Mara Triangle Blog

Job Opening: Communications Officer

2011-05-11T12:06:47Z

The Mara Conservancy invites candidates to apply for the post of Communications Officer based between Nairobi and the Mara Triangle, in the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Description of Offer

Post: Communications Officer

Place of work: Mara Triangle, Maasai Mara National Reserve
Country of work: Kenya
Closing date: 31^st May 2011

The Mara Conservancy

In the year 2000 some of the local leaders became concerned about levels of mismanagement in the Mara Triangle, the North Western section of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. As a result the Mara Conservancy, a not-for-profit management company, was established to manage the Triangle on behalf of Trans-Mara County Council.

The Mara Conservancy plays an active role in initiating and encouraging conservation efforts within the Maasai Mara National Reserve. A list of our ongoing achievements and goals include among others:

A clamp down on poaching in the Mara Triangle and the surrounding area.
Improving infrastructure by grading a network of roads within the Triangle, as well as access roads to camps and lodges outside of the Triangle.
Maintain a network of secondary roads and tracks to improve wildlife viewing.
Restore existing ranger stations and install renewable energy and water harvesting systems.
Establish a transparent and modern (IT based) revenue collection systems.
Strengthen relationships between the Reserve and the surrounding areas by encouraging community projects and reward schemes for co-habiting with wildlife.
Encourage sound eco-tourism principles among camps and lodges.

Our Mission: Working with local leaders, communities, and tourism partners, the Mara Conservancy uses effective and efficient management methods that enhance the economical value of conservation to better protect the Mara Triangle and its surrounding ecosystem.

For more information on the Mara Conservancy, please visit our website at www.maratriangle.org

The Position

For the last three years, the Mara Conservancy has implemented exposure through media and other relations. The Communications Officer is expected to help continue these activities with a hard-working, self-driven approach. The Communications Officer is expected to take the lead on developing the website and proactively encouraging rangers and project staff to contribute photos and information on a regular basis. The Communications Officer must be well organized and flexible, and comfortable working in a multicultural environment and meeting tight deadlines. The Communications Officer will report to the CEO. A Kenyan resident or citizen would be preferred but all applications will be considered.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Assist in developing the Mara Conservancy website featuring the Mara Triangle.
Initiate and plan media campaigns and communication strategies.
Write and edit blog entries to boost readership, generate back links, improve blog ranking and encourage online donations.
Create and manage innovative web-based campaigns to generate publicity and funds for Mara Conservancy.
Produce digital media content in for the website, social media and other sources.
Communicate human and wildlife stories and complex issues to raise awareness.
Recognise newsworthy stories and liaise with national and international press.
Produce additional promotional/information materials for visitors to Mara Triangle.
Maintain Mara Conservancy and Mara Triangle PR.
Answer enquiries, organise logistics, and manage visits by journalists, television and film crews.
Help write and edit internal and external reports for HQ, donors and project partners.
Build on relationships with researchers, tourism stakeholders and international media.

JOB Requirements

Qualifications and experience – required:

A university degree in journalism, communications, or similar experience;
Excellent writing skills in English;
Experience blogging and social networking;
Experience writing Press Releases and working with journalists;
Experience working on a team;
Abilty to work in the field.

Qualifications and experience – desired:

An interest in wildlife;
Experience in photography;
Experience with film and video editing;
Familiar with Photoshop or other design programs;
Knowledge of KiSwahili

Terms of contract

Competitive salary
Two-year contract with a three-month trial period
28 working days of paid holiday per annum
Medical coverage
Basic accommodation

Qualification Level

Undergraduate Degree or equivalent
2-3 years experience in a Communications role or similar

CONTACT

All applications should include a letter of interest in English stating your availability, an up-to-date CV, and the names and addresses of three referees.

If you have any portfolio that displays your work experience in this field, please provide reference/access to that material.

The letter of interest should include answers to the following questions:

What led you to apply for this position?
What is the single most important technical ability that you would bring to this job?
What are your three most important personal characteristics that will help you succeed in this job?

Candidates should send this information to the following mail address: william@maratriangle.org - closing date is 31^st May 2011.

Only candidates selected will be contacted.

Rise in Park Fees - July 1st, 2011

2011-02-23T09:22:21Z

Further to recent announcements in the local press, this is just to confirm that park fees for the Maasai Mara National Reserve, including the Mara Triangle, will be raised on the 1st July, 2011.

The full new fees can be downloaded by clicking this link.

Please note that park fees are paid to where you stay; if you are staying in the Mara Triangle and are driving through Sekenani Gate on the Narok side, do not pay park fees until you enter the Triangle at Purungat Bridge.

All tickets can be purchased from KAPS in Nairobi, or upon arrival in the Mara Triangle from an authorised KAPS employee stationed at either Purungat Bridge, Oloololo Gate, or Serena Airstrip. Child rates are sixteen and under, and children under three are free.

Visa credit and debit cards are accepted at all Mara Triangle entry points

Born Free's Most Responsible Safari Guide 2010: Charity Cheruiyot

2010-11-30T07:34:29Z

Charity Cheruiyot, from &Beyond's Kichwa Tembo and Bateleur Camp, won this year's Born Free Most Responsible Safari Guide Competition.

The prize, sponsored by Born Free Foundation, was a two week all expenses paid trip to South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. Below are Charity's observations from her trip and her experiences with the local guides, and recommendations to improve responsible guiding in the Masai Mara:

Appreciation:

I would like to thank all my sponsors for enabling me to travel to Zambia for my guiding award. Many thanks goes to Born Free Foundation and Tribal Voice Communications for the work they are doing to ensure we conserve the Masai Mara. Mara Conservancy have worked hard to ensure the ecosystem is protected and all guides are giving their best in terms of responsible game viewing and finally all the lodges that hosted me in South Luangwa, it was an amazing experience I will never forget.

Introduction:

Guiding is a profession that has changed with time. The type of guiding experience ten years ago is different from what our guests want to experience today. Guests expect a guide who is knowledgeable and who is sensitive to both the environment and the animals. Guests expect to get value for their money without interfering with animals or their surroundings; therefore there is a need to promote responsible guiding in Africa and in the whole world. We all believe that without any conservation in the Mara we might not have the Mara as we know it in the near future, therefore I do support the Mara Conservancy in all their efforts to bring positive change in this ever changing field.

The overall experience was an eye opener, I got to see and experience how guiding is done in Zambia and at the end it was amazing. I learnt a lot and felt how beautiful it was to be on a game drive without seeing other vehicles, and it was like having an exclusive park to ourselves. This is one thing the guides in the Mara need to do; try and explore some areas which are not normally visited, an example would be to head out towards the Tanzania border more often.

The following are some of the guides I went on drives with:- Levi Banda, Charles, from Norman Carr Safaris, also from the same company was Shaddy who was very excellent in walking safaris, this is where I got to see wild dogs on foot and it was a great experience. Jabez, Robbie and JJ from Flatdogs camp proved to be excellent guides. From Robin Pope Safaris were Julius and Daudi. I got an opportunity to chat with Abraham Banda who was voted one of the best safari guides worldwide and he had just returned from the UK where he attended the award ceremony at the RGS.

The important things I noted from the above guides were their level of professionalism, they were sensitive to the environment and animals, no off road driving is allowed in the park and no crowding of animals, only three vehicles at any sighting, every guide did or observed the rules with or without the presence of the scouts “park rangers” because every guide knows what is expected from him/her. In their drives they included many small things like birds, insects, flowers or trees.

Points to note:

There is no off road driving allowed in the South Luangwa National Park because of the fragile ecosystem, every guide or any person driving in the park understands this.
In every sighting only three vehicles are allowed, guests are briefed about this rule, the first vehicle to get to the sighting is the first to get out, additional vehicles wait at a distance.
No radio communication is allowed, only used to get in touch with the lodges. Any guide passing animal sightings over a radio is punished. Use of radio is believed to lead to rushing from one sighting to the other.
There is good communication between the scouts and the guides.
There is a way of disciplining the guides who break the rules, first and second time they pay a fine and the third time the guide is expelled from the park, both the lodges and camps also agree on this rule.
There are less self drives in the park.
Roads are properly maintained and during the rainy season some parts of the park are closed and this is communicated to the guides through memo.
The guiding body in Zambia is trying to form a body that is responsible to oversee guiding activities. The other important thing that this body will do is to introduce a pass or license given to all guides working in Zambian parks, the pass will be taken away from any guide that keeps breaking the rules and without this pass he or she is not allowed to drive in any other Zambian park.
During the low season they conduct refresher courses for guides who are available, all the guides interact and bring different ideas and try to work out solutions for any problem.

Problems encountered in the Mara:

There is too much traffic in the Mara which leads to crowding the animals, the rule of only five vehicles need to be followed all the time.
Many self drives getting to Mara might not be familiar with the rules.
The problem of going off road either to view animals or to get somewhere, I believe this is the biggest problem at the moment.
Use of radio is being misused by many guides. Driving with the radio on all the time is a big nuisance to most of the guests.
Communication between rangers and the guides need to be worked out.
No regular meetings between park rangers and the residents guides in the Mara.
Some times the park rangers close some roads without informing the guides and when guides are found driving in such roads, it causes a lot of friction between the parties.

Solutions

The big problem[s] is [are] going off road and crowding of animals.
The Mara Conservancy has been working hard to ensure guides adhere to the rules but they should continue being strict and with time we will notice the difference, guides will notice that the Conservancy is not relenting and they will have no option but to follow the rules.
The self drives in the Mara should either be forced to read the rules or be given a guide to be with them on their drives.
Use of radio should be monitored.
The communication between the rangers and the resident guides should be improved; we should see one another as a brother or sister and not one who is an offender or one who is ready to point out our mistakes.
I recommend we try to hold meetings perhaps once a month to see where the problem is and how to solve it. It is the responsibility of all the lodges or camps and the Conservancy to work out ways of uniting all people working in the park.
When there is important information or something the Conservancy wants to do either closing particular roads or doing anti poaching they should send a memo to all resident guides and some of us are willing to assist, this one we can build our working relationship with other guides or rangers.
Before first drive guides should brief their guests about the park rules and explain to them clearly, guests would appreciate if they are briefed about conservation issues of the Mara. When a guide breaks the rules, the park ranger should approach the guide in a polite manner and explain to both the guests and the guide of the mistake that has been done. When the guests understand the rules the guide will be careful next time not to get him or herself in the same mistake again.

Conclusion

Maasai Mara is a well known destination; every guest would like to visit it once in their life time.
We should appreciate having such a beautiful place by conserving it for future generations.
We should have a passion that drives us to keep it in its natural state.
Every guide or ranger should be responsible for what they do or the choices they make when they are doing their drives, you might decide to get close to an animal today and tomorrow you fail to see the same animal because of your actions, what we should remember is that what we do today, either good or bad will come to follow us tomorrow.
We should leave the Mara a better place than what we found it. I do believe we can and will make this place a favorable destination to visit if we all work together as a team.
We should be encouraged to know that any big achievement we see today started with a small step, what the Conservancy is doing is a great job they deserve a pat on the back, it might look difficult but one day we will look back and be grateful for having taken that step.

Compiled by: Charity Cheruiyot

Designation: Ranger Guide/Mentor

Lodge/Camp: &Beyond Kichwa Tembo/Bateleur

25th November 2010

In the News

Lets Go On Safari, The Standard, 15th September 2010

Supporters and Sponsors

Park Rule Violations in 2010

2010-10-12T15:32:52Z

Recently, we have been uploading "irresponsible safari photo" sent to us by guests who visited the Masai Mara. Many people have asked why we are posting photographs which might destroy the reputation of the Mara. Is it really exposing the photo that is destroying the Mara or the fact that such behaviors were kept quiet for such a long time? We feel that exposing what really goes on in the Mara will be the only way to regulate these kinds of irresponsible behavior.

Our three anti-harassment vehicle are working hard to clamp down irresponsible safari behaviors in Mara Triangle, but we still continue to catch drivers violating our park rules especially during high season. We now have our list of violations from Jan-Oct, 2010 and the list of the violators will be included in CEO's October monthly report. We hope these incidents will reduce in the future.

The tourism industry, and the organisations/associations that represent it, should do more in marketing responsible tourism when advertising this country and its wonderful destinations. We, as Mara Conservancy would like Mara Triangle to be known as place where "responsible safari" takes place. A wonderful safari destination where guests enjoy the wildlife experience and respects the nature at the same time. We have been trying to raise the standard of guiding by holding "most responsible safari guide" competition since 2008 and hope more camps/lodges will engage in this competition in future to uplift the guiding skill and knowledge.

Lion Hunting Lesson #1 at Mugoro

2010-10-08T04:27:06Z

lion hunt lesson #1 from Mara Vet on Vimeo.

Passing Out Parade - Londiani

2010-08-30T08:05:11Z

On Thursday 26th August we attended the Passing Out Parade of ten of our rangers at Kenya Forestry College, School of Paramilitary Training.

"In pursuit of its goals, the School endeavours to improve the quality of forest policing by providing and supporting high quality training for officers and men/women to develop their skills, knowledge and competence in Leadership, Command, Management and Community Mobilisation to the highest standards possible. This will enable them to protect and manage forests and allied resources in Kenya and elsewhere."

The training was carried out with rangers from Mara Conservancy, Trans Mara County Council, Narok County Council, Koibatek County Council, Baringo County Council and Kapsabet Municipal Council.

Best Trainees of the Course

Best Man All Round - Jeremiah Martim Cheruiyot: Mara Conservancy

Marksman of the Course - John Ntoika: Mara Conservancy

Best Man in Academics - John Kintai: Mara Conservancy

Best Man in Drill - James Rissa Kool: Narok County Council

Oldest Trainee - Fredfick Barsaloi Naimodu: Narok County Council

We are very proud of all our rangers who took part in the three month long training. Congratulations to J.M. Cheruiyot, J. Ntoika, J. Kintai, J.K. Semeiyoi, K.S. Lesiang'au, A.K. Bett, D.P. Kisieku, I. Ole Singai, J.O. Kosencha and W. Nailenya.

Our Condolences

2010-07-28T08:11:25Z

It is with great sadness and deepest regret to announce the death of one of our visitors on the 26th July.

A party of Kenyan friends were camping at one of our private campsites when a group of armed men entered the camp in the early evening. Shots were fired leaving one man dead and two people injured.

We immediately deployed our rangers and co-operated with the GSU, KWS and the Police. At this time it is not permitted to give any more information on the case, we have however boosted security in the area and now insist that all campers hire armed rangers during their stay.

All of us here at the Mara Conservancy wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased, and hope for a speedy recovery of those who were injured.

No Water No Life: Mara River Expedition 2009

2010-07-16T08:48:55Z

Find Out More:

No Water No Life Website

Latest News:

Leaders Cry Foul Over Mau Evictions Daily Nation, July 11th 2010:

Winner of Born Free's Most Responsible Safari Guide 2009/10

2010-06-04T06:37:10Z

The Born Free Foundation sponsored Most Responsible Safari Guide Award took place yesterday and was kindly hosted by Mara West. Managers and guides from Mara West, &Beyond (Kichwa Tembo & Bateleur Camps), Olonana and Mara Siria came to the ceremony to show their support.

The Award was first introduced by Cheryl and Manny Mvula of Tribal Voice Communications to help raise guiding standards in the Mara Triangle in relation to responsible wildlife viewing etiquette. All lodges operating in the Mara Triangle were invited to nominate their most Responsible Guide for the award, and each of the short-listed guides was then subjected to two assessed game drives where they were tested according to how responsible they were towards the wildlife being viewed, the Mara ecosystem and their respect for local culture and the community – according to the Travel Foundation’s Responsible Safari Guiding guidelines.

Standards were much higher than last year, and to recognise the improvement we decided to award first and second place, followed by two runners-up:

1st Prize

Charity Jemutai Cheruiyot; Bateleur Camp

2nd Prize

Abdul Karim; Olonana

Runners Up

Mark Liaram; Mara West

Timothy Kinyamal Kiok; Kichwa Tembo

Charity wins a two week guiding trip to Zambia's South Luangwa National Park, sponsored by Born Free.

Thank you to Mara Siria, Olonana, &Beyond, Kilima, Mara West and Mara Serena for taking part. Thanks also to Robin Pope Safaris, Norman Carr Safaris and Flatdogs Camp, and a big thank you also to Born Free Foundation for supporting the competition, and especially Cheryl and Manny Mvula from Tribal Voice Communications for all their hard work in making sure the competition continues with the same success. Thank you!

Next year we hope to bring responsible guiding to more of the Mara and are looking forward to expanding the competition to include Mara North Conservancy.

Supporters and Sponsors

PUBLIC NOTICE: Appointment of Revenue Collection Agent

2010-05-28T08:48:21Z