A guide to the Wildlife and Natural History of the Taita Hills

Lawrence Wagura, who has been one of our field assistants and collaborators for long time, has just published a new guide to the Natural History of the Taita hills. Printing of the initial copies of the book was supported by BirdLife Africa Partnership Secretariat and Nature Kenya (BirdLife Partner) as part of a project funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).

This is the first published guide for this important site. In simple language, backed up by colourful pictures, Lawrence comprehensively describes the site: he includes, among other topics, its history, geography, value, indigenous culture, and various types of plants and animals found there.
The book is not only useful for visitors and researchers; Lawrence also intends to use it as a tool for educating the youth and other residents of the Taita Hills on the value of conserving the site.

“With support from teachers, I have already been giving talks in schools in the area and I often take students for educational trips to the forests. I will now distribute free copies of the book to the schools, and in future use them for my educational talks”, says Lawrence. Lawrence hopes that the book will also encourage tourists who venture into the lower Tsavo plains and other areas to include a visit to the Taita. The booklet is now available for sale at Nature Kenya's offices in Nairobi and will of course also be distributed in the Taita Hills.

Another bad year for Taita apalis

We have just received data from this year's monitoring and, as it appears, this was another really bad year for Taita apalis.

Standardized counts show that numbers went down by about 50% since 2013 in the species' main stronghold - Ngangao forest. Putting the records on a map shows it clearly: between 2001 and 2014, the decrement is in the order of 90%. At this rate, the extinction of the species in Ngangao might be no more than one or two years away.

Ngangao used to host more than 60% of the global population no more than ten years ago.

Things are not going better in the other forest fragments where the species occurs - we obtained no records from Chawia, Fururu and Mbololo for more than two years. We suspect that  Taita apalis is now very rare or even locally extinct in these forest fragments.

Only Msidunyi and Vuria, the two fragments located at the highest elevations, have relatively stable numbers in the last years. But the area of these two forests is tiny: little more than 100ha of suitable habitat remains there.

Our research continues to identify the causes of the so far unstoppable decline. We already know that some apalis territories were lost along forest edges due to direct human disturbance, but the story is more complicated, because we noticed severe declines even in the best preserved, and apparently undisturbed, parts of the forest. It is a race against time, and the clock is ticking fast.

Acknowledgments: We thank RSPB for funding this work.

Records of Taita apalis in Ngangao forest, the species' main stronghold

Evironmental awareness at Ol Bolossat : news from the field

George Ndungu, one of the recipients of our support in 2014 is now working at full speed on his environmental awareness project. Lake Ol Bolossat is one of the key areas for the conservation of biodiversity in Kenya, and is especially rich in birdlife. Unfortunately, this wetland and the rich grasslands that surround it are being rapidly converted into agriculture and settlements. In many cases ploughed fields now abut directly on the lake, leaving no space for natural habitats and exposing the shores to increased risk of flooding during the rain season.

A newly opened field right at the edge of the lake's water

George Ndungu, a member of the local community and self-taught ornithologist, has been very active in the area for many years. With our support (together with the German NGO NABU, and with help from several private donors from Italy and the UK) George visits the local farmers and schools in Ol Bolossat area campainging for the preservation of the lake and its surroundings.

Teaching to primary school students

George has already been supported by us in 2013, and the good results we achieved prompted a prosecution and upscaling of his project in 2014. From April till the end of this year, George will be very busy!

According to his proposal, his activities this year are focusing on:

A bird booklet written by George

1. Visiting target groups on the ground
2. Holding lectures and demonstrations in the primary schools, donating copies of “Ndege na Watu” book and other environment education materials available to each of the ten-targeted schools.
3. Giving out copies of “Nyoni na andu” book (Birds and people) and birds role posters free especially to adults.
4. Distributing bilingual posters at target points e.g. markets, schools and churches as well as in public places
 5. Planting 1,000 indigenous trees in all of the ten-targeted schools.
6. Doing bird watching with participants using a pair of binoculars as a way of captivating their interes

Conservation booklets and posters published

George Ndungu, one of our 2014 grant recipients has just printed 500 copies of a booklet and 200 of a large-sized poster on the birds of Lake Ol Bolossat, in central Kenya. This material will be given out for free to school students and local farmers in the area to campaing for the conservation of Lake Ol Bolossat wetland and montane grasslands

The most threatened habitat in Africa

Grassland under conversion to crops near Naro Moru - September 2013

Which is the most threatened habitat in Africa? Rainforest? No, you are wrong.
The truth is that highland grasslands are disappearing at a much faster rate than forests. And that is worrying, because grasslands host a lot of endemic and globally threatened biodiversity.
Highland grasslands are widespread in Africa, but their total area is not large. They occur in Southern, Eastern and Central Africa. In Kenya, much of the land above 2000m elevation used to be grassland at the beginning of the last century, and it was home to huge herds of wild herbivores, endemic birds, amphibians, reptiles and plants.
Just one century later, most of these grasslands are gone. Conversion to agriculture is the main cause of their disappearance, and unfortunately, as demand for food and cropland grow fast in Kenya - as anywhere else in Africa - rates of destruction are increasing.
In 2008, we surveyed the grasslands located on the northern slope of Mount Kenya, between Naro Moru and Nanyuki. We found quite large expanses of good grassland still existing, and along with them some interesting species such as the globally-threatened Sharpe's Longclaw (an bird endemic to Kenya).
Just five years later, at the end of 2013, we revisited the same grasslands, and could not believe to our eyes. Most of the grasslands were heavily damaged, some did not even exist any more. On the whole, we recorded 23% loss of area within just five years - a rate suggesting that in less than 15 year no natural grass will be left there.

Wild dogs in the Segera plains, north of Nanyuki, September 2013

Ecco qui i progetti per il 2014! Hip hip hip hurra'! (English version - scroll down)

Salve a tutti!

Ecco finalmente il momento che tutti aspettavate! Ebbene si', sono arrivati i progetti per il 2014!
Anche quest'anno, continueremo ed espanderemo le attività iniziate nell'ormai lontano 2007. Gli obiettivi di questi progetti sono quindi la didattica nelle scuole, lo sviluppo delle comunità locali, la difesa di specie animali in pericolo ed attività di green economy che creano posti di lavoro difendendo l'ambiente.

PER DONARE: VIA BONIFICO BANCARIO SUL CONTO CORRENTE DI MUINDI ONLUS, OPPURE  UTILIZZARE IL LINK PAYPAL QUI DI FIANCO (NECESSARIA CARTA DI CREDITO)

Alcuni dei nostri studenti nel villaggio di Ngilai: Lmintilas, Damaris, Melian e Jane

1) Borse di studio per studenti delle scuole primarie e secondarie del Samburu District, Kenya. Il Samburu District è una delle regioni più povere del Kenya. Per molti studenti e studentesse, le spese scolastiche sono semplicemente impossibili: troppi ragazzi abbandonano la scuola o non la frequentano perché le loro famiglie non possono permettersele. Propongo di istituire 7-10 borse di studio, di circa 200 Euro l'una: questa somma paga le spese scolastiche di un intero anno. Gli studenti saranno scelti dagli anziani dei villaggi, con l'unica richiesta di ripartire al 50% fra studenti maschi e femmine.

   

Lawrence con una classe

2) Didattica per la conservazione: a Ol Bolossat e nelle Taita Hills. Le Taita Hills e Ol Bolossat sono due siti chiave per la conservazione della biodiversità in Kenya, ed entrambi sono gravemente minacciati dalla distruzione degli habitat causata dalla rapida espansione delle attività umane. La didattica dell'ambiente nelle scuole e' fondamentale per creare una coscienza ambientale e incrementare l'interesse per la conservazione fra i giovani. Due nostri amici di lunga data, George Ndungu e Lawrence Wagura, con il nostro aiuto, visiteranno numerose scuole ad Ol Bolossat (George) e nelle Taita Hills (Lawrence). George e Lawrence terranno lezioni nelle classi, guideranno attività sul campo, distribuiranno libri, volantini e manifesti, e condurranno passeggiate di birdwatching con studenti di tutte le eta'. Leggeremo delle loro esperienze nel corso del prossimo anno. Buona fortuna!

Il progetto del nuovo laboratorio (J. Knausenberger)

3) Una terra per Njabini (anno 2)! Il laboratorio di filatura e tessitura di Njabini è una piccola cooperativa che contribuisce a salvare la biodiversità delle praterie montane del Kenya creando posti di lavoro in un villaggio dove poche persone hanno un reddito fisso. Dopo anni di lavoro con questo gruppo, abbiamo ottenuto grandi risultati: la qualità dei prodotti e la quantità di lana acquistata sono nettamente cresciute, e il laboratorio ha contribuito a salvare oltre 20 ettari di prateria, che è l'unico habitat di specie minacciate, fra cui il ben noto Uccellino Zampagrossa. Ora però la cooperativa di Njabini deve espandersi, e gli spazi attuali non lo consentono. Da qui la necessita' di costruire un nuovo laboratorio, più moderno e spazioso. Nel 2013, grazie ad una generosa donazione di David Fox e della sua famiglia, e' stato acquistato un terreno di circa mezzo acro (0.2 ettari) localizzato in una posizione strategica. Ora la prossima sfida e' quella di costruirci sopra un edificio per svolgere le attività di filatura e tessitura. Sara' una bella sfida, vi faremo sapere!

L'acqua è arrivata a Chopotwo grazie al lavoro di Terry

4) The Mbara Community Project. Le scuole di Temow, Chopotwo e Kapsor Schools, Vicino al villaggio di Mbara , nel Kenya occidentale, sono tre scuole elementari dove manca tutto. 

Niente aule, niente banchi, niente posto per giocare niente acqua pulita da bere ... Con il mio amico Terry John Hummerston, che da anni lavora in questa zona, vogliamo aiutare queste scuole a diventare  un posto dove i piccoli studenti potranno avere una educazione vera . Ce la faremo - con una mano da tutti sicuramente si'!

Here are the Small Projects for Africa 2014! Hooooray! (scroll up for the Italian version)

Hello all!

here is the moment everyone was waiting for! Yes, the 2014 small Conservation Projects are here!
We will continue and expand the projects that we begun in previous years. We will focus on schools, teaching, the development of local communities, endangered animals and small eco-business activities that contribute to creating jobs and conserving the environment.

IF YOU WISH TO DONATE, PLEASE USE THE PAYPAL LINK ON THE RIGHT (CREDIT CARD NEEDED)

Some of the 2013 students from Ngilai Village: Lmintilas, Damaris, Melian and Jane

1) Scholarships for primary and secondary school students of the Samburu District, Kenya. The Samburu District is one of the poorest regions of Kenya. For many female and male students, school expenses, are just beyond reach: too many drop off school or never attend it because their families can’t afford school expenses. As in previous years, I propose to sponsor 7-10 students with small scholarships, of about €150 each: this sum is enough to pay school fees for one year. The students will be chosen by village elders and female students will make 50% of the prize winners.

   

Lawrence in the Taita hills with a class

2) Teaching conservation: at Ol Bolossat and in the Taita Hills. The Taita hills and Ol Bolossat are two key sites for conservation of Kenya's biodiversity, and both are severely threatened by habitat destruction and the rapid expansion of human activities. Teaching about the environment in primary and secondary schools is a key action to create environmental awareness and raise interest on biodiversity among the young generations. Two friends of ours, George Ndungu and Lawrence Wagura, with our help, will visit schools in Ol Bolossat (George) and in the Taita (Lawrence). George and Lawrence will visit the classrooms, perform field activities, distribute books, posters and brochures, lead birdwatching walks for hundreds of students of all ages. We will read about their experiences over the next year. Good luck!

A draft plan of the workshop, by J. Knausenberger

3) A land for Njabini (year 2)! Njabini woolspinning workshop is an eco-friendly business that creates jobs and contributes to the preservation of the highly threatened highland grasslands of Kenya. After years of work with this small grassroots group, the positive impact in terms of jobs created and of habitat conservation is undeniable, but the group's activities cannot grow any more in the small space where they have been working so far. Now, the group needs a larger and more modern space. In 2013, with a generous donation from Mr David Fox, we bought a plot of land in the Kinangop plateau. The next step is now to raise money to build a new workshop on the newly purchased land - that will be a challenge, due to the high costs involved. We'll keep you posted.

Terry built a pipe to bring water to Chopotwo school

4) The Mbara Community Project. Temow, Chopotwo and Kapsor Schools, near Mbara village, in Western Kenya, are three small primary schools where nothing is available. No classrooms, no desks, no playground for the pupils, no clean water to drink ... With my friend Terry John Hummerston, we want to help these schools to become a place where young girls and boys can get a real education for their future

New edition of the Mathews Range Plant Guide

Hello all!

This is just to let you know that a new edition of the small field guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Mathews Range is out! It is an entirely revised small book, featuring more than 50 among the
woody plant species found in one of the most beautiful and well-preserved forests in East Africa. The guide is illustrated by more than 120 full color high-quality photos and summarizes the most useful characters for telling the species in the field, as well as the interactions between plants, animals and the human communities in the region.

The guide has been produced in collaboration with the Cheli and Peacock Community Trust, and will be distributed free of charge to school students, villagers and tourists visiting the area - because awareness and knowledge are essential steps for loving and protecting our environment!

One of the colour plates - click to enlarge!

The front cover page

A new population of Taita apalis discovered - but deforestation will soon wipe it out

There might be less than 300 Taita apalis left - an incredibly small population. This unique species lives only on top of the highest peaks in the Taita hills of southern Kenya.

A male Taita apalis

With such a tiny number of individuals involved, the discovery of a new population of Taita apalis makes a huge news - even if it consists of just 8 pairs!

In October 2011, we discovered a new patch of forest in a site called Msidunyi, in the eastern part of the Taita Hills, and we observed a small number of Taita apalis in the forest.

Field work during 2012 and 2013, supported by a grant of the Conservation Fund of the African Bird Club, has enabled us to precisely map the territories of the 8 pairs of Taita apalis in Msidunyi. These are shown by the red lines and dots in the map below. As tiny as it might look, the population of Taita apalis in Msidunyi might represent as much as 5-10% of the individuals of the species.

Apalis territories in Msidunyi

 But as we struggle to map the few apalis territories in Msidunyi, deforestation progresses. The human population in Taita is growing fast, and as more people are added, more land is converted in to crops. In the two years that elapsed from our initial discovery to now, almost 20% if the indigenous vegetation in Msidunyi has been damaged or converted. Soon, little will be left there to protect.

Cut logs in Msidunyi, October 2012

Teaching conservation in Kinangop plateau

Dominic Kimani, one of the students who received a fellowship in 2012-2013 has sent me some photos taken in the primary schools of Kinangop plateau, where he has been teaching about conservation and biodiversity to the young pupils.
Kinangop is a vast plateau about 70 km north of Nairobi. It is one of the of the most important sites in Kenya for Sharpe's Longclaw and for several other rare and threatened specie. Unfortunately, Kinangop is also a densely inhabited area, and agriculture is expanding at fast rates - between 2008 and 2013 alone, 25% of the natural habitats have been destroyed and converted to agriculture - and this adds to substantial habitat losses in the previous years.

Field class

Watching a nature film in Purple Hearth Academy