Community Outreach Quarterly Report January to March 2019

SWT/KWS QUARTERLY COMMUNITY OUTREACH JANUARY TO MARCH 2019

Summary

901 School Children

36 School Trips

23 Desks Donated

Month Report by Samuel Munyao Through the months of January to March SWT carried out 36 School Trips, 20 of which were with school children from the communities neighbouring the Tsavo East ecosystem, and 16 of which were with school children from the communities neighbouring the Tsavo West ecosystem. In these months, SWT also continued to work with bee farmers to ensure that the hives are remaining healthy and effective in order to continue mitigating human-elephant conflict. Lastly, during the months of February and March SWT donated 4 footballs to various schools and 23 desks to Ilikoni Primary School.

School Trips Nature walks and game drives help educate the children on the importance of wildlife conservation as well as creating an opportunity for these children to see and learn about the different plant and animal species within the Tsavo ecosystem. These trips can aid in teaching the environmental skills that tend to instil values that nurture their relationship with nature.

Date

Name of School

National Park

No Students

No Teachers

14-Jan-2019

By Grace Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

15-Jan-2019

By Grace Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

4

16-Jan-2019

Tsavo Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

17-Jan-2019

Tsavo Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

18-Jan-2019

Kwa kimweli Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

19-Jan-2019

Kwa Kimweli Primary

Tsavo East National Park

26

2

21-Jan-2019

Kavete Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

3

22-Jan-2019

Kavete Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

23-Jan-2019

Ngali Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

24-Jan-2019

Ngali Primary

Tsavo East National Park

26

4

14-Feb-2019

Kisou Pri 1

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

15-Feb-2019

Kisou Pri 2

Tsavo East National Park

26

2

16-Feb-2019

Simisi Secondary School

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

17-Feb-2019

Simisi Secondary School

Tsavo East National Park

26

2

18-Feb-2019

Ngwate Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

2

19-Feb-2019

Ngwate Primary

Tsavo East National Park

26

2

20-Feb-2019

Kaluluini Primary

Tsavo East National Park

24

6

21-Feb-2019

Kaluluni Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

6

22-Feb-2019

Kasaala Primary

Tsavo East National Park

25

5

23-Feb-2019

Kasaala Primary

Tsavo East National Park

27

3

7-Mar-2019

Muusini Primary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

8-Mar-2019

Muusini Primary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

9-Mar-2019

Miamba Primary

Tsavo West National Park

24

2

11-Mar-2019

Miamba Primary

Tsavo West National Park

26

4

12-Mar-2019

Molemuni Secondary

Tsavo West National Park

25

4

13-Mar-2019

Molemuni Secondary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

15-Mar-2019

Ngokolani Secondary

Tsavo West National Park

21

2

16-Mar-2019

Ngokolani Secondary

Tsavo West National Park

22

3

18-Mar-2019

Nzavoni Primary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

19-Mar-2019

Nzavoni Primary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

22-Mar-2019

Mukameni Secondary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

23-Mar-2019

Mukameni Secondary

Tsavo West National Park

26

2

25-Mar-2019

Kinyambu Primary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

26-Mar-2019

Kinyambu Primary

Tsavo West National Park

26

2

28-Mar-2019

Maikuu Primary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

29-Mar-2019

Maikuu Primary

Tsavo West National Park

25

2

Throughout the months of January and February 20 of the school trips had the opportunity to visit the orphans at our Ithumba Reintegration Unit. Ithumba lies to the northern region of the vast Tsavo ecosystem.

It is among the 3 reintegration units within Tsavo ecosystem Created by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The Reintegration Unit reintroduces orphans who have grown up and progressed from the Nairobi Nursery to a life where they familiarize and naturally adapt themselves with wild elephants as well as adjust to the harsh conditions of the dry climatic conditions experienced in some months of the year.

By meeting the orphans, the children learn about the impacts of drought, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict on wildlife and the elephant populations of Kenya. It also gives the opportunity to interact with the orphans and learn more about elephants, the process of reintegration and the importance of their survival.

On their game drives, the children were able to see some of the following animals; wild dogs, the lesser kudu, lions, maasai giraffes, zebras, impala, Thomson gazelles, warthogs and many of the other grazers. They were also able to spot several bird species such as the Egyptian goose, the lilac breasted roller and several birds of prey. Each student was given a wildlife field guidebook to learn about the animals that they were able to spot as well as others living in the Parks ecosystem. At the end of each day, each student, having now learnt how to spot different species and take notes, was awarded a Certificate of Participation from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

Beehive Fencing Project Bees are found in habitats ranging from forests to deserts and flourish in areas where there is sufficient pollen, nectar, shelter and water to fulfill the needs of the colony. Mostly, rainy seasons tend to provide the mentioned supplements for a bee colony’s survival.

January through February 2019, SWT continued to work with bee farmers to ensure the hive project remains healthy and effective. SWT community staff carried out an inspection to investigate the occupancy of hives and collect any possible data on its effectiveness during the early month of the year where flowering is usually expected.

The Team has seen a decrease in the number of hives due to the lack of rain and extended dry season.

Dates Inspected

Village

Total No Hives

Hives Occupied

Hives Unoccupied

10-Jan-2019 and 6-Feb-2019

Ngiluni

24

0

24

10-Jan-2019 and 6-Feb-2019

Syusyani-Monica

20

0

20

10-Jan-2019 and 6-Feb-2019

Syusyani-Juliana

25

0

25

10-Jan-2019 and 6-Feb-2019

Iviani

43

16

27

10-Jan-2019 and 6-Feb-2019

Syusyani-kivuvas

24

0

24

Donations In the month of February, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) donated four footballs to schools who have continuously shown their willingness to support conservation by planting more trees and performing ecofriendly activities.

In addition to this, in the month of March SWT donated hardwood desks to Ilikoni Primary, a school neighbouring the Tsavo Conservation Area. The desks will hopefully assist teachers who are tasked to manage overcrowded classrooms where pupils are mostly seated on the floor. The school management could not fail to thank the trust by helping them to achieve their dream of comfortable learning, and it was a great pleasure to see the reaction of all the students to the arrival of their new desks.

Date

School

Item Donated

Number

19-Feb-19

Kaluluini pri

Football

1

22-Feb-19

Kasaala pri

Football

2

24-Feb-19

Grace Primary

Football

1

31-Mar-19

Ilikoni Primarymary

Desks

23