Tag: feature

A Sharpe’s Longclaw survey recently conducted by a group of volunteers in Kinangop grasslands indicates the Endangered bird’s habitat is still under threat from human activity. Friends of Kinangop Plateau (FoKP), a Nature Kenya site support group (SSG), conducted the study between April and May this year. The study covered four locations in Kinangop, namely Magumu/Nyakio, Njambini, Engineer and Murungaru.

Bird experts from BirdLife International assisted the volunteers in the study, which had identified 24 farms as suitable habitats for the grassland specialist Sharpe’s Longclaw.

Various data was captured and recorded during the survey. It included: the number of Sharpe’s Longclaw individuals observed, their breeding status, GPS coordinates of the areas visited, habitat quality as per the requirements of the target species, among others. Other bird species observed were also noted. A total of 286 Sharpe’s Longclaw individuals were recorded during the survey.

Sharpe’s Longclaw depends on tussock grass that grows in Kinangop. The grass species grows in clumps or tufts and thrives in dry highland habitats. The bird uses tussock grass to feed, nest, and protect itself from predators when threatened.

The Kinangop grasslands are one of the three main areas where Sharpe’s Longclaw, a bird endemic to Kenya, is found. Mau Narok and Timau grasslands are the other two areas. In Kinangop, the bird’s range is mostly restricted to privately owned grasslands.

The study noted that loss of the tussock grass habitat due to land-use conversion for farming and woodlot establishment is a leading contributor to the Sharpe’s Longclaw population decline. Over 12 newly converted private grasslands were recorded in the course of the survey. Overgrazing was also observed as a contributor to tussock grass habitat degradation.

To mitigate the threats, FoKP proposes the strengthening of grassland and species conservation knowledge and the capacity of private landowners and managers in Kinangop. Other recommendations include the annual monitoring of the Sharpe’s Longclaw in Kinangop, Mau Narok and Timau grasslands, and conducting a nationwide survey for the species after every five years.

Volunteers who participated in the survey also took time to create community awareness on habitat conservation. The interaction between FoKP members and bird experts also served to sharpen the SSG’s monitoring skills.

Nature Kenya is working closely with FoKP to promote the conservation of Sharpe’s Longclaw and its habitat in Kinangop. In 2010, Nature Kenya secured the purchase of 20 hectares of land at the Kinangop Grasslands Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) to protect the Endangered bird’s habitat.

A series of suspected wildlife poisoning incidents were reported in Kisaju, Kajiado County, in July. The Olerai/Kisaju area is a known breeding and roosting site for White-backed Vultures.

A team from Nature Kenya and partner organizations were alerted of the incidents and promptly responded.

 

With support from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) scouts, the team traced six dead White-backed Vultures at various locations within the area between 7th and 8th July. One vulture carcass was found on an acacia tree next to a beehive. It is suspected that the vulture had consumed a poison-laced bait somewhere else. 

 

The location of the poison-laced bait is unknown. The dead vultures had red stains on their heads and necks. A readily available pesticide going by the name of Marshal is suspected to have been used to lace the bait. Samples from the dead vultures were collected by a KWS veterinarian and sent to the government chemist for further analysis. The vulture carcasses were later safely disposed of by burning. 

 

A tagged White-backed Vulture, whose location had remained stationary for some time, was found dead a few days later. The vulture’s radio transmitter was recovered.

 

Elsewhere, a partially burnt lion carcass was discovered near Osewan village in the Emotoroki area of Kajiado on July 16. The dead lion is suspected to have died after consuming a goat carcass laced with poison. It is not known who baited the goat carcass nor burnt the lion.

The Mount Kenya Biodiversity Conservation Group (Mt Kebio) is one of the Site Support Groups (SSGs) of Nature Kenya in the Central region. The SSG works with local communities alongside conservation authorities to conserve the critical Mount Kenya forest ecosystem.

Rampant cases of deforestation, the disappearance of rare species like the Kenyan Jewel damselfly, Abbot’s Starling and Mountain Bongos, coupled with increased cases of charcoal burning and solid waste pollution led to the formation the SSG by porters and tour guides in 1999.

Currently, the group operates from the Mount Kenya Eco-resource centre in Naro Moru town at the base of the mountain. The Eco-resource centre was constructed in 2002 by Nature Kenya through funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The centre serves to encourage the appreciation of the Mount Kenya forest ecosystem and its biodiversity by offering an integrated environmental education program. It hosts a conference hall alongside a library and an artefact shop where learners, researchers and tourists can access materials on conservation.

The SSG also uses the facility as a venue for public awareness creation. School children, college students and other groups visit the centre to learn more about the critical Mount Kenya forest ecosystem. Souvenirs made by SSG members are also sold at the centre.

Besides advocating for the conservation of the Mount Kenya forest ecosystem, the SSG has also integrated outreach programmes to schools.

“The aim is to let the learners know of the challenges stemming from destructive activities. We want children in schools around the Mt. Kenya area to learn and conserve this ecosystem. Children get to learn about the devastating effects of activities such as illegal logging and charcoal burning. Teaching children the values of conservation at a tender age is the best way to ensure the sustainability of this valuable ecosystem,” says Mr Alex Karuri, secretary of the SSG.

Alice King’ori, a senior teacher at Kiboya Primary School in Kieni East notes that the integrated educational programmes offered within the eco-resource centre are helping to boost learners’ understanding of conservation.

“This initiative is excellent because when learners visit the library, they get to access a lot of conservation-themed materials. They are also taken through lessons, and they get to learn of rare species found within these forests,” Ms King’ori says.

One can also spend a night camping around the eco-resource centre by hiring tents owned by the SSG and enjoy guided nature hikes offered by tour guides who double up as SSG members.

Nature Kenya has supported the training of SSG members on bird identification. The training has enhanced the guides’ bird identification skills enabling them to lead bird enthusiasts, researchers and visitors to bird-rich areas.

Planning to visit the Mount Kenya Eco-resource Centre? Kindly get in touch with Gerald on 0722172285 or Alex 0702104488.

Ring-necked Doves (Streptopelia capicola) are common birds in our gardens, parks and even in towns in dry country. They are grey in colour, with darker colours on their back, the iconic black feathered collar and black eyes.

Sighting a leucistic Ring necked Dove in the bushes of Ilekunyeti village (2 degrees south and 37 degrees east) in the Amboseli Ecosystem was thrilling. We immediately noticed the grey collar which drew our attention. A few seconds later, it started calling, which ascertained that it’s a Ring-necked Dove. This individual had all white feathers, grey collar and dark eyes.

What are Leucistic birds? – These are birds with a genetic mutation that results in a total or partial reduction of colour in a bird’s feathers. Due to this mutation, pigments are inadequately fixated or fail to be deposited properly in the feathers.

Leucistic birds have a normal coloration of the eyes, bill, legs, and bare parts which make them different from albino birds that totally lack melanin (this is what gives the feathers and eyes their colour). Albino birds are always pure white and have reddish or pink eyes.

A blend of red, orange and yellow paints the sky whilst the setting sun casts silvery glitters on the vast expanse of Mida Creek, a tidal inlet in Kilifi County. On the beach, hundreds of silhouettes of birds move with the constant ebb and flow of waves. A suspended boardwalk cutting through the dense thicket of mangrove forest completes the charm of this special place tucked within Kenya’s North Coast.

All around the boardwalk, which opens up to the sea at the end, is a rich concentration of mangroves. Of Africa’s nine species of mangroves, Watamu’s Mida Creek boasts of eight, making it an important breeding and feeding ground for marine species.

“Mida Creek is a place rich in biodiversity. This creek attracts tourists and researchers who come to learn more and study the complex marine ecosystem,” says Ali Bakari, the chairperson of Mida Creek Conservation and Awareness Group.

From the boardwalk, one can discover the many aspects of Mida Creek: mud and sand flats, open shallow waters and mangrove forests. It is these diverse habitats and the birds and marine life they sustain that give Mida Creek global recognition.

Together with the adjacent Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Mida Creek is part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems that promote the reconciling of conservation of biodiversity with sustainable use.

The mangrove channels form important feeding and breeding grounds for various fish species, including parrotfish, rabbitfish, jacks, snappers, groupers, emperors and barracudas. The creek is also hosts thousands of migratory and resident birds, including regionally and globally threatened species. Mida Creek is designated as an Important Bird Area for hosting large congregations or gatherings of migrating birds from Europe and Asia

With binoculars, one might observe Dimorphic Egrets, Lesser Crested Terns and Roseate Terns feeding. Between September and May, one can also spot migrant birds like Sanderling, Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Whimbrel, Grey Plover, and Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers. Mida Creek is famous for hosting Crab Plovers, white and black shorebirds that nest in Somalia.

In the water, marine life includes varieties of seagrass and seaweeds that provide food and habitat for other aquatic species. Among the mangroves, one can spot fiddler crabs with one big bright claw carpeting the sand.

Nature Kenya Coast Regional Coordinator Francis Kagema explains the need to keep the creek’s environment healthy to support its large number of marine species.

“To sustainably conserve the creek, we rolled out livelihood empowerment programs that involved building capacity of local communities to enable them to tap from tourism and conserve Mida Creek,,” Kagema says.

The Mida Creek Conservation and Awareness Group is the area’s Site Support Group (SSG). The group conducts conservation activities, including site monitoring and restoration, awareness creation and environmental education. It also runs income-generating activities in the form of a restaurant and boat rides for visitors. Nature Kenya provided the group with life jackets and other marine safety gear.

“Our group is actively engaged in various conservation activities,” notes Bakari. “These include beach cleanups as well as the planting of mangroves in degraded areas. This creek plays a critical role both in conservation and in supporting our livelihoods.”