Cows among the lions
At a private conservancy bordering Kenya’s Maasai Mara, Anton Crone finds a perfect blend of conservation and community
I ’M in Mara Naboisho Conservancy on the northern flank of the Maasai Mara. Like the Maasai Mara, Naboisho is a mecca for wild creatures tall, toothed and tasty. Unlike the Maasai Mara, it’s also grazing land for Maasai livestock, and it’s probably the best example of conservation and community working together in the whole of East Africa.
Before the Maasai Mara and other parks were given over to wildlife, the area was home to countless Maasai and their livestock. Most were moved off their land along with their sheep, cattle and goats. They lost their best grazing. It put pressure on the ecosystem and led to poaching and disrespect for the creatures and tourists that now roam their ancestral land. Mara Naboisho works on a supposedly modern principle of land tenure, but it’s actually as ancient as nature itself, the principle of “I’ll help you if you help me”.
It’s probably best illustrated by a little bird, the honeyguide, one of which we saw on a morning walk across the plains. The honeyguide signalled its presence by calling to us from an acacia tree.
“Let’s follow, he might take us to honey,” said Justin Heath, the warden of Naboisho. And off he flew from tree to tree. After a short flight, he stopped on a branch and put on his greatest performance yet, tweeting like the honey addict that he is. We saw a vast beehive poking out of the ground. Tasty honey was to be had if only we dug down to it, then the bird would benefit, and so would we. It’s a common principle: tick birds free antelope of parasites in exchange for a meal, bees fertilise flowers in exchange for nectar and honeyguides lead humans to hives in exchange for access to honey. We humans are awful when it comes to co-operating with our own species. But Naboisho, meaning “harmony”, operates differently.
The land that became Naboisho is rented from the local Maasai. They receive a regular income — much of which goes to schooling for their kids — and they are able to graze their livestock on the grasses of their traditional land in the conservancy. During our walk, Heath pointed to the southwest, where grass fires send smoke up into the air high above the plains of Maasai Mara. These are controlled burns to refresh and shorten the grass thereby attracting animals such as wildebeest and zebra that are adept at eating short grass. They also prefer short grass because the predators are easier to see.
Burning is not necessary in Naboisho because the cattle perform the task through grazing. There are none of a fire’s damaging consequences for mammals, insects or trees; the livestock’s substantial dung and urine adds vital nutrients to the soil, the trampling of the underlying grass means the earths moisture is retained and Naboisho’s healthy grass becomes even more attractive to the likes of wildebeest and zebra. Of course, predators follow too, as do many other creatures resulting in a healthy, diverse ecosystem. Best of all, tourists find Naboisho more attractive, ensuring the camps at Naboisho can pay rent to the Maasai. Today the conservancy boasts one of the densest concentrations of lion in the world, with more than over 70 individuals identified, and the population of other game is increasing.
The movement of livestock is managed by Heath and his rangers so that no grass is depleted and no tourist finds themselves surrounded by cattle instead of wildebeest. But in the wet season, the livestock is moved onto pastures closer to the camps that have closed for the season. However, Asilia Africa’s Naboisho camp remains open and I can see why. There are fewer tourists, but it’s no less beautiful. The grass is greener, the sky more dramatic as the rain clouds roll in, and the wildlife is as spectacular as the high season. We see a pride of 19 lion, countless giraffe, cheetah, elephant and the largest crocodile I have ever seen. We stalk hyena on foot and walk beside wildebeest and zebra in the thousands. Best of all, we herd cattle.
Back at camp, after a wonderful walk with the herdsmen, I chat about the grazing scheme and the thrill of walking among the cattle to a US tour operator. She baulks at the thought of it. It’s a shame because, while I was walking with the Maasai among their livestock, it dawned on me that the Africa most westerners come to see is fantasy. To them it’s all about the wildlife. But that’s only half of the story. Africa is also about people. From the moment we descended from the trees, we humans have been walking among the beasts. At least the honeyguide recognises us. — © Anton Crone
* Crone was a guest of Naboisho camp
Rates at Naboisho for South Africans are approximately R2 990 pppn