Mara Elephant Project rangers responded to mitigate a total of 83 human-elephant conflict (HEC) incidents in the first quarter; almost double the number from last year. Each of the nine MEP ranger teams is operating at least one drone to support their efforts to mitigate HEC, monitor elephants and conduct reconnaissance in their areas of operation. In the first quarter, MEP rangers deployed their drones a total of 513 times to support these activities.
In one such instance, as night fell in a community a few miles from MEP HQ, a herd of 50 elephants used the cover of darkness to creep into their fences, targeting their farms. A community member alerted the MEP “Golf” ranger team stationed nearby. Equipped with their thermal drone, the team guided the herd back to safety.
Similarly, a community member rang MEP’s rapid response hotline to report a herd of four elephants inside community fences. The MEP “Foxtrot” ranger team responded and deployed their drone to guide the elephants out of the fences and back to the safety of the conservancy. Their ability to respond within minutes reduces property damage and the risk to life.
In March, MEP rangers witnessed something not seen before. While deploying their drone to guide a herd of nine elephants out of community fences, one elephant attempted to knock the drone out of the air. Clearly frustrated by it, this female and the herd reluctantly moved back into the conservancy. Luckily the MEP ranger drone pilots are prepared for the unexpected.
MEP assisted the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) with 12 total elephant treatments in the first quarter. In January, MEP assisted KWS Vet Dr. Michael Njoroge from the SWT Mobile Vet Unit with two wildlife treatments. The first, a female elephant with a spear injury on her leg. The vet was able to clean the wound, administer antibiotics and recorded a positive recovery. Then, MEP’s “Foxtrot” ranger team assisted in the treatment of a juvenile female elephant in Enoonkishu Conservancy that was suffering from a spear injury. Her treatment was successful, and her prognosis is good.
In March, the community alerted MEP rangers that they had noticed two elephants with injuries. The MEP mobile ranger team was deployed to assist the KWS Vet Dr. Bernard Rono with the SWT Mobile Vet Unit on the ground while the helicopter was in the air. The two bulls, one with an arrow wound and one with a spear wound, were successfully treated and there are ongoing monitoring efforts to track their recovery. The same ranger team assisted KWS Vet Dr. Titus Kaitho with the SWT Mobile Vet Unit successfully to treat a female elephant in Ol-Kinyei Conservancy after spotting her in distress. Thanks to aerial support from the MEP helicopter, the elephant received urgent treatment for a suspected gunshot wound and is now on the road to recovery.
In February, the 4th cohort of Mara rangers participated in the Training of Trainers (ToT) course at MEP HQ supported by the Basecamp Explorer Foundation–Kenya. MEP rangers oversaw almost all the 3-week training courses. Now complete, these 28 rangers joined their fellow 90 Mara rangers, already trained to lead on the frontlines of conservation, elevating the overall level of skills for Mara rangers.
A non-wildlife related incident that highlights how important it is for MEP rangers to be first responders in the Mara. A fire broke out at a local shopping center near MEP HQ in February. The fully trained MEP rangers rapidly responded to administer first aid and fight the fire. After some time, the fire was successfully extinguished, but more than 30 businesses were destroyed, affecting an estimated 200 people’s livelihoods. Our rangers jumped in to help the business owners salvage their property and start the slow clean-up and rebuilding process. While wildlife might be in our mission, it’s not our entire focus.
Combatting habitat destruction activities remains a key focus for MEP rangers. In the first quarter, the SWT Mau De-Snaring Units operating in the Mau Forest spent time away from the Mau and patrolled the Marmanet area to monitor collared elephant Maxine and her herd. In Doldol, the team detected a forest fire via their drone; a rapid response followed, with continued aerial monitoring over two days until the blaze was fully extinguished.
In Mosiro, MEP rangers from the ‘Lima” team are working alongside government partners, KWS, Kenya Forest Service (KFS), local officials, and the community to deter habitat destruction activities. In March, this combined team seized 22 charcoal sacks and destroyed four kilns in a targeted patrol effort.
In the first quarter, MEP rangers, alongside government partners arrested 98 habitat destruction suspects, confiscated 479 pieces of timber, 9,313 posts and 32 trees. They also destroyed 302 bags of charcoal and 104 kilns, removed 153 snares, arrested two suspects in possession of ivory and seized 79 kg of ivory.
In March, MEP rangers responded to a rare incident. A community member received quite a surprise first thing in the morning when he discovered a young elephant calf amongst his herd of livestock. Alarmed that the mother was nowhere in sight, he called MEP rangers to respond. Even more distressing, after a joint search effort on the ground and in the air with the KWS, the mother was discovered dead of natural causes. This operation now became a rescue mission to get the calf to the SWT elephant orphanage for immediate care. The 2-month-old calf was airlifted to an airstrip where the SWT professionals were on the scene to take him to the orphanage. He’s now under expert care, and there’s hope for his future survival.
Stay Connected to the Herd!
