In Kenya, 240 Masai farmers have made their land available for a project that helps wild species to recover their habitat
The Masai give us a great lesson in coexistence with wild animals
A group of 240 Masai farmers in Kenya decided to use part of their land for an important project: to restore habitat to local wildlife, made up of elephants, wildebeest and lions.
The lands of the Masai breeders within the Masai Mara National Reserve they have become a lifeline for all those particularly vulnerable wild species that continue to suffer a decline in their habitat and consequently in their own population.
In fact, according to the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, Kenya has lost 70% of its wildlife over the past 30 years.
Last year, a research team from the University of Groningen looked at data from over 40 years in which the negative effects of increased human activity along the Mara-Serengeti border have clearly emerged. The Mara-Serengeti ecosystem between Kenya and Tanzania is one of the largest and most protected ecosystems in the world, spanning approximately 40.000 square km.
The researchers found that the areas bordering the Mara-Serengeti have seen a 400% increase in human population over the past decade, while the largest wildlife populations in key areas of the Kenyan side have been reduced by more than 75%. .
Michiel Veldhuis, lead author of the study from the University of Groningen, concluded:
“It is urgent to rethink the way we manage the boundaries of protected areas in order to conserve biodiversity. The future of the world's most iconic protected area and its associated human population could hinge on this. "
As human settlements around the Kenyan National Reserve were pushing their livestock further into protected areas, it was necessary to think about a model of protection able to curb this imbalance between man and nature and, in the Mara region, over 14.000 landowners have embraced the idea of form some reserves (currently 15) which offer nearly 142.000 hectares of shelter for wild animals.
How it works
Land owners identify a tour operator willing to create a safari area within the chosen area, with the advantage of having a space that offers a greater concentration of wild animals, perfect for those who want to see typical species of the savannah in their natural habitat.
The owners of the land obviously also have advantages. As Daniel Ole Sopia, chief executive of the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association stated:
“Conservation pays off. The money paid to landowners who have leased their land for wildlife conservation averages $ 7,5 million annually. "
The Guardian newspaper interviewed Parsaloi Kupai, Masai who receives a monthly fee for the land he has provided to the Ol Kinyei Conservancy, money which he invests in livestock and the education of his children.
Parsaloi Kupai's house, located on the edge of Ol Kinyei, is no different from any other Maasai farm: oval-shaped huts with an almost flat roof and walls plastered with a mixture of water, mud, and cow dung. In the center of the farm is an enclosure where his cattle spend the night, safe from the many predators that roam the area.
Kupai, 47, and his two wives live here after giving 69 hectares of land to the project. He is therefore one of the 240 landowners who have offered their precious pastures to safeguard wild animals.
“I can no longer graze on that land. - He declared, pointing to a distant hill - Now it is owned by elephants, wildebeest and lions ”.
A project that we hope does not hide, even if in a more gentle way, the exploitation of this people to make room for luxury safaris. Topic we told you about a few years ago.
Masai: evictions and violence against tribes to make room for luxury safaris
We hope instead that this time we will be able to meet the needs of animals and men, allowing a harmonious coexistence in respect of all.
Meanwhile, the Kenyan government has announced that it will allocate 2 billion Kenyan shillings (15 million pounds) from 1 July to support wildlife conservation.
As Dickson Kaelo, head of the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) said:
“Let's hope wildlife flourishes. This will happen if investments in our national parks and reserves are quadrupled and private landowners and local communities are effectively incentivized to ensure that wildlife is perceived as a national asset. "
Source: The Guardian
Read also:
- We help the Masai to save their land from multinationals and poor vaccines
- The polka dot zebra really exists! Her name is Tira and she was born in the Kenyan reserve of Masaai Mara
