Removing Snares
Category: Uncategorized | Date: Apr 30 2009 | By: ngongforest
Ngong forest is home for a variety of animal species. The small sized antelopes are most common and are main targets by poachers.
Last year a joint operation to remove snares by Born free, Wildlife Clubs of Kenya and Ngong Forest rangers was carried where a total of 243 snares were found.
Last week a 4 days operation was on again, the group of 10 individuals usually assembled at the Main Gate camp for a short briefing,before commencing the operation.
The desnaring team
This time a total of 287 snares were found. It was noted that high concentration of snares were found in regions neighboring the forest that has a high human population.
A participant removing a set trap
Thank to the team, apart from removing the snares they also managed to rescue a male suni.
A trapped suni that was rescued .
written by : Ranger Karanja
It’s Maasai Cattle Versus Community Bees for limited Forest space
Category: Ngong Forest | Date: Apr 17 2009 | By: ngongforest
The Maasai community is the most dominant pastoral in East Africa. They measure their wealth in terms of herd sizes which on average numbers in hundreds.During the dry seasons, the Maasai pastoralists are allowed to graze in specific areas of the Ngong Forest after being issued with permits by the Kenya Forest Service. To guard against degradation, only limited herds are allowed. This limitation is however not honoured by the herders who cunningly invite their relatives and friends to join in the party. This sees the forest hosting upto three times it’s normal carrying capacity. The result is aggressive competition for the limited forest space and resources.
A grazing herd of Maasai cattle
Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary also host a number of community projects .The most successful project is a community women bee keeping enterprise in which a group of 40 women have established 3 apiaries located in separate sites within the forest. These apiary sites are non grazing zones and the Maasai herders are well aware of this but on several occassions ,they invade the zones after exhausting grass in other areas. This has occassionally led to conflicts as the herders view the stinging bees as a hindrance to their cattle’s grazing freedom. In an effort to rid their herds of the bees menace, the herders turn to vandalizing the hives and in the process harvest some of the honey which they use to prepare traditional brew as well as medicine.
This destruction of hives is carried out secretely ussually at dawn when the bees are resting and also when the Forest Rangers are just retiring from their night patrols.
A damaged active hive
Yesterday a community member collecting firewood in the forest when he saw an old maasai man literally destroying a bee hive. He rushed to our camp and reported the incidence. On arriving at the site, we found the old man and two young men carrying on with their act of vandalism. To our surprise, our presence did not seem to bother the old man who played innocence and maintained that his cattle was more important than anything else.
We arrested the Old man and his two young assistants and handed them to the police for action.
The arrested old man and his two young assistants
We hope this will be a lesson to the rest of herders and bring relief to the aggrieved community women who rely on the sale of honey for their livelihood.
Akach Nicholas
Saturday Forest Walks
Category: Uncategorized | Date: Apr 09 2009 | By: ngongforest
On 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month there are bird watching and forest walks here at Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary.
Last Saturday my colleague Nicholas and I proceeded to Ngong Race Coarse, which is part of the Ngong Forest where visitors meet for the forest walks. This day, nobody turned up thus we decided to patrol in the forest following a specific route back to main gate. We met a group of horse riders who usually train the horses in the forest.
A group of horse riders from Jockey Club of Kenya
On our way, we saw a troop of olive baboons, sykes monkeys, sunis .
What drew our attention most was a pair of sunis which unlike others did not escape even after noticing our presence. As we approached them, they kept staring at us until we were about only 5m away, when they fled.
A suni staring at us.
The forest host a diversified species of trees and bird species, come join us every 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month for a fantastic experience. All you need is a binoculars, note book, and a charge of Ksh 200 adult residents/citizens, children @ Ksh 50, non residents adults and children @ US $10 and don’t forget to let us know of your availability.
Contact us through: office@ngongforest.org
compiled by George Thuo: Email:georgethuo94@yahoo.com
Running in the forest has made them proud
Category: Ngong Forest | Date: Apr 03 2009 | By: ngongforest
Riruta central school is located in an estate. In its urban setting,the school has no sporting grounds .The only place they are assured of is the Telcom grounds and Ngong Forest sanctuary,which are located approximately 2km.
A number of the students are athletics, the schools coach Gregory Kilonzo has been with the school for many years,he has been training them in the forest for 2-3 days in a week. The forest forms a condusive enviromet for this kind of training. They have been able to dorminate locally and internationally in athletics.
Team training in the forest
Some of the famous athletees who are from these school are Pauline Korikwang who won a gold medal in 6km race in Fukoka Japan, Moses Massai who won bronze medal in 10000km race in olympic Beijing- China ,Elizabeth Mwoni, world junior silver medalist steeple chase in Polland.This year coach Gregory Kilonzo was able to produce two athleticians to represent Kenya in 37th world junior cross country in Amman Jordan, they were Nelly Chebet who was in 6km race and Pauline Korikwong 8km women race.
School athletic team
With the good training environment, the school was able to scoop 11 top position in the provincial secondary school athletics that was held in Hill Crest Secondary school.
Currently, the school team is preparing for the National secondary school championship that will be held in Embu-Kenya.The coach hopes to clinch all the top position as his team is well prepared for the event.
We are proud to be associated with them,and as we campaign to protect the forest,we welcome non consumptive utilization of this adorable resource, Riruta School is an example.
by akach.nicholas388@gmail.com
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