Two weeks ago I was alerted about an issue at the Konza ICT Technical Park. The 5000 acre Park fence has been underway since early this year. I have watched with dismay as the posts were placed and as chain linke has surrounded the entire Park... leaving only about 1KM opening and creating a fullel trype trap for resident wildlife.

ACK welcomes Elena Chelysheva, a Russian zoologist, into the Kenya cheetah team. Elena received affiliation with KWS and her three year research permit from the Ministry of Education to conduct evaluations in the Mara National Reserve and in the Meru National Park and surrounding ecosystems. Elena will work with other carnivore programmes in the two regions to identify cheetahs and conduct survey of social structure.

For the past six years ACK has been monitoring the cheetah and the ecosystem in the Salama area. Results from the data collected are entered into a series of data bases and each year we run preliminary analysis of the data. In our upcoming newsletters and annual reports we are proud to say that we are now able to look at some of the trends in this data. One of the most challenging issues for the staff on the ground is in explaining the importance of collecting the data.

It is not too late! Order your calendar(s) today!

http://www.cheetah.org/?nd=cheetah_shop

Make a gift for ACK by donating

http://www.cathaven.com/Catalog.aspx?catid=3

In addition to Erica who has been previously introduced we will work with Nelson Owange – a student of Epidemiology and Economics at the University of Nairobi. Nelson has spent time with our staff and is familiarizing himself with the Salama and Athi-Kapiti areas as he continues his coursework. Nelson will be trained on handling the sniffer dog and on the fecal processing… although he has more previous experience in fecal analysis than any of us! (Nelson worked with EarthWatch in Wamba (Samburu) conducting hair analysis of various predators).

I rented a car and drove from Atlanta to Virginia.. arriving on the doorstep of Miriam Westervelt after eight hours behind the wheel. Miriam is a former US Fish and Wildlife Service – environmental educator. She spent only a week with ACK after previously working on strategic planning for the education department of CCF in Namibia. She is currently studying conservation planning and has a passion for Kenya. I enjoyed tours of the environmental work that Miriam does in her own back yard, and we chatted extensively about conservation planning for ACK.

I attended the annual AZA conference in Atlanta, Georgia in September 2011. I presented an update of ACK studies to the Cheetah Species Survival Plan and the Felid Taxon Advisory Group. Each presentation was brief – just enough to update people interested in cheetah conservation. I spoke about the draft results from the national cheetah survey and its link to the regional cheetah strategies. I also introduced a photo by Guy Combes of a spotless cheetah seen in the Athi-Kapiti and Malili areas of southern Kenya.

Aug 2010 – Report from Lentaam in the Maibae conservancy: Someone in Meibae picked up a tiny cheetah cub from a bush and was calling Lentaam asking what he should feed it. He said he thought it was abandoned. :-( Cosmas told Lentaam to have him to put it back and watch to see if mama came back. In a very short while the mom came and moved the cub – this time the well-wisher left it alone.

It has been a long while since the Salama area has seen green. I mean really really green! The rains came a bit early and unlike the past few years, they have been good.

Peter Barber returns to Kenya to assist us with operations. Throughout the year we make a list of the mechanical issues that we either do not have the time nor the expertise to fix. Peter is a fundi with a large amount of knowledge on fixing, building and repairing. There are so many things in our house, camp, vehicles and equipement that would be falling apart if it weren't for Peter. Thank you Peter.... we REALLY appreciate you!