Just Some of the Field Activities

Game Drives: Rough roads take new meaning as our impressive driver guides introduce us to the complex landscape of the Masai Mara. Just on our two-week tour across the savanna of Masai Mara and the bushland near Tsavo, we have a good chance of seeing the big four (lion, cheetah, elephant, and buffalo) and in 2000 and 2004 we even saw the big five (rhino). In the open grasslands the impala, gazelle, eland, hartebeest, dik dik, and other antelope are common-a large number of species from wart hog-to-zebra grazing together. The vehicles provide the opportunity to feel the savanna wind, to SPOT new finds, and to watch the lives of these incredible animals. From the drives we will probably record >50 mammal species, >100 birds, and some incredible sunrises and sunsets.

Bushwalking: No doubt, a plains full of lion, buffalo, and other wild animals changes where you can go and how to travel. At Rockside, we are provided opportunities to conduct hands-on ecological studies and get, in the words of the camp director-- "bushwised." Special highlights are the climbs up from the plains onto ridge overlooks or a small granite hill, or up the steep but impressive Mt. Kasigau.

Conservation Research: the trip is short but also very intense, providing an opportunity to explore a range of questions: how are elephants changing the vegetation near water holes in the bushland, how do animal densities differ inside and outside protected lands, how does vegetation composition and structure vary with changes in soils or along an altitudinal gradient, how do local people view the natural resources of their home land? We focus on the creativity of our questions, the depth of our inquiry, and the sources of new learning in a new environment.

Service Learning: The education and management staff at the Taita Discovery Center are pursuing a wide range of activities that provide service to the Taita/Rukinga Wildlife Conservancy and to the communities living around its periphery. These activities provide an opportunity to contribute in positive ways to human livelihoods in this region. For two years we have worked with the women's group in Makwasinyi, a small village at the base of Mt. Kasigau, on the construction of a small shop (a duka) and on road repair. In the upcoming years, we will direct special attention to the primary schools, especially focusing on the quality of their class rooms (e.g., painting, desks, benches, blackboards, etc.) and their overall learning environment (e.g., planting trees). Plan on working hard, getting very hot and dirty, and sharing your lives with the lives of the Taita people.

Environmental Utilization: Conservation initiatives are now identifying sustainable sources of income for people that promote the effective management of their natural resources. At Kasigau and around Mt. Kenya with the Green Belt movement we will see different examples of income generating initiatives that are important for rural livelihoods.

Crafts and Cuisine: The trip provides many opportunities to see the local people make and sell a variety of creative crafts- an important source of local income from tourism and a must for souvenirs that capture some of the art of Kenya. Of special interest are the environmental efforts of non-profit groups to work with the local people to manage for a sustainable source of wood for their carvings, thereby ensuring the long-term viability of their employment. We may even have the opportunity to share in a traditional Kenyan/Swahili meal.