Sad News: Two Rangeres killed by poachers.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced that two of its rangers were killed on duty whilst on a patrol mission to remove wire snares used to kill wild animals on Sagala Ranch on the edge of Tsavo National Park; the rangers were ambushed by poachers who shot them and stole their rifles and bullets.

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Governors Camp Game Report

Govenors Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya.

The early part of the month was very dry as the rains came a little later than expected and the only grass of any substance in the immediate vicinity was around the Marsh. This was where the elephant families were spending most of their time. As the grass in many places has been eaten down to stubble length the elephants have taken to getting most of their nutrition from trees. This is obvious in their dung (which is very dark due to the high tannin level in trees - their dung is usually light in colour when they eat lots of grass) and the state of some of the trees in the area. Elephants are not tidy eaters! Our Masai walking guide is very upset about this as the giraffes' food source is being disturbed. Giraffes are highly revered by the Masai!

Despite the lack of rain early in the month, there are still many zebra and wildebeest around. River crossings were still being seen at the end of the month. We think that their extended stay is due to good rains earlier in the year.

Towards the middle of the month we had good, consistent rain bringing a profusion of green growth. Suddenly everything seemed pregnant, with zebra fit to burst and lots of animal mothers walking with difficulty due to the extra weight they were carrying. First the topi calves arrived, skittering around and eventually taking off at full speed in all four directions of the compass at once. Then came the impala. It was a sad part of reality for guests to watch two black-backed jackals taking a three day old impala kid one morning. In the walking area two giraffe calves were born in quick succession, both of their feathery sets of horns proclaiming their innocence. At the moment the Mara seems like a nursery!

The five males of the Marsh Pride of lions are still finding easy pickings between Lake Nakuru and Rhino Ridge while the three sisters were seen mating with two males near Ol Duruki. The Paradise Pride has been spending most of their time near the Serena Crossing taking advantage of the late traffic of wildebeest and zebra in the area. Notch, five other males, six females and ten cubs of eleven months old were all seen together in this area on a wildebeest kill near the end of the month. Interestingly, there has been a major take-over of the Acacia Pride (in the walking area). Two big males (possibly who followed the migration) fought off the three original males and sadly killed eleven of the prides' cubs. These are two of the biggest lions we have ever seen!

Rhino sightings have been really good over the last two months, with one rhino being seen almost once a week. A big male was visible for about an hour around the Little Governors Marsh in the middle of the month and there was another sighted between Il Moran and Governors Camp towards the end of the month.

The resident female leopard of our area was seen regularly this month. In the walking area there is a particular favourite tree that a big male leopard likes to use. It is exciting to think that when guests are having breakfast in the walking area, they are very possibly no more than 300m from a slumbering leopard!

The female cheetah and her cub, in very close proximity to the three brothers, were seen around our airstrip recently. Maybe we'll have some more small cubs soon!

All in all the Mara is "greening up" beautifully. There is a profusion of youngsters, fresh grass for them to eat and, on the harsher side of life, a huge amount of food for the predators to eat. Many of the Eurasian migrants have returned, making birding a pleasure. The ever cycling seasons are revolving as they should and we are continuing to show our guests the wonders of the wild.


We hope to share the magic of our corner of the Mara with you sometime soon.



To make a booking at Governors Camp please contact our safari holiday experts on 01227 753181

Shompole Lodge - Eco Luxury at its best.

Nguruman Escarpment - Rift Valley - Kenya
Shompole Lodge is a luxury eco-lodge situated on the edge of the Nguruman Escarpment overlooking the Great Rift Valley in south-western Kenya. It is located 120 miles south of Nairobi on the Tanzanian border, near Lake Natron on a 35,000 acre core conservancy, surrounded by 140,000 acres of the Shompole Group Ranch which provides a With its stunning location lying on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, Shompole is a creation of the imagination. Constructed to emphasize the beauty of natural materials, the lodge combines flowing water and smooth white walls.

Shompole consists of six stylishly furnished minimalist rooms that incorporate elements of nature such as white quartz stone, thatch, fig wood and flowing water. The smooth white walls and the use of natural forms blend effortlessly with the natural rugged surroundings of the indigenous bush. The lodge overlooks the great sun baked plains of the Great Rift Valley and the rooms are spacious and shaded, having been designed with comfort and relaxation in mind. Each of the en-suite rooms has its own uniquely shaped “cool pool” and informal seating area with roll up canvas windows on all sides with spectacular views of the local scenery. The food is prepared from the finest fresh ingredients and you can enjoy your dinner in the main thatched dining room or in the privacy of your own room under the stars.

The local Maasai people are fully involved in the running of the lodge and welcome visitors to the camp and the local villages, an experience that adds an interesting cultural element to the clients´ stay. Each tented room provides a very spacious, shady oasis in this arid environment. With privacy, comfort and relaxation in mind, each room has its own cool-pool and informal sitting areas, a bathroom with a view and a specially designed tent that includes vast windows and a high canopied roof.

The main lounge and dining area consists of a high thatch roof overlooking Mount Shompole and the Rift Valley. Various levels accommodate seating areas and a lofted recess high in the roof provides an additional quiet area.

Little Shompole is composed of 2 luxury suites situated within a few minutes’ walk of the main lodge, commanding striking views across the Great Rift Valley. Complete with 9'x9' double beds, large cool pools, sun-deck, lounge and spacious bathroom with his and hers washbasins, these rooms are the ultimate in stylish privacy. The rooms also share an exclusive lounge and dining area and a 37m horizon / lap pool that looks out across Lake Natron. For clients looking for an even more exclusive and private getaway, guests of Little Shompole can enjoy the privacy of a dedicated team of staff, private guide and butler service.

Conservation, Tourism and the Maasai

Kenya

The Maasai (also Masai) are a Nilotic ethnic group of semi nomadic people located in Kenya and northern Tanzania. Due to their distinctive customs and dress and residence near the many game parks of East Africa, they are among the most well known of African ethnic groups. They speak Maa, a member of the Nilo-Saharan language family that is related to Dinka and Nuer, and are also educated in the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania: Swahili and English. The Maasai population has been estimated as 377,089 from the 1989 Census or as 453,000 language speakers in Kenya in 1994 and 430,000 in Tanzania in 1993 with a total estimated as "approaching 900,000". Estimates of the respective Maasai populations in both countries are complicated by the remote locations of many villages, and their semi-nomadic nature.

Although the Tanzanian and Kenyan governments have instituted programs to encourage the Maasai to abandon their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, the people have continued their age-old customs. Recently, Oxfam has claimed that the lifestyle of the Maasai should be embraced as a response to climate change because of their ability to farm in deserts and scrublands.

The Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania have co-existed with wildlife for generations. The wildlife has survived because of the protection and respect that the Maasai have for the environment, having lived alongside most wild animals with an aversion to eating game and birds. Maasai are pastoralist and have resisted the urging of the Tanzanian and Kenyan governments to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle. They have demanded grazing rights to many of the National Parks in both countries, as they have seen reduced much of the traditional grazing lands for their cattle as they became protected areas; in fact, Maasai land now has East Africa's finest game areas.

According to the Department of Remote Sensing and Resource Surveys (DRSRS), more than 60 percent of Kenyan wildlife is found on the tribal land called ‘group ranches’ belonging to the Maasai people. The popular National Parks and Reserves like Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Maasai Mara, Tsavo East and Samburu Game Reserve are all found in Maasai land. Their contributions to the local economy of Maasai people are minimal.

In Kenya, tourism is one of the principle sources of foreign revenues for the central government. Its direct and indirect contributions to the national economy are enormous. Other sectors like agriculture, transportation, or communication depend heavily on the tourism industry. But the tourism industry itself depends on wildlife resources as the main attraction with the government being the custodian of wildlife whether inside or outside the National parks.

The Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR), to mention an example of Maasai land, attracts 60 per cent of the nature tourists who visit Kenya every year, earning the country $75 million in 1996, yet a very little percentage of the revenue collected seems to trickle down to local communities. Today more than 80 per cent of wildlife, which belongs to the state, lives outside protected areas on the Maasai land. The most pressing issue is the ownership of the wildlife in communal areas at a time of rapid population growth. The land is under pressure from people and wildlife. Having wild animals that they do not own, living on their land has made the Maasai grow over time less tolerant of wildlife, while they feel that the issues of land and wildlife related to them raises questions such as:

• Why would the Maasai forego their own development and needs for a wildlife resource that they do not own or use?

• Why should Maasai not share the money accrued from the wildlife that feeds on their cows and children?

• Why should communities bear the costs of conservation but not the benefits?

• If local communities own the land on which the wildlife exists, are they not the best people to implement and monitor measures to relieve pressures on biodiversity?

• Is not their full involvement in the decision-making and management process imperative for the success of conservation and development on their land?


A very dramatic question that arises from all the above is why should the conservation of wildlife have precedence over local people’s needs?

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), a state corporation responsible for conserving and managing all of Kenya’s wildlife, has done little in educating the communities around the MMNR on how to benefit from the resource on which Kenyan tourism thrives. KWS has also neglected the community; out of a population of 46,331 people, 36,138 lived below the poverty line in the Mara planning unit in 2001.

Furthermore, the theme of the 1997-2001 District Development Plan for Narok District was “rapid industrialisation for sustainable development”. This included improving the infrastructure, developing local raw materials, marketing and access to credit. In the Mara division this has hardly been realised.

The Maasai’s changing view of wildlife is driven by the fact that they do not have the marketing and financial skills to utilize the natural resource commercially, leaving them feeling that someone else is reaping what they have sown.

The government has encouraged the Maasai pastoralists to practice agriculture, but with the high numbers of wildlife found in their areas, it is impossible. The animals eat the crops and wildlife is seen as a curse and an obstacle to development.

The Maasai are becoming frustrated by the wildlife that lives on their land but over which they have no control. They are moving from seeing wildlife as something with which they must live alongside in mutual respect, to a commercial commodity to be used. In agricultural areas wildlife is even seen as a pest to be eliminated.

Their monopoly of power by KWS, a central power outside the community, prevents the chances of sustainable coexistence outside protected areas.

There has been some progress in that the community and the Maasai Conservation and Development Organization are designing a program to create self-reliance through conservation and tourism and to demarcate a core conservation area. The project aims to educate the community on how to utilize the wildlife by building tourism facilities and encouraging visitors to the area. The hope is that the benefits they see will balance their increasingly negative views of the wildlife.

The Maasai people have gradually become poorer over the years. The combinations of frequent droughts and poor markets have adversely affected their livestock-based economy. Supplementary incomes through employment are limited due to lack of education and training. The only other resource they have is the wildlife-rich land and their cultural heritage, both of which are coming under great pressure due to poverty.

The increase in human-wildlife conflicts and the gradual loss of wildlife habitat in tourism destinations have reinforced the view that local people’s involvement in the tourism industry is an essential adjunct to the concept of a nature-based tourism industry. The relationship between local communities and the tourism industry is that of purposeful interdependence.

Maasai’s themselves are one of the greatest tourist attractions in Kenya. The myth is sold as warrior and warlike tribe somewhere in Africa. The tribe's male live on the hearts of the lions they kill in the sprawling savannah.

The Maasai on their part have learned that there is a dollar in being merchandise of the curio type. So they turn out in front of their manyattas (kraal) as if in Hollywood. For a dollar, the tourist can both see this ‘creature’ of the wild and photograph it. For a job well done and the delivery of the ‘merchandise’ to the tourists, the tour guide gets his tip. The curio dealer in town is thus matched by the human curio dealer in the Maasai plains.

Too often, the temptation to become a caricature of themselves and a cliché for few dollars is too strong, and after which the tourist goes back home and says that he has seen Africa. He claims that he has seen man almost at his primeval stage. Something close to a lie, a fix image of a reality that is dynamic and in constant change. Culture as a fusion of a people's way of life is not a commodity. It is an expression of their totality and when taken otherwise, it is hard to tell between them and wildlife. In this case, the Maasai has the same camera value with a buffalo since their lives begin when the camera begins to whine and ends when it is shut down.

Culture is much more dynamic than a moment of a camera flash which is what the exotic image made of the Maasai turns it into. Culture holds the past and present, a blending that the post cards of the Maasai kills.

Culture is dynamic and the Maasai are not exceptional to that rule. The shuka-clad (a red cloth that the Maasai wrap around themselves) Maasai man is as at home with a Coke as the urbanized man from Central Province.

It is all a matter of understanding that culture is not a plastic thing. It is about real life. That is why constant long term effort from the government and the communities needs to be developed, so as Maasais benefit naturally of the revenue generated by tourism, where they play an important role, being able to choose how to play and how to live with respect for their history, culture and present situation. It is crucial for the tourism industry to understand and be able to deal with social and historical sensibilities since sustainable tourism means benefits for the tourists as well as for the local community and conservation of the natural resources that make the destination attractive to international visitors.


Written by LLA

Lions fighting for survival.

According to a recent report by the Kenya Wildlife Service, lions are fighting for their survival in Africa today thanks to the combined effects of shrinking wilderness, expanding human population, encroaching agricultural land and assault by guns, spears, poisoned arrows, and the most lethal lion-killer of all: Furadan, a highly poisonous carbo‐furan, which is widely used as a lion killer. Disease also takes a heavy toll on the lion population. According to recent research by KWS, some 1,700 lions currently exist in seven Kenyan national parks and conservation areas. The lion population has, however been declining by an average of 100 animals a year for the past seven years. If this trend continues, there may be no lions left in Kenya in 20 year's time.

Front row seats for the Wildebeest Migration

Sala's Camp, Masai Mara Reserve, Kenya

Situated on the banks of the Sand and Keekorok Rivers, on the Serengeti border, Sala's Camp boasts a prime location within the Masai Mara. This offers a perfect vantage point for one of the world's greatest natural spectacles - the Great Wildbeest Migration. Game viewing at Sala's Camp is exceptional at this time and well worth a visit!

Please call 01227 753180 or contact us for more information and safari reservations.

Diani twice daily with Air Kenya Express

Diani, Kenya
Air Kenya has announced that effective from July 1st, there will be two daily flights to Diani & Mombasa, which may enable convenient connections to / from Mara and Kilimanjaro.

For more information, please contact: 0044 (0)1227 753180

Governors' Camp April Game Report

Masai Mara, Kenya
April has been an interesting month, with heavy down pours, stunning cloud formations and thunderous outbursts all creating fascinating changes in the scenery.

All these rain storms meant that the Mara River became a roaring torrent for three days, rising around 14 feet. This deluge of water was a spectacular sight and hippos were seen scuttling for small pockets of calmer waters under the river banks. As well as enjoying the spectacle of the raging Mara River our guests also enjoyed some wonderful wildlife sightings.

The forests plants are now a deep rich green and we look forward with excited anticipation to the imminent blooming of the Mara wildflowers adding colour to the plains, forests and riverbanks.

In the forests around the camps the African Greenheart trees (Warburgia Ugandensis) are fruiting and these fruits now cover the forest floor. The Warburgia fruit is an elephant's favourite entrée and the fruiting has meant that we received regular visits from large bull elephants wandering into camp to feast on these hot fruit. Excited guests retreated to the safety of their tents, whilst the elephant feasted. Interestingly the leaves from the Green Heart are often used in place of hot chilies in cooking. Perhaps these fruits are eaten for medicinal purposes by the elephant, who knows?


The Musiara Marsh is full of elephant families with counts of at least 100 individuals. This is always a delight to see and an exciting start to our guests game drives. The elephant families include small feisty 3 month old calves to the old matriarchs. On the ground between the elephants legs cattle egrets busily feast off the rich pickings of insects disturbed by the elephants mighty round feet as they trudge along the marsh edges and grassy plains.

The long grass has caused the Bila Shaka / Marsh Pride of lions to split up and roam their vast territory in search prey, they are feeding on a lot of warthog at the moment and the occasional zebra which provides a more substantial meal. Two large black mane lions have been hovering on the edge of the Bila Shaka / Marsh Prides territory in anticipation of finding a weakness to exploit in the resident male kingdom, so perhaps this will be an exciting few months ahead as they build up their nerve to tackle the prestigious dominant Bila Shaka males and win control of the pride and their important territory.

The Paradise Pride comprises of Notch the old Bila Shaka pride male. He was forced out of the Bila Shaka pride by the current two black maned lions and he started a coalition with 5 of his male cubs, which is now the Paradise Pride. Normally a male lion does not tolerate his male offspring and at around two years of age they are usually banished by the male from the pride, the scientific reason for this is to prevent inbreeding by the sons mating with their mothers, aunts and sisters. However in this case Notch, and his male cubs moved prides so there is no close relationship with the females in the pride and also perhaps if Notch was to assert his dominance over his 5 male offspring he would be ousted himself. What this has created is possibly the most impressive lion family we have ever seen in the Mara - and at the moment there are 6 Blacked maned lions in this pride. Many of our clients in Feburary were lucky enough to see the entire pride of 22 individuals feeding on a hippo over several days. On one occasion a young male and female from the Ridge Pride ventured too close into the Paradise Pride's territory. The 6 black maned lions were feeding on the hippo and must have caught a whiff on the wind of the intruders and sprang up, and despite their distended full bellies, raced across the plains towards the young male and female. All 6 were roaring and running across the plains - one of the most incredible sights and sounds in Africa. Needless to say the two Ridge Pride lions ran for their lives. Each of the 6 Paradise Pride males took up a position on the plains and roared. Notch epitomises what we think a black maned lion should look like and his sons carry the genes. In April the paradise pride, 'Notch' and his boys have surprised us all, by swimming across the river, repeatedly! Two of the paradise females have been spotted with 6-8month old cubs and recently with a topi kill.

Some of our clients also had an interesting sighting on a game drive over Easter, when they came across two male lions up on Rhino Ride. The young male lions encountered a large herd of buffalo, and being young and a little reckless the lions decided to hang around the buffalo herd. The buffalo took exception to this and chased the two, one of whom ended up halfway up a tree waiting for the angry herd to pass! Many thanks to Mike Robinson for providing the photos.

The three cheetah brothers have been regularly seen roaming the plains, including some fast action as they brought down their prey and eating quickly before any other large predator slipped in for the feast. Hyenas' too have been surprising us here and have figured out how to capture sleeping topi and feasting.There is also a den of little playful black balls of uncoordinated hyena cubs below 'Bila shaka'.

There have been numerous sightings of various leopards and in particular a beautiful female, recognizable by a split on the top of her left ear, which has been seen at regular intervals. Recently we have had wonderful sighting of her and her kills in the tree close to Little Governors, also elegantly traipsed over a dead log near the marsh, delighting many a visitor.

Due to the long grass the normal plains game have been scarce, preferring the short grass plains they have mostly moved into these areas and have been seen regularly on our bush walks with close encounters with snorting wildebeest, zebra, eland, giraffe, Thompson gazelle and impala. We have also been enjoying all the smaller insects and animals of the Mara ecosystem on our walks, including the industrious Dung beetles who have been busy burying copious amounts of elephant dung! The colours of the dung beetles never cease to amaze us from bright green to shiny black, some with large horns to wide scoops. They are amazing creatures and 1 dung beetle is capable of burying one metric ton of dung in a hectare in a year!

Please visit the Governor's Camp Website: http://www.governorscamp.com/

Kenya's rhino protection plan approved by CITES

Kenya
The recent CITES meeting in Doha, Qatar has approved Kenya suggestions for the increased protection of the country’s population of rhino, which in 2009 suffered the worst poaching attacks for the last 25 years, with 20 animals being lost. The measures, which called for increased law enforcement, border surveillance, rhino monitoring, guard training and public awareness campaigns, received wide international support. There was, however, general opposition to Kenya's suggestion that all existing stocks of stored rhino horns be destroyed.

Serena to open new safari camp in Soysambu

The Lake Elementaita, Kenya
Serena Hotels will commence construction of a new luxury tented camp, The Lake Elementaita Serena camp in Kenya in April 2010, scheduled to open on 15th December 2010, offering a blend of exclusivity and adventure. This tented camp will comprise 25 luxury units located along the shores of the flamingo and pelican fringed Lake Elementaita within the Soysambu Conservancy which is approximately 120km from Nairobi and 30Km from Lake Nakuru National Park.

Facilities will include a dining and lounge area, spa and swimming pool enjoying magnificent views of the Lake.

www.serenahotels.com

News from Great Conservation Plains - from LLA

Kenya
Following a recent soft refurbishment at Mara Plains, the Camp has incorporated a new Management couple. The area had seen over 5 inches (125mm) of rainfall by the end of February! The savannas are looking flush with green grasses and this is being enjoyed by all the antelope in the immediate camp vicinity. Needless to say the predators are taking the opportunity of the abundant wildlife right now too. Generally the game viewing is up to its usual Masai Mara "unbelievable" standard.

Regular sightings of lion, cheetah, leopard and elephants abound. Mara Plains Camp will remain open throughout May this year when the majority of Masai Mara camps chose to close. It is a bit of an oddity that camps close in May because it is actually one of the most prolific times of the year, following the seasonal rains, for extraordinary sightings.

February and March in the Chyulu Hills have been a period of clear skies, perfect starry nights, uninterrupted views of Kilimanjaro and a time for the Acacia trees to flower in all their splendour! The forest was dotted with these white flowering trees and, coming seemingly out of nowhere, are hoards of bees and butterflies to partake in the pollination. Diadem butterflies, Cape Whites, Blue Pansies OrangeTips...the list of butterflies goes on. Butterflies are an excellent indicator of the health of an ecosystem, and judging by the sheer numbers in the Chyulu Hills it would seem the area is well on its way to recover after last year's drought.

At Ol Donyo Wuas', as the rainfall cycle turns, the dry period followed through March. As the outlying pans begin to dry, Ol Donyo Wuas' waterhole became increasingly busier. Throughout the day long there has been a constant stream of thirsty wildlife - tentative giraffe, brazen zebra, hot warthog in search of a mud wallow and rutting impala rams who are desperate to win themselves a harem of beautiful ladies. With the log pile hide positioned in a prime location near the waterhole, guests are loving the opportunity of observing game at close proximity.

As with Mara Plains Camp, the Management has decided to keep Ol Donyo Wuas open throughout May.

BA Strike

Nairobi, Kenya
A schedule of flights released by British Airways indicates that flights to and from Kenya will operate on a normal service between the March 20 and 22 when British Airways plan their first strike.

British Airways Kenya Commercial Manager, George Mawadri, in Nairobi said that the schedule indicated that customers flying from and into Nairobi would not be inconvenienced by the first part of the strike.

The schedule can be found on BA website

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/strike-ballot/public/en_gb?refevent=HOME_URGENT_CENTRE

Solio Lodge - Opens July 2010

Solio Ranch, West of Mount Kenya, Kenya
The Safari Collection (Giraffe Manor, Sasaab and Sala's camp) is delighted to announce a new addition to their portfolio. Opening July 2010, a small luxury lodge consisting of 6 cottages will be built on Solio Game Reserve just west of Mount Kenya. Recognised as the most successful private rhinoceros breeding reserve in Kenya, Solio is also home to numerous other wildlife species.

Working with the Westgate Warriors

Samburu, Northern Frontier, Kenya
Sasaab lodge in Kenya's Samburu region is supporting a project to assist the local Westgate warriors. The recent drought in 2009 put a great deal of pressure on wildlife, livestock and humans alike. The warriors of the area, whose primary role is to herd livestock, have greatly suffered as a result. A community project has been established to assist them in earning income from making and selling rungus (clubs), spears and (fly) whisks. Proceeds go directly to the warrior concerned.

Giraffe Manor Update

Nairobi, Kenya
Giles and Jessica Pattison will be joining the management team at Giraffe Manor in a full time role as of 1 November this year. Rudy will be involved with the important role of keeping back of house operations running smoothly, together with a wider role within Tamimi. Marianne will remain at the front of house, with day to day hosting of guests. Important to remember for early arrival guests is the Study at Giraffe Manor. This snug area offers the use of Internet, a great selection of books and a warm fire, ensuring guests' comfort should their room not be ready on arrival. It is also available as a private dining option for romantic meals for two.

Hope springs at Sasaab

Samburu, Northern Frontier, Kenya
Despite the severe drought that is affecting Northern Kenya, Sasaab has recorded fantastic sightings including a herd of over 200 endangered Grevy Zebra and 80 elephant. In addition, a friendly female leopard (named Osiligi by camp staff, meaning ‘Hope’ in Samburu) with two young cubs is living in the cave just behind the lodge and is seen daily. Although very aware of the recent security threats to visitors to the Samburu area, Sasaab managers Tony and Ali have advised that security is now better than it has been for many months. Sasaab is fortunate in that it is part of a joint community initiative and located outside of the main reserves.

New member at Giraffe Manor

Nairobi, Kenya
Giraffe Manor recently received an addition to their resident herd of Rothschild Giraffes. It was a very exciting moment when Daisy II approached the Manor and stood in the garden to give birth to Daisy III. This amazing natural spectacle was enjoyed by guests at the hotel who watched from the sitting room and terrace. Daisy III is developing well and they are now awaiting the birth of another from mom-to-be Lynne!