International International studbook for Grevy's zebra ... - Marwell Zoo

While the programme has changed attitudes towards Grevy’s zebra within the communities, wildlife is still at threat
from poaching through migrating pastoralists. The ambassadors have joint patrols with the KWS and also with scouts
from the partnering Milgis Trust that works in close proximity to GZT. On top of this a new opportunity has arisen.
Whenever a new group of pastoralists arrive in the area, the local community sends a delegation to discuss peace,
security and resource sharing. At the end of the meeting a team of conservation partners make the pastoralists aware
that the hunting of Grevy’s zebra and other species is not tolerated. This is an ideal connection between peace and
conservation.
Results of workshops and Grevy’s zebra monitoring through the communities so far were presented by GZT and the
ambassadors to the communities in January 2010, giving them an opportunity to contribute further discussion points
and to develop conservation recommendations that can be practically implemented (GZT, 2010). For more details on
this programme, please see the Grevy’s zebra Ambassador Programme – status report June 2010.
Wildlife and Vegetation Monitoring
The program of monitoring continues in Northern Kenya’s community conservancies. These conservancies offer a
unique opportunity for pastoralism and wildlife conservation to be integrated. They are of great importance to Grevy’s
zebra conservation; e.g. the Kalama conservancy harbours ~100 individuals, while Meibae conservancy hosts 4-500
Grevy’s during certain times of the year. The conservancy system seeks to carefully manage live stock grazing, and at
the same time encourage wildlife to co-habit pastoral areas. We now regularly survey four conservancies. The results
indicate that where management is adhered to, there have been measurable improvements in grazing quality and
availability.
Marwell Research Camp & capacity building
The research camp hosted a variety of guests 2010. Research students, interns and volunteers working with different
Lewa departments as well as students and affiliates from the Northern Rangelands Trust used the camp as a base for
their activities. Two of them, both students from Mpala working on Grevy’s zebra projects, stayed for meetings and
data analysis. Many came from overseas. Amongst them a PhD student from the US running some pilot studies on
Grevy’s zebra, and another from Canada working on empowering local schools through the use of modern technology
& the internet. One postgraduate student from Southampton University, UK, is carrying out her PhD work under the
auspices of NRT. Furthermore, MRC serves as a base for our colleagues in Kenya on trips up north and as a starting
block for many field activities of the GZTC, such as the survey in February.
Peter Lalampaa © Suzie Esterhas Edwin Lan Kisio © Marwell
This year support was given to three Kenyan students: A member of the NRT’s Research & Monitoring
Department, Dominic Lesimirdana, was accepted for a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) course at the Regional
Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development in Nairobi. He will continue preparing maps for both NRT and the
conservancies and he also leads the introductory monitoring training and GPS training for Grevy’s zebra scouts in the
conservancies.
Peter Lalampaa, who is GZT’s Field Programme Coordinator, has made a significant contribution to the management
of field operations for the trust over the past three years. Peter started his MSc in Conservation Ecology at DICE (the
Durrell Institute for Conservation and Ecology), UK, in September with the support not only of international donors but
also his own community. He will return to Kenya for the field part of his thesis in summer 2011.
AII