Glanz.

Als plötzlich vor meinen erstaunten Augen nichts anderes als ein kleiner Schlitten auftauchte und acht niedliche Rentiere, mit einem kleinen, alten Fahrer so lebhaft und geschwind. Im selben Moment wusste ich, das muss St. Nick sein.
Schneller als Adler kamen seine Renner, und er pfiff und schrie und rief sie mit Namen: "Jetzt, Flitzer! jetzt, Tänzer! jetzt, Trippler und Füchsle! Auf, Komet! auf Cupido! auf, Donner! auf, Blitz! Rauf aufs Vordach auf die Spitze der Wand, Jetzt stürmt weg, stürmt davon, stürmt los, alle zusammen. Wie trockene Blätter, die von dem wilden Sturm wegfliegen, stiegen sie in den Himmel empor, wenn sie auf ein Hindernis trafen, so flogen die Renner empor zum Hausdach mit dem Schlitten voll Spielzeug - und natürlich mit St. Nikolaus. Und dann in einem Augenblick hörte ich auf dem Dach das Tänzeln und scharren jedes einzelnen Hufes.
Als ich meinen Kopf zurückzog und mich umdrehte, kam Nikolaus mit einem Plumps den Kamin runter.

Er war ganz von Kopf bis Fuß mit Pelz bekleidet und seine Kleider waren beschmutzt mit Asche und Ruß. Einen Sach voll Geschenken trug er über seinem Rücken. Er sah aus wie ein Händler, der sein Bündel öffnete. Seine Augen, wie sie funkelten, und die Grübchen, wie spaßig! Seine Wangen leuchteten wie Rosen, seine Nase wie ein Kirsche. Sein drolliger kleiner Mund glich einem emporgezogenen Bogen, und der Bart auf seinen Backen war weiß wie Schnee. Der Stummel einer Pfeife, hielt er fest im Mund, und deren Rauch umgab seinen Kopf wie ein Kranz. Er hatte ein breites Gesicht und einen kleinen runden Bauch, der, wenn er lachte, wie eine Schale voll Gelee wabbelte. Er war rundlich und mollig, ein richtiger lustiger alter Elfe. Und ich lachte, als ich ihn sah, ohne auf mich selbst zu achten.
Ein Augenzwinkern und ein Kopfschütteln signalisierten mir, dass ich nichts zu befürchten hätte. Er sagte kein Wort, sondern machte sich direkt an sein Werk und füllte alle Socken und mit einem Ruck drehte er sich um, legte einen Finger an die Nase und mit einem Kopfnicken stieg er den Kamin hoch. Er sprang in seinen Schlitten, pfiff seiner Truppe und sie flogen zusammen weg.
Doch ich hörte ihn noch ausrufen, ehe er außer Sicht war:
"Frohe Weihnachten euch allen und allen eine Gute Nacht!"

World’s Rarest Rhinos in Successful Homecoming

Dezember 21, 2009: Four of the world’s last known remaining eight northern white rhinos were relocated from captivity back to the wild, thanks to the collaborative efforts of a consortium of conservation organisations.
Kenyan Forestry and Wildlife Minister Dr Noah Wekesa received the two males and two females at Ol Pejeta Ranch, where he described the subspecies relocation as “a homecoming by one of the rhinos that initially came from Sudan.”

The aim of the project is to reintroduce the northern white rhinos back to Southern Sudan, Congo and Cameroon, said Mr. Patrick Omondi, the Head of Species Conservation and Management at the Kenya Wildlife Service.

»»» more direkt by KWS «««

Huge payout for Mau big shots

Political heavyweights who were allocated thousands of hectares of forestland are set to receive up to Sh2 billion in compensation, the Sunday Nation can reveal.

The big shots, who were the main beneficiaries of the excision of the Mau forest complex, will be paid for their vast holdings in the forest because they have title deeds proving ownership.
The payouts are likely to be controversial because most of the big shots who own land in the Mau are well connected Moi-era politicians and civil servants who used their offices to acquire the land irregularly, according to the Ndungú Commission of Inquiry.
Former Kabete MP Paul Muite described the payment plan as an outrage.
“One day when power is in the hands of reformers, those who are paying and those who are receiving will have to refund the money to ordinary Kenyans.”

Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission board member Billow Kerrow said the proposed compensation package would set a bad precedent.

“The trend emerging is that it has become a reality in this country that big time corruption is no longer deemed to be social injustice. You will be punished for small-time corruption but when you are in the big league, you are sure you will get away with it,” said Mr Kerrow.
A valuation report prepared for the government by the United Nations Environment Programme places the value of the land for which it could find titles at Sh1.5 billion.

That figure excludes the value of buildings constructed on the land, which could push the value much higher. It also does not take into account the value of land holdings registered in the names of companies whose files cannot be traced at the registry.

A senior government official, who declined to speak on the record on the matter because an official statement will only be released after the Cabinet meets this week, confirmed the government would pay all those with titles.
Among those named as beneficiaries of the allocations is former President Moi who is associated with the extensive Kiptagich tea estate in the Mau.

read more

Really! If the goverment pays out the billions for land that was corruptly acquired they will be legitimizing corruption.

Another Kenya
The humanitarian cost of under-development







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Tanzania puts faith in jatropha plant

The small village of Miririnyi village lies in the sun-baked province of Arusha in northern Tanzania.

The ancient crop jatropha grows wild here. It is extremely hardy and can survive in dry, barren soil - even though other plants cannot.
It used to be considered as bush with no commercial potential.
But the global search for clean energy has changed all that.
That is because the seeds can be harvested to make biofuel. It has meant that farmers are now taking to the crop with gusto.

Child's play
Samson Nasary is one such farmer, and he is looking to jatropha as an important source of income.
He harvests the seed and takes it to a collection point where he meets an agent for a firm called Diligent Tanzania. The product is weighed and valued, then a deal is struck.
The government is shouting about this because some of the farmers they plant only jatropha without food production Faustina Manang, Diligent Mr Nasary says it was school children looking for extra pocket money who first led the way in raising awareness of the commercial potential.
"Initially, it was actually the kids who'd sell the seeds - and we really got interested and thought - why can't we get the seeds and sell them," he says.
"That's why we've been collecting the seeds and selling them to Diligent."
A few miles away from the farm, we come to a factory run by Diligent. The company doesn't grow jatropha itself.
It buys seeds from farmers through its local agents.....
»»» more «««

The plant requires little water, fertilizer or pesticides ????


How a Biofuel 'Miracle' Ruined Kenyan Farmers

Kenya isn't the only country that's gotten caught up in the excitement over jatropha. Last December, an Air New Zealand jet powered by a jatropha/kerosene blend made a successful test flight. China, Brazil and even Myanmar have promoted it heavily, sometimes forcing farmers to plant it. In India, jatropha has been planted on hundreds of thousands of acres of land. But, like the farmers in Kibwezi, farmers in these other countries have also experienced problems growing the plant. In India, for example, a test project at several agricultural colleges produced seed yields of only 200 grams per plant — a fifth the expected output of one kilogram of seeds per plant.......

Biofuel Gone Bad: Burma's Atrophying Jatropha

Each of Burma's states and divisions was ordered to dedicate around 500,000 acres (202,000 hectares) to physic-nut cultivation, pressuring many ordinary citizens into a massive forced-planting campaign, according to human-rights groups. While my friend has enough money to pay for the mandatory seeds, many other Burmese aren't so lucky. Those who refuse to farm physic nut face possible jail time. By the end of 2008, the nation's top brass aimed to have 8 million acres (3.24 million ha) of jatropha scattered across Burma, some in vast plantations run by foreign companies, others wedged into home gardens or between shacks .......

Those claims are patently false.

This is a sad symbol of a warming world

Where is the ice on Mt Kilimanjaro
As the Climate change debate rages in Copenhagen, Mt.Kilimajaro where the ice cap has melted leaving only a small portion of the summit covered with ice leave no doubt about climate change, if the prolonged drought in East Africa and flooding in southern and West Africa isn’t enough proof.

Masai Mara Reserve, is it safe for lions?

The Masai Mara National Reserve which is a internationally recognised protected area for wildlife was filled with cattle yesterday while we were there for a short visit. Our Predator Aware team witnessed many thousands in separate herds.The amount of cattle is alarming as it will undoubtedly lead to human / wildlife conflict and in fact it already has this past year. Authorities suggest that as many as 30 Lions may have been killed this year with the influx of Maasai cattle inside the Reserve due to drought. This is obviously intolerable.Predator Aware aims to expand its influence into the Masai Mara Reserve eventually.The strong Conservation message to protect Lions and Leopards as well as Cheetahs and others is so needed in all the Mara communities including those surrounding the National Reserve.

»»» more «««

Big male lion in the night

Last night very close to our camp in the bush was the Big Male Lion from the base camp pride. The sky was clear and beautiful . We need rain so badly but it does not look likely for the time being.

Where are his other pride members? They are still split up with the ongoing drought.



»»» more by Predator Aware / WildlifeDirekt «««

One More Leopard in the Mara wildlands

This was a new leopard to add to our photo ID file. It was in an area with good cover. This was a young Leopard not fully mature and her mother was close by and we could hear her calling. We did not manage to get a photo of the mother.
The two Leopard were exploring around looking for opportunities no doubt.

It is always exciting to find a new Big Cat and to see them thriving. The Leopards we have seen in our area which is the Siana Wildlife Conservancy ,are now up to 9 different Leopards that we find regularly with others we have seen but not repeatedly.We also look for tracks of Leopard and Lion in areas where we have not found them but suspect are there.

Saving Lions and Leopards is our focus at Predator Aware and conservation education in the reasons WHY we want Protection of Lions and Leopards and the important role they will play in our future.The Lion decline over this last year is worrying and we need to do everything we can to prevent this trend in the future. EDUCATION is the key to their future. We need your help.



Mara Predator in the Massai Mara

Charity appeal: bringing water to Kenya’s drought-ridden valleys

A British charity is helping to bring water back to Kenya’s drought-ridden valleys, using the ancient technology of sand dams.

Photo: Polly Braden

We are crying for rain,’ says John Muli, a 57-year-old farmer, as he looks at his seedlings fading fast in the heat. We are in Kathekani, a village parched by drought in the district of Makueni, south-east Kenya. The deep-red clay has turned to a dust that films over boots, rocks and hubcaps. The maize and beans that once provided Muli with food and school fees are limp. 'If rain doesn’t fall I think we will perish,’ he says.

Straddling the equator, this part of the world is naturally semi-arid, but three years of erratic rains have left Kenyans desperate for water. All the major boreholes are failing one by one. The price of a 20-litre jerrycan of water has quadrupled, as has the cost of food. The Athi, one of the largest rivers in the country, has dried up completely. The hippos in the Tsavo West National Park have died of thirst. And the hoped-for rains have yet to come.

Kenya is at the sharp end of climate change, a crisis that affects an estimated 23 million people across east Africa, says Professor Jesse Mugambi from the University of Nairobi. 'The average temperatures have risen considerably. The glaciers at the top of Mount Kenya are melting. The Kalahari Desert is expanding. Before, people could rely on the rains, now they can’t.’ The average rainfall for this area between March and May is 200mm. This year it received 40mm. 'Communities can hardly survive,’ Prof Mugambi says.

Compounding climate change is deforestation. Kenya’s population has doubled in the past 20 years, and less than three per cent of the country’s original forest remains. Without the trees to bind the soil, it erodes: when the rains do come, the water either disappears into the ground or surges away, taking with it what is left of the land.......

»»» more by Sally Williams, Telegraph «««

Auf der roten Liste .....

Die Vielfalt weicht der Einfalt - immer mehr Arten sterben aus oder befinden sich in arger Bedrängnis.
So zählen die Amphibien zu den am stärksten bedrohten Tieren der Erde. Die zu Lande und zu Wasser lebenden Arten leiden immer mehr unter den Umweltveränderungen, die vor allem durch den Menschen verursacht werden. Das geht aus der jüngsten Roten Liste der Weltnaturschutzunion (IUCN) vom November 2009 hervor. Von den auf der Welt bekannten 6285 Amphibienarten sind knapp ein Drittel (1 895 Arten; 30 %) vom Aussterben bedroht. Dies gilt auch für 21 % der bekannten Säugetiere, zwölf % der Vögel, 28 % der Reptilien und 37 % der Süßwasserfische. Bei den Pflanzen gelten sogar 70 %als akut gefährdet. Insgesamt sind von den 47 677 untersuchten Tier- und Pflanzenarten 17 291 vom Aussterben bedroht; ein deutlicher Anstieg im Vergleich zur Erhebung 2008, wo bereits schon rund 16 900 Arten in diese Kategorie fielen. Das für das kommende Jahr gesetzte UN-Millenniumsziel, die Aussterberate deutlich zu senken, wird nach Angaben der Umweltorganisation nicht erreicht werden. Die Rote Liste der IUCN gilt als weltweit gültiger Maßstab für die Artengefährdung.

»»» more by Globus Infographik «««

Lion cub rescued in Ethiopia

This young lion cub was found chained in a small wooden shed in Ethiopia…
Please help Born Free help her - read her full story below and help give her a brighter future…
A couple of weeks ago, I received a call from a development work representative who had recently returned from a trip to the far south of Ethiopia. They reported seeing a small lion cub chained in a wooden shack. The lion cub was being poked with sticks and pelted with rocks by local children. I reported the information to EWCA who asked Born Free Foundation to help.
At the crack of dawn, with all the necessary items ready for an animal rescue, Bereket (the construction supervisor for the new Born Free Foundation Wildlife Centre) and I collected Dr Fekada, a newly qualified vet employed by EWCA. I drove south to Awasser and then on to Yabelo. Driving through these rich hills it is difficult to conceive of the famine and drought in other parts of the country. The journey from Addis Ababa to Yabelo was 595 kilometres and took nearly 10 hours.

»»» more by Born Free Ethiopia «««

Africa's largest international action against wildlife crime

Tons of illegal ivory have been seized and hundreds of people arrested in the largest to-date international operation targeting wildlife crime across Eastern Africa.

Kenya Wildlife Service, the Lusaka Agreement Task Force and Kenya Police played a critical role in the success of the INTERPOL co-ordinated operation against wildlife crime.

The simultaneous operation across six African countries led to the arrest of dozens of suspected illegal wildlife dealers, including 65 in Kenya together with the seizure of 567.8 kg of carved and raw items of ivory. This is in addition to the 532 kg earlier seized at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport during the initial phases of this operation bringing the total to 1086.6 kg of ivory.
As this operation is ongoing, detailed results from the other five countries are not yet reported.

Code-named Operation Costa, in honour of the late ‘Costa’ Mlay, a former Tanzanian wildlife director who set high standards of professionalism and integrity in wildlife conservation, it involved officers from police, national wildlife, customs and intelligence agencies across six countries - Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Kenya served as the coordination centre for the simultaneous operation.

The international sweep targeting local ivory markets, airports, border crossings and smuggling points also resulted in the seizure of firearms and ammunition, vehicles, cat skins and other contraband wildlife products.
Most of the suspects arrested in Kenya were caught outside national parks and reserves and included six foreign nationals, local brokers and poachers. Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Police are continuing investigations.
Conducted across Kenya, fifteen KWS field units in areas identified with illegal ivory trade and trafficking participated in the operation, supported by the Kenya Police, Lusaka Agreement Task Force and other security agencies.....

»»» more direkt by KWS «««