Anti-poaching efforts remain a priority for Mara Elephant Project this year. This quarter, MEP rangers alongside government partners removed a total of 326 snares set for bushmeat poaching. Almost a third of these snares were removed from the Mau Forest, an area known for high levels of snaring driven by the demand for bushmeat, with antelope species being the primary targets. Sadly, a bushbuck and duiker were found deceased after being caught in the traps, highlighting the continued threat snares pose to wildlife. As a high-risk zone, the Mau Forest remains a priority for regular patrols. Through continued ranger presence, the team is not only protecting wildlife but also helping to safeguard the broader ecosystem and disrupt ongoing illegal activity.
MEP ranger teams, alongside government partners, continued their efforts to protect habitats, making 32 arrests for habitat destruction this quarter. They confiscated 40 charcoal bags, destroyed 27 active kilns, and seized over 2,500 illegally logged posts.
In January, the Mountain Bongo Project (MBP) confirmed that a camera trap retrieved from the forest had captured an image in December 2025 of a young male mountain bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci). This milestone was supported by ongoing patrols and monitoring efforts, including the deployment of MEP’s Charlie ranger team alongside MBP rangers and government partners in the Maasai Mau, strengthening coverage, intelligence gathering, and response capacity in the field. This is the first verified camera-trap record of bongos in the Mau in several years and represents an important signal for ongoing conservation efforts in the region.
Ranger teams mitigated 102 human-elephant conflict incidents this quarter, many of them mitigated solely by drone. In 2025, MEP drones supported over 60% of all conflict responses. In January 2026 alone, drones logged 73.8 flight hours and helped mitigate 54 incidents across the Maasai Mara, Loita, Mau Forest and Marmanet. These operations enabled faster, safer interventions while reducing costs and risks to both people and wildlife.
Several high-risk incidents highlighted the value of rapid, coordinated responses. MEP rangers responded to a report of a bull elephant moving through a human settlement, dangerously close to homes. Unlike females, who live in close-knit family groups led by a matriarch, adult male elephants sometimes travel alone. As bulls mature, they naturally leave their natal herds and range more widely in search of mating opportunities, food, and water, movements that can sometimes bring them into proximity with people. In this instance, MEP rangers deployed drones to gently guide the bull away from the settlement and back to safety in Enonkishu Conservancy, reducing risk for both the elephant and the surrounding community.
Our drones supported more than just elephants and people this quarter. In February, our aerial team assisted the Kenya Wildlife Service/Sheldrick Wildlife Trust mobile veterinary unit in rescuing a 12-year-old female giraffe that had become dangerously entangled in wire fencing. The drone helped locate and guide the ground team through thick bush so the wire could be safely removed and the giraffe treated.
In addition to mitigating human-elephant conflict incidents, MEP rangers and drone pilots continued supporting monitoring efforts to protect Kenya’s last remaining wild roan antelope population in Ruma National Park. Working alongside Kenya Wildlife Service and WildLandscapes East Africa, MEP conducted structured drone surveys as part of the Kenya Roan Antelope Recovery Master Plan. These surveys generated accurate population estimates, mapped habitat use, identified predators, and enabled rapid detection of sick or injured animals, strengthening decision-making for the species’ recovery.
This quarter, MEP teams provided support in a total of 5 elephant treatments in collaboration with veterinary partners. MEP ranger’s rapid response was critical in January when a bull elephant in Shompole was reported with a serious leg wound. Dense vegetation made ground access impossible, requiring aerial support. MEP deployed its helicopter, working closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (SWT) mobile veterinary unit to successfully treat the elephant.
This quarter, MEP rangers and drone pilots brought their knowledge to the Mara Triangle, where they led a drone refresher training alongside Expert Drones Africa for Mara Conservancy rangers, focusing on practical field deployment of thermal drones to enhance monitoring and response capabilities. With new Matrice 4T drones soon entering service, rangers are now better equipped to track rhinos across challenging terrain, day and night, improving protection outcomes for this endangered species.
MEP also hosted the first 2026 cohort of our Training of Trainers (TOT) program, supported by the Saruni Basecamp Foundation. Rangers from 17 conservancies and conservation organizations across the Mara participated in three weeks of intensive training designed to standardize conservation skills and strengthen operations across the landscape.
