Trailblazing the triangle
The Mara Triangle encompasses the area of the Maasai Mara National Reserve that lies west of the Mara River – about a third of the total protected area. It has been managed by the non-profit Mara Conservancy since 2001, with great success. Anti-poaching efforts are stringent (to date, rangers have arrested some 4,500 poachers and removed more than 56,000 wire snares); the impacts of tourism are mitigated by, for instance, limiting vehicles to five at off-road sightings; roads and ranger stations are spotlessly maintained; and relationships with local communities have been strengthened.