Mara Triangle

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What is the future of the Mara?

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 04:17 AM PST

The ongoing controversy over the "Somak" camp being built along the Mara River brought to light a number of divergent views. One: in defence of the construction, written by the Chief Warden, Narok (The Proposed Olkeju Ronkai Camp Development in the Masai Mara – An assessment report to inform the Kenya National Environment Tribunal, October 2008) stated that that development in that area would have no impact on the rhino population, as they did not historically occur there. This statement was challenged by the Acting Chief Park Warden, Trans Mara, Mr Samson Lenjirr. Mr Lenjirr had been head of the rhino surveillance team for several years and his report clearly indicated that rhino had disappeared from the Olkeju Ronkai area since Somak started construction of their camp.

I would also like to challenge the figures given by the Chief Warden, Narok, on tourism in the Masai Mara, and have used the figures for tourist camps compiled by the consultants for the ten-year management plan (Mara Ecosystem Tourism Facilities Database, Conservation Development Centre, August 2008), a summary is provided below. The Warden underreported the number of beds on the Narok side of the Reserve, stating that there were only six facilities with 570 beds; the database records 50 (lodges, camps, seasonal camps, special campsites and public campsites) with 1,151 beds. Whilst the Chief Warden’s report was reasonably accurate on the number of beds elsewhere in the Mara ecosystem, it overestimated the number of beds in the Triangle and completely overlooked the huge volume of facilities on the periphery – most relying on the Reserve for their game drives.

In order not to misrepresent the facts, we did a reality check on the figures in the Table. Our estimated annual revenue in the Mara Triangle, from Park fees alone, until the end of the May 2010, will be Ksh 246 million (US$ 3.3 million) – almost exactly the same as the estimate in the Table. The Conservancy retains 45% for management - the remainder is paid to the Council and Group Ranches. Given the above, we believe the revenue estimate is very realistic and well above any official collection by Narok.

Not satisfied with collecting US$ 20,000,000 (Twenty million) annually from entrance fees alone, Narok County Council has approved the construction of three new camps, two of which are in an area considered too ecologically important to handle more tourist developments; and they have grabbed the revenue due to Trans Mara County Council for Little Governors Camp. This is surely a case where greed will suffocate the “goose that lays the golden egg”. When coupled with the fact that cattle now invade large tracts of the Reserve we are beginning to notice a major impact on wildlife populations (reported last month in the areas being studied by the Hyena Research Project).

The “Somak” issue has raised considerable national and international interest, with articles in the Daily Nation, Daily Star in Kenya and the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times and Independent in Britain. A petition has been set up on the internet: “I will not safari with Somak” and has over 3,600 signatures – the comments have been overwhelmingly against the development and yet the camp continues to be built at a frenetic pace.

Another new camp, on the junction of the Talek and Mara Rivers, has quietly been constructed in January and February. It is smaller but no less of a slap in the face to conservationists trying to protect the Mara and its valuable riverine vegetation.

Brian Heath

CEO, Mara Conservancy

Extract from February's Monthly Report