Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust protecting ecosystems and biodiversity

With so many African species being added to the endangered species list each year, conservation organizations are increasingly reliant on traditional communities, like the Maasai, to protect the ecological treasures that exist on their land. Among these organizations is the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, which is working to directly benefit the wildlife and wilderness of the countries, along with aiding the local Maasai communities.

Wildlife preservation a daunting task

The Maasai people in Kenya face daunting threats to the long-term survival of this incredible wilderness and its wildlife. However, the tasks rest with the Maasai themselves to work out how best to benefit from their incredible natural resources, as well as preserving and protecting them.

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust operates a series of programs aimed at protecting the wilderness and the wildlife living there. Their success comes from promoting sustainable economic benefits to the local community, which encourages their active participations as the stewards of their critical ecosystem.

The Trust is creating a cutting edge model of successful community-based conservation with lease payments for conservancies, wildlife monitoring and security, carbon credits, conservation and ecotourism employment.

The work of the Maasai rangers

The rangers working on the projects hail from the local Maasai community of Kuku Group Ranch. Each ranger has received formal training at the Kenya Wildlife Service law enforcement training school in Manyani.

The rangers; main task is to protect the natural resources of the Maasai community by conserving the wildlife and the habitat surrounding them. To aid these efforts, a yachting company has recently gifted an electric safari vehicle with solar panels on its roof to the Trust. The electric vehicle will be used by one of the lodges in Kenya that participates in conservation work. However, this is only the beginning, as plans are for more similar projects in the future.

Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust uses modern technology such as the electric vehicle to ensure the maximum effectiveness of the ranger force. From 2013, the conservation software package SMART (Spatial Monitoring And Reporting Tool) was introduced and has been successfully implemented. Rangers head out on structured foot patrols on a daily basis in the area, while engaging the community in conservation.

While out on patrol, the rangers use GPS tracking devices to collect data on wildlife and illegal activities in the area. The data is then entered and analyzed in SMART to ensure accountability. To motivate and increase the morale of the rangers, quarterly feedback and evaluation meetings are held, where awards are given to the best performing rangers.

Helping to curb poaching BR Over the years, the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust has forged strong relationships with the local Maasai community of Kuku Group Ranch. The locals and rangers have helped to curb poaching in the area, while poaching of wildlife is rampant in other areas of Kenya, especially elephants.

Interested parties can donate to the Trust to ensure their ongoing success in the protection of the wildlife and Maasai wilderness.