OK Mark, here you go!  Yes, I have been notably absent from this post for some time.  I spent over 3 weeks in Kenya last March and I have been 3 weeks behind ever since.  I suppose about the time that I get caught up (who am I kidding) it will be time to go to Tanzania…….

Oh wait……….I have an reason for being behind.

In late June when we were in the high Sierra mountains releasing JD we had a discussion with the game biologist about the bear rehab program in which we  have been involved in for 22 years.  We asked if it was still a viable option in light of the bear hunt which ironically starts today as I write this.  He said that yes it is still a good program but we need to conduct some research to see how really successful the release of the cubs back into the wild is.  One way to find out is by the use of ear tags which we have always done.  However the tags (with a bear attached) don’t always show up again.  The cub might have traveled completely out of the area or crawled into a hole and died.  Another way is to put radio collars on the cubs and track by telemetry, somewhat better, but both labor and time intensive.  One good thing about technology, it is always getting better, (albeit much more expensive) and thus we enter the GPS age   It was determined that this would be a good way to go and a decision was made to research what collars we wanted and to secure the funds ($4,800 each) to purchase them.  I am excited about tracking the bears on my laptop while at Starbucks!  Ha Ha I am not really a conservationist but I play one on facebook We also talked about moving forward with our plans to build enclosures at the Animal Ark facility dedicated to the housing of black bear cubs and getting university students involved in the tracking and research of the released cubs at which point one of us said “but what if we don’t have cubs to release?”   HA!….. Be careful what you wish for

On July 1^st two five month old cubs arrived after their mother had to be euthanized after breaking into homes multiple times    The good news is that now we have our subjects for research and the bad news is now we have our subjects for the research project.  Animal Ark has four bears already and every bear proof enclosure is occupied, so we carved out a temporary location in a coyote enclosure.  And we moved the Bear Rehabilitation Center to the top of our “Priority List”. Fortunately we already had 10K in the bank which was followed by an anonymous donor with another 10K!  And then the WHC Foundation committed to 10K in early 2012.  WOW this is good, but the cubs are growing quickly and we are still about $20,000 short of being able to finish construction of the enclosures and exercise yard with pond.  We are now working hard to finish raising the funds needed to put in the water line, plant trees, install the fence panels and install enrichment items.  We need to keep the momentum going!  I should also mention we are spending $400 a week to feed the bears at Animal Ark!

If you would like more info about our Bear Rehabilitation Project and how to help please e-mail us at mkt@animalark.org or ahiibel@animalark.org

Cubs at six months

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Well………. I really thought that I would write this story upon my return from Kenya at the end of March.  However, while we were enjoying 85 degree temperatures in Africa the high Sierra Nevada mountains were experiencing storm after storm!  The game biologist for the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) was unable to get anywhere close to the release site because of an estimated 20 feet of snow!

A March release is best for releasing black bear cubs back into the wild.  Standard procedure is to dart the hibernating cub, transport it to the release site, place it in an artificial den (with straw bedding and scent from its Animal Ark den) and hope that it comes out of anesthesia thinking it was all a dream and just goes back to sleep.  Then in April it wakes up to the sound of chirping birds and the smells of natural bear diet, happy to be a “free wild” bear and enjoying life as it was meant to be!  This has been the method of operation on most of the past bear releases.  However late spring storms which either added to or slowed melting of the snow-pack led to delay after delay.  In early June the heavy rain hampered our efforts yet again and the now fully awake bear cub who is starting to relate to much to humans as a food source is way past due to go home………………

Finally on June 6th  we received word that we could get in by 4WD to an area where the bear has a good chance.  The darting of the cub took place and the drive up the mountain began.  Carl (NDOW) is with Heather his wife and following in a second vehicle I am accompanied by Alex Worsley the Animal Ark Education Director and Miriam Smith the Development Director for our organization.  The three of us are excited not only about releasing JD back into the wild but for the opportunity to talk to Carl about the future of our Bear Rehabilitation Program in relationship to NDOW and the bear hunting season which has been recently approved.  Our talk was very productive and we will be greatly enhancing our bear rehab program in the next year.  Our program already has had one donor step forth with a gift of $10,000.  Then we were approached by the  WHC Foundation and they will give us an additional $10,000 if we can match those funds from an outside source.  This project will consist of holding facilities for up to six bears, a large exercise yard with enrichment activities, and remote video viewing equipment.  In addition a program to monitor the released cubs by GPS collars will be instituted in partnership with NDOW.  This is huge as we tag our released bears but are never really certain the fate of the cubs in the first year which is critical.

In closing on the story of “JD”, I fully understand how controversial the release is.  We have had a number of comments telling us not to release the bear as it will just get shot during bear season and thus it should stay at Animal Ark.  We have some who tell us that all wild animals belong in the wild and not in “cages”.   We received two bears last November one will go, one will stay.

It is the philosophy of Animal Ark that all wild animals do belong in the wild, but in the present reality it is not always possible.  So the second best option is to give those that cannot survive in the wild or facing euthanasia, a good secure life at the Animal Ark Sanctuary.  Here they serve as ambassadors for their species giving thousands of children and adults a glimpse into nature and it many wonders!  Maybe an opinion is changed for the better or a person decides to pursue a career in conservation because of one of these encounters.  If that is the case then the animal has made the most of a second chance.  It is the same with “JD”; he would not have survived in the wild with the broken leg and following mom into urban areas looking for food.  Maybe in his “second life” he will still get in trouble or possibly get shot or maybe, just maybe he will develop into a savvy bear that will make the most of his opportunity to be a free wild bear.  Only time will tell.  Let us hope that I do not have to write an epilogue to this post at a later date………………..

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After this latest trip (my fourth to Africa) I realized that I was suffering from some sort of malady and for the past two weeks I have been unable to write let alone function.  No it is not malaria  (there would be a cure for that) it is actually an incurable disease.  I could not quite understand what was happening to me or describe it and thus had considered seeing a doctor or a psychotherapist.  The symptoms were quite strong at times causing me me to get very emotional and my eyes would tear up and my voice crack.  OK for a woman but……………….please no letters   So while browsing facebook I found the exact description of my ailment.  It even has a name……. Mal d’Afrika

Thanks to NOEL N de VILLIERS founder of Open Africa for the following.  He has put it into words much better than I could.

“If you are intending visiting Africa, be aware that you will succumb to a condition for which there is no cure. This is nothing new. It has puzzled many people for many centuries. Some of them were great explorers (Livingstone), others famous physicians (Albert Schweitzer) and philosophers (Carl Jung). Way back in ancient times it had already been identified and given a name, yet to this day it has defied description. That is to say, nobody has ever been able to be precise about exactly what it is.

The symptoms are extraordinary. Your life will never be the same again. Those born in Africa inherit the condition involuntarily. There is no escape, no known remedy. Others who come here, with few exceptions cannot resist the infection. You have always been aware of nature, but in this condition the environment becomes dominant. The sun, the same sun that has tracked your every footstep in life, takes on a new aura, becomes awesome – as if you’d never noticed it before. The scope of your vision changes. You become preoccupied with distance, far horizons. At the same time you notice small things, subtleties that previously seemed irrelevant – shades of colors become more noticeable than colors themselves. Your hearing intensifies. Mechanical noises offend you as never before, you detect melodies in the trickle of a stream; hear voices in the rustling of leaves by the breeze. The things you do in life become less important than the things you see, feel, and can touch. You find yourself behaving peculiarly – whispering in the presence of animals, stroking plants. Your spirit becomes detached, as if it wants to linger and be unhurried. Deep emotions are stirred within you. You laugh more easily, yet a sunset can bring tears to your eyes. Your values change. Mountains become friends, valleys pastures for your soul. You feel a constant urge to get out, to walk, to be free. You meet people and interact with cultures that are totally removed from your own, yet that seem strangely familiar. You become more inclined to listen than to talk. A yearning develops within you, a longing that is at once satisfied yet never saturated. You feel compelled to come back again and again, and each time you do so the experience is somehow deeper than before.

In the African bush, far away from the surroundings you are accustomed to, you feel as though you have come home. Some say this is because your spirit recognizes the birthplace of its origin, others say it is because of the silence, because of the overwhelming presence of a creator. But nobody really knows. There is the grandeur, splendor, vastness, and remoteness that can be explained; the beauty, abundance of birds, animals, plants, flowers. But beyond that there is something that defies description either by adjectives or expletives. This something is the mystique of Africa and the malady to which you have succumbed is what was called mal d’Afrika by the Latins many centuries ago. These days the French call it mal d’Afrique. It is said that there is a time and a place for everything. Africa never partook in the industrial revolution, nor the technological era. Largely it was left behind by the developments of the 20th century, the same century that in bringing great wealth to many nations damaged environmental resources so alarmingly and caused such fatigue to the spirit of humans.

Now an interesting situation has developed. Africa’s great nature resources coupled with its shortage of cash on the one hand, is balanced on the other against the wealth and desire of the people in the advanced countries to be reconnected with nature, with themselves and with their roots. Each has what the other needs, and this at a time when the circumstances in which to make a fair exchange could hardly be better. Non-stop flights in wide-bodied jets from almost anywhere at reasonable prices are no longer a novelty. The only question is how to make the exchange ‘fair.’ Mal d’Afrika after all is not for sale. One can experience and be captivated by it, but not own it. There would be no point in swapping cash for culture, heritage for hedonism. It would be a tragedy if the specialness of the African environment were to be consumed rather than consecrated, for it is the last of its kind that is left.”

By NOEL N de VILLIERS

NOEL N de VILLIERS founded Open Africa.

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I had seen photos and heard about the Mara for long time, most recently through facebook and I had high expectations.  I fell in love with the park as soon as it came into view even after hours of the worst road I have ever been on!  The view goes on forever and everywhere you look there is wildlife of all kinds.  We arrived at the JK Safaris tent camp in time for a welcoming drink, a quick lunch, a spot of tea and then we loaded up for our first of five game drives over a four day period.  Immediately we came upon a pride of sleeping lions with cubs that we would again see the next morning when the cubs were very active and playing.  Thirty minutes later we could see on the near horizon a herd of elephants including two youngsters walking single file across the plains.  What an experience to see our first wild elephants within a couple hundred yards set against a sky that you can only find in Africa.  We saw much more on that drive but it was overshadowed by the second drive the next morning.  First we saw three huge hot air balloons lift off and float across the Mara.  We did not have the cash ($450 each) for a flight this trip but a balloon flight on the Mara is now on my “bucket list”.  Second thing of note was a male lion on a buffalo kill (see photo).  We were able to drive within yards.  Guides are to stay on established roads and not make new trails to a sighting.  This is a good rule but not always obeyed; we were very fortunate as almost all of our memorable observations had a road in close proximately.  However we cheated a bit on the buffalo kill and paid the price as we hit a deep hole which sent everyone flying, one of whom struck their head very sharply on the roof of the land cruiser.   Later on that same drive we spotted a cheetah with two cubs 10 feet off the road!  Once again seeing an animal that you are very familiar with in the wild for the first time is something that you never forget.  Many of the lions and cheetah were not concerned at all with being close to vehicles which in one way is nice.  However we had to wonder if we were not interfering with their ability to hunt when at times we knew that the mothers were ready and searching for prey.  The afternoon game drive produced sightings of many species but was topped off when our Maasai guide looking far off into the distance said “cheetah”.  Upon looking through binoculars we realized it was a mother with six year-old cubs!  At first we could not take photos because of the distance but on further inspection found a road again within yards of the animals.  Again something we will never forget. Dale, Wendy and Brandon left the next morning while Diana & I chose to stay two more nights as the tents although basic were very comfortable and the camp food was great.  Our only concern was a car back to our next stop.  Whenever you ask a Kenyan if something can be done they always say “no problem”.  There usually is no problem but it may cost you more then you thought it would.  The car & driver fare was well worth the money as we spent one of those extra days on a walk through the bush with a Maasai guide and two guards.  We identified tracks, scat and other sign that was evidence of the animals there.  We had no problem identifying elephant poo and absolutely no problem identifying the elephants when we spotted them in the trees.  I swear they look twice as big when you are on foot with three spears as defense rather from a car that can quickly move away and offer some protection.  Diana was in heaven as the guide pointed out each tree and plant and what the medicinal uses were as used by the Maasai.  Some she already used and the guides were impressed by her knowledge.  I think she may even have given them another use for the aloe vera plant!  The last day had us viewing a recent lion kill of a zebra that still had some meat left.  As we pulled up to look two jackals made their way in to eat.  They were very wary of the vehicle.  As we watched Diana said “where are the vultures” and as if by magic the sky filled.  Again we were only yards aways from at least two species (one, Africa’s largest) of vulture and a Tawny Eagle as they fought for position at the remains of the zebra.  Soon there was absolutely nothing left.  Less than a mile away we again spotted the cheetah with six cubs clear to the other side of the park from where we had last saw her.  We still had one surprise left.  We were making our way along a wetland searching the trees to our right when suddenly the ground moved to our left as a hippo came exploding out of a large puddle from the rain, expelled himself (nice language), gave us a piece of his mind with a giant gaping mouth and slowly walked on the slippery mud surface to the river.  After the display, watching it gingerly walk through the mud was very amusing.  With all that weight it did not want to fall and have to get up.  So those are some of the highlights but my description hardly does any justice at all to what we experienced at Masai Mara.  We saw countless species of animals and birds and a number of reptiles which just reminded me that we saw a lion trying to open and eat a tortoise.  Hard to watch but we have pictures.

In retrospect, a great trip but I was very disappointed by the politics/corruption that we experienced and was shared with us by the people who experience it on a daily basis.  That is sad and long term may very well hurt the Mara.

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Rhino at Lake Nakuru

The mission of the Cheetah Center is to educate people locally and internationally about the importance of Kenyan wildlife through active cheetah conservation, educational programs, and community involvement.  Our fund-raising efforts will raise money for the Soysambu Conservancy, Cheetah Conservation in Kenya, and scholarships for Kenyan students.

The site is right across from the Nderit Gate to Lake Nakuru National Park, the most visited in Kenya, so gaining tourist will not be a problem and there is the opportunity to present programs to 10,000 children a year.

While at the conservancy the Team met with Lord and Lady Delemere and Tom (the son) of the family that settled the land in the early 1900′s and  have arranged to set up the conservancy and Kat Combes the Director.  Kat and Tom arranged meetings with both the Senior Warden and Deputy Warden of Lake Nakuru National Park, both whose approval of the Cheetah Center is critical.  The Deputy later made a site visit with us along with the water engineer that is responsible for bringing the water to the center and two representatives of a construction company building a highway adjacent to the cheetah project.  They may foot some of the water pipe and storage tank costs as they immediately need water for the road project and Delemere Estates have given Project Survival the use of a very good bore-hole (well) from which to gain water. This water is very good, not salty like many of the bore-holes in the area.  A meeting was also arranged with Julius Matasyo, a Kenyan architect whom has designed some awesome buildings including Sunbird Lodge, where we are at now and Sleeping Warrior Lodge where we had sun-downers one evening. Once there is funding to build the Cheetah Center he may be retained to design, gain permits and oversee construction.

There is a great opportunity for folks from America to get involved in all aspects of the Soysambu Cheetah Center.  There will be quarters for volunteers to stay either on-site or at the Soysambu Research Center.  If you need to be pampered you may stay at the Sunbird Lodge.  Everyone that we have talked to at every level believes that this is a good project and much needed.  Animal Ark has the chance to assist Project Survival in building one of the best Conservation/Education facilities in East Africa and that is our goal.  A fund raiser is planned for September 24^th to raise awareness and funding for this project as well as others in Africa. Contact me at ahiibel@AnimalArk.org for further information.  Contact Dale Anderson at www.cathaven.com for detailed info on the Cheetah Center.

Much headway was made in March as the 60 acre site is secured and the water bore-hole, pump, piping and storage tank are on the way.  Next stage is design, permits and security fence.  The momentum is there let’s keep it going!  Next The Mara!

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As I write this I sit on the veranda of the Sunbird Lodge www.sunbirdkenya.com overlooking Lake Elmenteita, Sleeping Warrior mountain and the Soysambu Conservancy.  We are at the end of our journey in Kenya and I am trying to catch up on my writing and mentally prepare for the weather back home where I hear there has been a lot of snow and mud.  I probably should not mention that it is 85 here with rain showers in the evening.  The eight of us arrived at the Soysambu Research Center on the 13^th and most stayed thru the 20^th.  It is a beautiful 48,000 acre property which again illustrates the need to obtain property for the protection of wildlife.  Fortunately it has Lake Nakura Park on one side but civilization is creeping close to the other borders. In 2007 there were 15,041 wild animals compared to 9,634 in 2006.  A good increase but it is hard to maintain a balance as this year it is being overgrazed by 5,000 zebra and too many buffalo.  PETA influenced laws make it unlawful to cull to prevent overgrazing.  It is critical to support conservancies so take a look at www.soysambuconservancy.org for additional info and PLEASE support if you can.

We arrived at the end of the dry season and there were areas of the road that consisted of a foot of talcum powder like dust; very interesting to drive through especially in a construction zone with big trucks coming in the opposite direction.  We knew that there had been major fires both at Soysambu (it burned Cheetah Center area) and Lake Nakuru prior to our arrival. The damage was very bad and much like in past Animal Ark fires, man caused.  The one at Lake Nakuru may have been set as a diversion to steal supplies at the other end of the park. While we were at Soysambu a number of fires were set in the area evidently by a “firebug” who was once caught in the act but is still free to do damage.  One day Dale and I drove Colin back to Nairobi for a flight and had lunch with Christopher our regular driver and Cosmos who works with Action for Cheetahs, Kenya.  On the way back we received a call that there was a fire right next to the research center.  As we were low on fuel we stopped for petrol which just happened to be next to an ice cream stand.  While I filled the gas tank Dale…………….well you get the picture.   As we arrived at the gate to the conservancy we saw a group of men mopping up the fire.  My thoughts were that it was not that close to the buildings we were in, so we relaxed and casually drove up to see a soot covered Wendy, Miriam, Kat and Brandon suffering from smoke inhalation and blistered hands!  The fire at the gate had been a diversion to draw attention while the arsonist set fire to the research center grounds.   Brandon took charge and our crew did a good job in stamping the fire out with branches, no firefighting equipment here!  However as Wendy was describing the heroic efforts to put the fire out she noticed that there was melted chocolate all over the front of Dale’s shirt.  Wow he will never hear the end of that…..  The good news was that this drew attention from another funny story and that was of someone who shall remain nameless but has a love of chocolate also.  Apparently this individual, suffering from jet lag after a Swiss Air flight which supplied foil wrapped chocolate bars, in the dim light of his cottage took a bite out of a foil wrapped bar of soap.  Although warning bells went off, his last thought prior to taking a bite was that it may be white chocolate!   Another notable event was that Miriam an Ark volunteer wanted to run with a Kenyan.  She got the opportunity and held her own even though she is a marathon runner and he started out like it was a sprint.  He evidently ended up getting a “stitch”.  You may want to ask her   The photo above is why Miriam was told to not run in the brush, this guy was 20 feet off the road.

While at the center we also met with Jombi Kivuyo owner of Tanzania Outdoor Safaris www.tanzaniaoutdoor.com.  He had driven 8 hours to meet with us.  We will be working with him to conduct a safari to Tanzania in either November or March.  I will have the agenda and costs soon.  Jombi is an amazing man who is a Maasai Warrior who left that culture to advance awareness of his country and wildlife conservation by leading safaris and educating children in Africa and in America.  Hopefully Jombi will be at our “Out of Africa” event in full Maasai regalia.  Awesome time at Soysambu and if you visit I highly recommend the Sunbird Lodge. www.sunbirdkenya.com Next The Cheetah Center….

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I did OK on the road from Nairobi to the Swara Plains as I got use to driving a right hand drive on the left side of the roadways.  The highways (?) around Nairobi are nothing like those in South Africa (SA) which are well designed, with signage and maintained.  We used to joke about some of the signage in SA but at least they had signs.  Like SA, Nairobi has a good number of roundabouts at intersections.  Some have no working traffic lights, some have police to direct traffic and some have working signals that everyone ignores.  There is some sort of unseen rule (called the one foot or less law) as to final right away either in merging with traffic, turning or passing; all without the road rage seen in the States.  Dale had one passenger who screamed and I had one who said “OK, I almost screamed”.  In Reno I would have been on a first name basis with AAA, my insurance agent and the police within two days or shot in a road rage incident.  The roads are narrow with no shoulder, just a drop off either side of the pavement due to rain and tremendous foot traffic.  Passing is just like NASCAR, one car goes out to pass and four follow to “draft”. However in NASCAR everyone is going in the same direction!  Countless times the car in the opposite direction would flash headlights and go off the side of the road to avoid a head-on collision or the line of passing cars would just turn to merge with traffic.  I believe in Nevada you are supposed to leave a car length for each 10 MPH you are traveling.  I tried to stay right behind Dale as we traveled so I left about two car lengths even though we were traveling 60KPH.  I found that during passing “events’ you could put one lorry (truck), one bus, two taxis and three cars in that space!  There is more pedestrian traffic than vehicle so that also enters into the equation.  People are crossing the road at every juncture which may include standing on one side of the concrete divider to avoid cars whizzing by within inches (yes inches) and jumping over to the other side when a perceived opportunity exists.  Timing is of the essence in this maneuver!  Traffic may include people walking, bikes (petal & motorized) small cars, human powered carts, donkey powered carts (1, 2 or 3 animals) mini-vans, taxis (which include bikes & motorcycles), large buses with cargo hanging off the sides and very large trucks like our eighteen wheelers.  Speaking of the trucks on a number of occasions we saw bicycle riders grab a hold of a truck slowly going up a grade.  I can understand the reasoning and might even attempt it myself in their position but on the way to the Mara we saw one “hitching’ at 50+KPH.  Trucks are constantly breaking down with motor, tire or broken frame issues.  Repairs are made on the side of the road (never saw a tow truck) or on the road if unable to move.  Stones are used for lifting the truck or as wheel chocks.  When able to move again the rocks are left on the roadway which is yet another obstacle to avoid when driving.  We passed one spot where there were at least twenty big trucks on the side of the road that did not look to be broke which we later asked about. I thought it may be the Kenya version of Sierra Sid’s Truck Stop, it was however the Kenya version of the Sagebrush Ranch!  Next Soysambu:)

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Time is traveling very fast here.  Miriam, Colin, Mikael, Dale, Wendy and Brandon have now all arrived. The second day some of us visited the David Sheldrick Elephant Sanctuary, part of Giraffe Manor (the giraffe part), the Kenya Wildlife Service Animal Orphanage and two more great restaurants.  On the 11^th we drove an hour north of Nairobi to the Acacia Camp on the Swara Plains.  What a difference an hour makes!   The sounds and smells of the city gave way to clear skies, awesome sunsets, and multitudes of zebra, giraffe, gazelles, wildebeests and the list goes on……….  The first game drive took us to a waterhole with pelican and stork (see photo) and an awesome sunset.  Two of our party took a small aircraft on a search for any of the 23 cheetah that range through this area.  I had hoped to go on the morning of the last day there but it did not work out.  This morning’s drive took us (we are driving our own cars and route) to the same waterhole but we came in from the upper side.  As we approached a number of vultures were circling and dropping to the ground, a good indication that a kill had been made by something.  The victim was a Thompson’s gazelle and we were probably only an hour from the drama that had played out.  Certain that it had been a cheetah kill we scanned the shade spots to no avail.  There is an effort to turn this 50,000+ acre property into a conservancy which is a good thing and much needed.  At Animal Ark we always say the main issue facing wildlife globally is loss of habitat and poaching.  With more resources I suppose we could get a handle on poaching (we have already found 3 snares) but for every acre that gets swallowed up by urban expansion there is no turning back.  For Kenya, like many countries time is of the essence in obtaining land for conservancy’s or preserves.

Miriam & Colin who are runners left at sunrise one morning and ended up running with about 12 giraffe.  The last morning at Acacia Camp they saw cheetah tracks just outside camp and later when we arrived at Soysambu we received a text that 5 cheetah had been spotted.  We had hoped to see a very unusual animal at Swara that we had seen photos of and that a friend is now painting.  Do to the nature of the current situation here I will not be the one to make this “ghost’ public.

The trip to Soysambu through Nairobi was very interesting to say the least.  Those that have been here need no explanation and for those who have not my description will not even begin to convey what we have seen and done.  First it is always fun for me to get into a right hand drive car and drive in the left lane!  The first and most common mistake is to come up to the first intersection and turn on the windshield wipers to indicate the direction I wish to turn.  The second mistake is to look left, see a clearing in the traffic (which is rare) and follow the car in front of me over the near lane to make a right hand turn and almost get smacked by a huge truck coming from the right   Speaking of vehicles I will later share a picture of a right hand drive Model A Ford under a thatched roof at Acacia Camp.  Great to see so far from home as my first car in 1968 was a Model A.  In order to fit in with the locals we decided to see how many people and how much stuff we could get into our Toyota and Suzuki mini SUV’s.  I only hope that Miriam will have photos taken from the car of how much the locals can put on themselves, a bicycle, motorbike, truck or bus.  We had already left three large suitcases at a friend’s house and the cars were fully packed but we still had to buy supplies for our stay at the research center at Soysambu.  So we stopped at Nakumat (a giant Wal-Mart) and had 8 people pushing carts around with what we thought was critical to have.  Although we had a list to work from Colin and I headed to the liquor department for “real’ survival goods.  As we stood there congratulating ourselves on a job well done Miriam cornered us and sent us to find real survival items such as toilet paper and sandwich bags.  Long story short we got everything into the cars by putting stuff under our feet and in our laps including the big water bottle!  Next I will talk about the “road trip” through Nairobi and our arrival at Soysambu.

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After 17 hrs of flight and 20 hrs of hanging out in the airports we arrived in Nairobi just as the sun set.  Passing through the visa control point was made easier by having the exact change (thanks Dale for the tip) although we struggled a bit with the fingerprint scanner.  I love positive events and the first was seeing our two pieces of checked luggage on the carousel and the second was seeing our names on a sign in the lobby being held by a driver from the Fairview Hotel!   The trip had started rather badly when 3 of our 4 pieces of luggage were determined to be over weight.  I had my camera and a big lens in carry-on which accounted for part of the problem.  Luckily we had a backpack in which to place the photo equipment so that I could carry it on separately.  Can someone explain to me why you can take ten pounds out of carry-on put it in a backpack and walk on the plane with the same weight only in two bags?????  As to the big checked bag it was a matter of $150 to straighten out that issue

Meanwhile back at Nairobi we were now in a small Toyota zipping toward downtown and the hotel.  OK zipping is not the word for it it was more zigging and zagging than anything else.  We had recommendations from friends in Kenya to use a driver and after last night in the dark and today on a trip to the Nairobi Museum and a mall to buy minutes for Dales phone I would have to say I would also HIGHLY recommend hiring a driver!  I would not have lasted 5 minutes on the road in the city.  That said tomorrow we rent a vehicle and soon will head into the country away from the hustle & bustle of Nairobi.  I am sure there will be a story or two about this part of our adventure although there are some who will tell you that I drive on the wrong side of the road in Nevada to prepare for the trip to Africa.

We went to the Nairobi Museum (and Snake House!) today in order learn about the  plants & animals of Kenya in addition to the history.  WOW, we were amazed at the diversity of just the birds let alone the mammals and 2 hours is not near enough to absorb what Kenyans have gone through to get to where they are today but it did give us a peek at the culture of yet another very diverse country.

The first 3 nights we stay at the Fairfield Hotel which has been family owned since 1946.  Photos on the walls show the  transformation since then into what it is today.  I will only mention two things………5 acres of gardens and four great restaurants.  Diana & I love good food, ambiance and personal fun service.  Piano player at the Atrium last night and a strolling guitar player tonight who sang La Bamba to Diana in I assume Swahili.  OK there is a third thing…..security.  Today coming back from the mall our driver had to stop twice at the request of armed guards and open the trunk of the car.  This after driving through anti truck bomb barricades to get to the hotel.  Turns out we are right across the street from the Israel Embassy.  I could spend much more time on this but I need to get to bed.  Miriam & Colin from Animal Ark came in tonight and Dale & Wendy from Project Survival arrive tomorrow morning and we will be off to a cheetah orphanage & elephant sanctuary.

Until next time,

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Over the years Shaka, Zulu, Moyo & Jamar our Cheetah Ambassadors have been instrumental in not only helping to put the Ark on the map and increasing our attendance but in  raising awareness and funding for cheetah conservation in four African countries.  We started by supporting Dr. Laurie Marker with Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia.  Shaka & Zulu while with the Wild About Cats organization did a “Run for Survival” event  that was featured on an “Extreme Speed” TV show in which a lot of money was raised for CCF.  The partnership with the DeWildt Cheetah & Wildlife Trust resulted in almost $50,000 in both cheetah conservation and humanitarian support for South Africa.  We also partnered with Dale Anderson, founder of Cat Haven/Project Survival (www.cathaven.com) in support of Rebecca Klein with Cheetah Conservation Botswana (CCB) and soon thereafter Mary Wykstra with Action for Cheetahs in Kenya (ACK)  Our support for them has come in the form of funding for camera traps and radio collars in addition to the donation of a quality video camera for CCB to document their work.

While I was at Makulu Makete (2nd Trip) I met Nkaberg Thato Maruping (AKA Bennie) a young black woman from the University of Pretoria whom was doing her masters thesis on the release of captive cheetah into the wild.  This was a great interest of mine so Animal Ark elected to sponsor radio collars for this research project that was conducted at Makulu Makete.  I have a copy of the thesis and would be happy to send it to any interested individual or you may find it on the University of Pretoria website.

A couple years ago Dale Anderson and Wendy Debbas (President) of Project Survival after one of their numerous trips to Africa said “Aaron, you need to get involved in the building of a Cheetah Center at Soysambu in Kenya with us”.  Although I was very interested it has taken me two years to get to the point where I could actually make the trip.  Animal Ark has grown immensely the past two years and required my full time attention.  Now with the development of a strong Board of Trustees and a young dedicated staff to watch over things Diana and I will take our first real vacation in a very very very long time.  We have a number of friends in Kenya and we look forward to our first trip to their country.  Our goal is to experience as much as we can and to see how much we as individuals and Animal Ark can offer this very unique opportunity to further the cheetah conservation efforts in Kenya.  This effort will help support the great work being done by Mary Wykstra and ACK and also that of Kat Combes and the Soysambu Conservancy.  So I am off to pack our bags, button up some unfinished business and head for the San Francisco Airport.   Talk to you again soon.

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