The month of July has been particularly challenging due to increased crop raiding. Mara Elephant Project rangers alongside our partners mitigated 45 conflict incidents in July, the highest amount by almost double in 2024. As crops ripen, there has been a noticeable increase in conflict caused by elephants, especially in regions with large-scale farms. This month, MEP drone pilots have been actively responding to the escalation in conflicts caused by elephants extending their movements towards Nkorikori, an area with substantial agricultural activity and dense human settlement.
With the wildebeest migration approaching the Mara, a significant number of wildebeests have been crossing the border into the Mara Triangle. This migration has, in turn, pushed larger herds of elephants towards the Siria Escarpment, resulting in increased crop raiding in Transmara. We deployed two teams equipped with drones to manage the conflict in the area. The ‘Golf’ team has been on daily patrols, focusing on a particular herd near Partakila. In July, MEP rangers from HQ responded to a bull elephant that was causing problems in community lands. They acted as a barrier both on the ground and in the air to protect the elephants and people living in these bomas. Beyond conflict mitigation, we have aerially monitored several of our collared elephants, Matali, Polaris (seen below), Kiambi, Ivy, David, and Fred, using drones.
MEP’s conservation drone program is a sought-after resource for other organizations looking to learn best practices for deploying drones to support conservation efforts. In July, MEP assisted the Mara Hyena Project by deploying drones to locate and monitor hyena dens in the Mara Triangle. Recent rains have made locating the dens difficult but with drones hard-to-access areas are easy to locate and monitor.
The MEP / Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) Mau De-Snaring Units alongside partners Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service, and the Bongo Surveillance Project (BSP) have been patrolling the Mau Forest to deter poaching and habitat destruction. In the month of July, they removed a total of 100 snares inside the Mau Forest. Overall, in July, MEP rangers alongside government partners arrested 26 habitat destruction suspects, confiscated 84 pieces of timber and destroyed 26 charcoal kilns. MEP rangers also covered a distance of 1,546.17 km on foot and 5,326.86 km by car in the GME.
On July 9, the MEP helicopter was in the air to support the KWS vets with the SWT Vet Units on the ground with a treatment in the Mara Triangle. KWS vets Dr. Njoroge and Dr. Asuka treated a bull elephant with a tumor in his left eye. After treatment, he was back on his feet and rangers will remain on the ground to monitor him as he recovers.
The helicopter was involved in three different KWS, the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) and MEP collaring operations assisted by KWS Vet Dr. Njoroge in the month of July and each elephant received a new Savannah Tracking solar-powered collar.
Collared elephant Fitz and his herd of over 100 individuals reside in the Nyakweri Forest, an area with a high level of deforestation pushing the elephants into bordering communities and creating increased conflict. The MEP “Golf” ranger team is permanently stationed in this area to protect Fitz and his herd and promote coexistence. Tracked since 2019, Fitz’s movements inform real-time responses to conflict and provide insights on movements, or lack thereof, of this herd that calls this forest home. The Angama Foundation has supported Fitz’s protection since the beginning and we’re extremely grateful for their partnership in protecting this elephant herd.
Collared elephant Ivy is well known for her clever crop-raiding behaviors earning her the title ‘crop-a-holic’. She’s one of KWS, WRTI and MEP’s longest continually tracked elephants, and her movements have not only informed real-time mitigation but also provided new insights into elephant crop-raiding behavior to inform long-term intervention approaches. On July 13, a new collar was deployed on Ivy. After she received her new hardware, she rejoined her herd, and their movements will continue to be tracked 24/7 to promote coexistence with the communities she lives alongside.
Finally, a new bull elephant was collared in Olderkesi, individual 6554. MEP rangers have been regularly responding to him as he grazes near the local school blocking students from their commute and crop raids farms in the area. In response, on July 11, he was collared and immediately after, he moved across the Tanzania border bringing him into close contact with communities as he traversed this complicated route and further solidifying the need for 24/7 tracking to increase his protection.
The MEP long-term monitoring (LTM) team was deployed to Ol Kinyei Conservancy to continue their elephant identification work. Thanks to support from Kampur Travel Diaries, the MEP Coexistence Farm team joined 847 students from five schools for National Read Aloud Day. The students were provided with 20 books that highlighted the importance of conservation in their communities. The Farm received another batch of seedlings from Kutoka Ardhini, a great collaborator in the marketability study. Hippos and elephants visited the farm in July, and due to the circular setup, they have rarely entered the plots, but unfortunately, they did predate on two acres of maize at the neighboring farms.
MEP joined the Wildlife Ranger Challenge organized by Tusk Trust and the Game Rangers Association of Africa to raise awareness of the crucial role our rangers play in wildlife and habitat conservation. In July, you joined us to celebrate World Ranger Day and several members of our support staff joined their ranger colleagues on patrol to demonstrate their commitment to supporting their protection efforts. They hand delivered the over 200 thank you messages from our donors across the world.
Below is an excerpt of one of the messages we received.
“Thank you for the amazing work you are doing every day in the field! It is very obvious, that this is not just a job for you, but indeed your passion and labor of love for the elephants, the people, and the environment of the Mara! It is truly a gift to have you!”
Beate Assmuth-Ong
Also, in July, MEP launched our recurring donor club. You can now join the MEP herd by setting up your monthly donation today and receiving your official herd membership pin.
Registration for the UltraMARThon, which benefits MEP among other amazing organizations, is open!
