Strategic Plan 2018 2020 - Lion Conservation in a Changing Landscape - Ewaso Lions
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Strategic Plan 2018 - 2020 Lion Conservation in a Changing Landscape
CONTENTS
Created in northern Kenya 10 years ago, Ewaso Lions’ mission was to promote
Executive Summary & Introduction to Ewaso Lions Page 1
human-wildlife co-existence, exploring the possibility of lions living alongside
people. The results of the hard work through key programmes that we have set Our Story - 10 Year Time-line Page 3
up over the last decade speak for themselves. Our lion population is stable,
there are more lions living and breeding successfully in human-occupied Key Milestones Page 5
landscapes, communities have accepted lion presence and my team have taken
2018 - 2020 Strategy Page 7
ownership over the lions, the stunning landscape and all its wildlife.
We have come a long way in this last decade with the support of the Kenya Values & Principles Page 8
Wildlife Service, the County Governments, the Reserves and Conservancies, Objectives Page 9
our conservation partners, and the local communities who inspire us every day. Themes & Activities Page 11
When we began only 11 lions were known, all confined to protected areas. Now the Where we Work Page 15
ecosystem boasts over 50 lions. The key question now is: What will the next few years
bring for northern Kenya? Although we have made great strides in lion conservation, lions Our Team Page 17
still face an uncertain future. Threats to lions and challenges towards their conservation
continue to rise. But I am still very hopeful and positive that with the work Ewaso Lions does,
lions and people will continue to co-exist. I am especially hopeful as I watch my passionate
team, who are from the local villages and are now in leadership positions in the project,
make conservation a way of life and make decisions about lion conservation every day. Photography credits:
Anthony Allport, Jillian Knox, Tyrel Bernardini and
Today, I am proud to present you our 3-year strategy. We decided on a 3-year strategy Jack & Rikki Swenson - Expedition Gallery
instead of a 5-year or longer strategy due to the rapidly changing landscape within northern
Kenya. I hope you will find our plans inspiring, effective and well-thought out. As ever, we
value your support into turning our vision in to a reality.
Dr Shivani Bhalla
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Many thanks to the following individuals and advisors who have helped us tremendously with the strategic planning process:
Suzanne Offord-Woolley, Emma Knott, Steve Woolley, Lisa Baffi, Paul Thomson,
Alayne Cotterill, Jeremy Lucas, Shalini Bhalla, Nilanga Jayasinghe and Nina Fascione.
Cover photo: Naisherua
Loiwotwa
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Our community programmes are:
Mama Simba Warrior Watch
Kenya’s lions and other large carnivores
face unprecedented threats, largely due Engaging and training local
Empowering Samburu women
to habitat loss and conflict with humans warriors (young men in villages
through education, conservation
over livestock killing. who provide security for their
training, and environmental
livestock and community) on all
stewardship; providing alternative
Populations of these species are becoming aspects of wildlife conservation,
livelihood income through beaded
increasingly smaller and more isolated, and thus including conducting research
handicrafts.
more vulnerable to extinction. Ewaso Lions is an on carnivore sightings and
independent wildlife conservation organisation conflict mitigation strategies, and
whose mission is to conserve Kenya’s lions and carrying out community outreach.
Wazee Watch
other large carnivores by promoting co-existence
between people and wildlife. Since 2007, Ewaso Training community elders to act
Lions has used science, education, and local as conservation ambassadors Lion Watch
capacity building to guide and facilitate long-term by educating them on carnivore
Utilising local safari guides and
carnivore conservation in northern Kenya. issues and promoting solutions
tourists to contribute to our
to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
research by sharing information
regarding lion identification and
monitoring.
Lion Kids Camp
INTRODUCTION Investing in a new generation
of conservationists by providing
TO EWASO LIONS local children with a 5-day
wildlife education experience.
The African lion population has declined
by 43% in the last 20 years and lions now
occupy only 8% of their historical range
in Africa*. The estimated number of lions
across Africa is approximately 20,000.
In Kenya, the national population now
This community-based conservation work is underpinned by research.
numbers less than 2,000 individuals.
Our research programmes include:
At current rates of decline, the species could
become extinct here within the next two decades. Lion Dispersal Lion Population
This reduction in lion numbers is primarily due to We deploy high-tech GPS collars on lions within We are working to complete a region-wide census
habitat loss and conflict with humans, typically when our study area to monitor movements and activity and identify all lion prides and individuals in the
lions kill people’s livestock. Lions and other large patterns. The collar data provides vital insights in Samburu-Isiolo ecosystem. Initial identification
carnivores are wide-ranging species and designated how lions are moving through community areas and of lions, behavioural data, and lion associations
protected areas are often not large enough to ensure enables our field team to alert herders of the lions’ will distinguish the number and structure of prides
their long-term survival. Therefore, it is crucial presence to avoid potential human-lion conflict. in the area.
that conservation of these species, as well as their
prey, is addressed throughout the landscape, which
not only incorporates protected areas but also the
surrounding areas where local people live.
Wildlife Monitoring Human-Carnivore Conflict
Conduct daily patrols within the conservancies We conduct research on human-carnivore conflict
Ewaso Lions community-based conservation to monitor lion movements, census wildlife in our study area in order to develop strategies for
programmes engage and build the capacity of all populations, and keep local people and project preventing carnivore attacks on livestock, which
key demographic groups in the area (warriors, personnel informed on wildlife issues with the will then reduce retaliatory killing of carnivores.
elders, women, and children) to reduce human- aim of promoting human-lion co-existence. Understanding key factors that influence human
carnivore conflict by: raising awareness of tolerance of large carnivores will help us
ecological problems and solutions, developing manage for co-existence, identify areas critical to
strategies for reducing conflict with carnivores maintaining connectivity between habitats to keep
Lion Habitat
(particularly pertaining to livestock predation), corridors for wildlife open, and focus conservation
and educational initiatives that illustrate the We identify suitable habitat for lions in community
activities in areas most likely to remain viable for
benefit of wildlife for local livelihoods. areas through the use of habitat suitability
large carnivores in the long term.
modelling techniques. We are then able to work
(*Beyond Cecil: Africa’s Lions in Crisis Report with communities on ensuring safe habitat for
Produced by Panthera, WildAid and WildCru, 2016) lions within the human-occupied landscape.
1 Lentim 2
OUR STORY 10-YEAR TIME-LINE
2007 2011 2015
Ewaso Lions was founded by Magilani was killed. After 7 years at a
Shivani Bhalla, who recognized She ventured into unsafe ‘temporary’ base with 2017
that lions were in trouble areas with her cubs, poor communications
and their survival in northern
2009 and we lost her to a bullet. 2013 and security, we moved We lost 5 lions this year to
to our permanent hilltop human-lion conflict - our most
Kenya hinged on working with Our first sighting of a lion in But her cubs survived, Our inaugural Lion Kids challenging year in 10 years as
local communities. a community area. Named hunting successfully at the headquarters. 400
Camp was held, laying the a result of increasing threats
Magilani, she eventually tender age of 1.5 years. community members
foundations for a successful towards lions and pressure on
became an ambassador came to celebrate with us,
education programme their habitat and prey.
lioness in Westgate Community knowing it would enhance
designed to inspire a new
Conservancy, well known our conservation efforts.
generation of Kenyan
throughout the community.
wildlife conservationists.
2016
2008 2012
Registered the highest lion
We moved to Westgate
Evaluation study on 2014 numbers on community
Community Conservancy -
2010 Warrior Watch showed
Mama Simba, the first lands. On one occasion,
significant improvement 12 lions were recorded
a human-occupied landscape Warrior Watch was established programme to empower
of community attitudes in Westgate Community
- to learn whether lions can to engage warriors, a new Samburu women in lion
towards carnivores and the Conservancy alone.
indeed live with people. demographic in conservation conservation forged
programme contributed to
Is co-existence possible? - those most commonly ahead. Ladies attended
the empowerment of the
implicated in retaliatory workshops, went on wildlife
warrior demographic.
killings of lions. safaris and started their
lion bead-work activities.
WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
Ewaso Lions is a permanent, growing project, which - for 10 years - has worked with warriors,
elders, women, herders, and children to raise awareness of ecological problems/solutions, reduce
human-wildlife conflict, and educate communities on the benefits of wildlife for local livelihoods. “I really enjoy seeing them (lions)
grow to adulthood, I feel that I’ve
We have observed the following results in our study area:
played a role in saving them. If we
hadn’t protected them, they would
REDUCED NUMBERS OF LIONS AND IMPROVED LOCAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS
OTHER CARNIVORES KILLED IN CONFLICT LIONS AND OTHER CARNIVORES have been killed, poisoned, speared,
or shot. Any time I lose a lion, it’s
like losing a member of my family.
STABLE OR INCREASING LION INCREASED OWNERSHIP OF LIONS
POPULATION SINCE 2008 AMONGST THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES
If there are no lions in Samburu,
then there is no more life.”
Jeneria Lekilelei,
IMPROVED LIVESTOCK HUSBANDRY Field Operations & Community Manager
INCREASED AWARENESS OF
PRACTICES TO REDUCE LIVESTOCK
IMPORTANCE OF CARNIVORES
LOSS TO CARNIVORES
3 Lpuresi, Jeneria, Yesalai 4
KEY MILESTONES
Ewaso Lions team
grown from 4 in 2008
to 58 in 2017.
19
19 Warriors Suitable habitat
12 students sponsored
actively engaged in for lions identified
under the Jeremy
conservation through through modelling
Lucas Education
flagship programme, techniques within
Fund (formerly
Warrior Watch by 2017. Westgate Community
known as Ewaso
Our Warriors work Conservancy.
Lions Scholarship
across 5 Conservancies
Programme) for
that span a total area of
secondary and
2724 km2 (1693 mi2).
tertiary education.
2010
Over 240 Kenyan
children have
Lions have now become been exposed
resident in Community to conservation
Conservancies - education as a result
Permanent Ewaso a change since 2010 of nine Lion Kids
Lions Conservation when there was only Camps held between
Headquarters has temporary movement 2013 and 2017.
been established in of lions through the
Westgate Community human- occupied
Conservancy. landscape.
Over the past 2 years,
our team have been
6
Ewaso Lions expanded to operate across 6 able to stop lions
Conservancies (Westgate, Nakuprat-Gotu, from being killed on
Mpus Kutuk, Nasuulu, Kalama and Meibae) 40 occasions.
between 2013 and 2017.
A cumulative total of over 800
80 Of Warrior Watch
8
lion sightings were submitted by % warriors from
20 certified Lion Watch Guides Westgate Conservancy
between 2013 and 2016. are now able to read
and write as a direct
result of our education
initiative.
19
Samburu women have been
empowered to speak for lions and
engage in conservation through the
Mama Simba programme.
5 The Koitogor Pride 6
2018-2020 STRATEGY VALUES
This process, led by a team of advisors with
experience in strategic planning, involved ADAPTABILITY
extensive discussions across the team. (able to be flexible)
The resultant plan stemming from our now RESPECT
(in relationships with
clearly articulated vision, mission, values, colleagues, partners,
principles and core objectives, strategically communities, and all the
EMPATHY people we work with)
places Ewaso Lions at the forefront of large
(understanding, caring,
carnivore conservation in northern Kenya. and truly listening)
HUMILITY
(being driven by our
mission, not self
interest)
Vision
We see a future where Kenya’s lions and
other large carnivores are secure within
their range where people live. TEAMWORK
INTEGRITY (work well together)
(being honest, true to
ourselves and each
Mission other, showing high COMMITMENT
morals, giving our best (dedicated to and
Ewaso Lions is dedicated to conserving lions wholeheartedly passionate about
and other large carnivores by promoting for the cause) our mission)
co-existence between people and wildlife.
PRINCIPLES
WE STRIVE TOWARDS WE MAINTAIN AN ECOSYSTEM
COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP OF LEVEL APPROACH TO WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION PRACTICES CONSERVATION
WE BELIEVE THAT GOOD WE BELIEVE COLLABORATION IS
SCIENCE IS AN INTEGRAL KEY, SHARING BEST PRACTICES
PART OF CONSERVATION AND LESSONS LEARNED
WE INTEGRATE LOCAL WE SUSTAIN OUR FOCUS ON
EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE CORE VALUES EVEN AS WE
TO GUIDE OUR WORK EXPAND OUR PROGRAMMES
7 Francis 8
OBJECTIVES Enhance sustainable growth in
the lion population across the
Engage and empower conservation landscape.
communities, strengthening local Our community-based conservation work is
underpinned by research, including monitoring
ownership of conservation. carnivore and prey populations, collaring and radio-
Since its founding in 2007, Ewaso Lions has put tracking lions, and studying the occurrence and
local people at the centre of our conservation impact of human-carnivore conflict. This research is
programmes. achieving an accurate estimate of carnivore numbers
To achieve sustainable co-existence with with the ultimate goal of ensuring there is a stable
carnivores, people must feel an intrinsic desire lion population within the region.
to adopt conservation practices within their
daily lives, and should have genuine ownership
in the conservation decision-making process. Ensure safe habitat and
Our strategy includes activities that create that
sense of ownership by educating people about the connectivity for lions.
benefits of conservation, incenting them to own the We strive to gain a better understanding of lion
conservation process themselves - usually through movements in and out of protected areas and the
innovative, non-monetary ways. Our work is founded key factors that allow them to share the landscape
on traditional values and the roles these different with people and livestock. These key factors include
demographic groups play within their community ensuring there is safe habitat for lions in the form
in order to maximize community ownership and the of safe refuges and conservation areas, and that
sustainability of our programmes. connectivity between these refuges exists.
ENGAGE
CREATE AND/OR STRENGTHEN
A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP BY
EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE
BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION
ENSURE ENHANCE
A SAFE HABITAT FOR THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF
LIONS IN THE FORM OF ENSURING THERE IS A STABLE
SAFE REFUGES LION POPULATION WITHIN
THE REGION
Three
main objectives for achieving
sustainable co-existence
9 Letoiye, Yesalai & Jeneria monitor Nanai’s young cub 10
THEMES & ACTIVITIES Empowerment
Ewaso Lions want to effectively contribute towards
To develop our 3-year strategic plan, we identified six broad thematic areas of work and our desired
the political, social and economic empowerment
outcomes under each theme.
of the local communities who live alongside lions.
We identified priority activities for achieving each outcome. The activities that make up our 3-year roadmap fall Empowerment to us means building pride in
under one or more of the six themes. For the purposes of this document, a few example activities have been cultural traditions, traditional knowledge and
included for reference, with the full activity list transformed into an internal implementation plan. shared natural resources. We desire to see a
community whose voices, concerns and enhanced
abilities guide the development of projects,
increasing community cohesion.
By uplifting once marginalized communities,
KNOW YOUR
PARTNERSHIPS and within them elevating neglected demographics
LIONS
THEMES like women, warriors and children, our desired
outcomes will be achieved through 58 activities
to implement over the 3-year period including:
• Arranging community exposure tours and wildlife
safaris to stimulate original conservation ideas.
• Providing literacy school for Mama Simba and
EMPOWERMENT PROCESSES Warrior Watch.
• Facilitating workshops focusing on the benefits of
culture to conservation.
BEHAVIOUR
• Developing mentoring activities between Wazee
EDUCATION Watch and Warrior Watch.
CHANGE
Know Your Lions
Knowing the behaviour, movement and
demographics of the lions in Samburu will
contribute directly to ensuring their protection.
Our desired outcomes in this effort include
developing effective mitigation methods for
reducing human-carnivore conflict, identifying
key areas for lions, conducting effective
monitoring of the lions and understanding
what factors affect their survival.
To achieve this, our team has 39 activities to be
implemented over the next three years including:
• Monitoring the lion population.
• Using modelling techniques to identify
suitable habitat for lions and conducting
socio-ecological surveys.
• Carrying out daily prey and livestock sightings
patrols by scouts and warriors.
11 Nabo & Nashipai Mparasaroi 12
Education Processes
Education of our local community is a focal Behind the scenes, Ewaso Lions must
theme of our strategy, as we aim to increase ameliorate our performance management,
awareness about lions and the importance of their
financials, risk management and operations.
conservation. Education programmes are planned,
Our desired outcomes are to ensure that we
designed and evaluated, and expanded in to areas
outside of our focal region. By 2020, we aim to have have adequate resources (including human
a clear conservation education strategy, increase resources), financial sustainability, and increase
collaboration to deliver education programmes, our efficiency in operations and administration.
ensure the team and community have all knowledge To enhance efficiency within our project,
and information on Ewaso Lions and environmental
our team will implement 38 activities over
issues, and lastly, expand our conservation
education focus in other parts of Kenya that are
the 3-year period. Some of these are:
important to maintaining breeding populations and • Formulating a strategy and evaluation
functional connectivity for lions. framework for all our programmes.
Our team has 18 activities to achieve this
• Diversifying funding sources for the project.
educational theme, chief among them being:
• Scaling up Lion Kids Camps from 3 to 10 a year. • Developing contingencies as part of our
• Sponsoring up to three students a year through
risk assessments and developing operating
the Jeremy Lucas Education Fund. procedures for the project.
• Holding workshops with the Ewaso Lions
team and communities.
Yesalai & Lion Kids Koitogor Pride cub
Behaviour Change Partnerships
(promoting positive change and action) We aim to strengthen working relationships with technical
Though this theme was borne out of a single partners, increase public education and outreach, and build a
example surrounding herding behaviour, resilient relationship with the scientific community. Our desired
it encompasses a broad array of important outcomes include having strong relationships with partners,
issues that we will face in the next three years. including wildlife organisations, county governments and wildlife
From influencing infrastructure development officials. Additionally, we aim to increase public awareness of
changes to dealing with poaching to fuel the lions and conservation in Kenya and globally, contribute to the
lion bone trade that is spreading across Africa, body of scientific knowledge and lastly, bridge the gap between
we must change behaviour and mindsets the tourism industry and conservation.
pre-emptively to build enough support for Our team has 33 activities to implement over the 3-year period to
lions and ensure they survive in a time of flux. achieve our desired outcomes. Some of the key activities include:
Some of our activities here include: • Increasing awareness about lions through talks, which we
• Gathering information on herders’ intend to give to both local and international audiences.
encroachment in our conservation landscape. • Collaborating on data collection, research, conservation
• Holding trainings for infrastructure planners to activities and landscape infrastructure work.
improve their ability to rationalize conservation • Actively participating in key conferences and events
and development. on carnivore conservation.
• Ensuring reporting is achieved on a quarterly basis to all key
partners and funders and publishing articles about our work.
13 Young herders Moses & Yesalai 14
WHERE WE WORK Ewaso Lions Camp “This strategic plan is very important
Ewaso Nyiro River because it will help us in achieving
Ewaso Lions Study Area 2018-2020 our mission through reaching more
Study Area
National Reserves communities and expanding to new
Forest
areas and hence reducing retaliatory
killing of lions - one person at a time.”
Community Conservancies
Ben Lejale,
Ewaso Regional Coordinator, Warrior Watch
15 Nanai 16OUR TEAM
Shivani
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Resson
DEPUTY
DIRECTOR
Heather Tobias Jeneria Francis Arzina
CONSERVATION RESEARCH FIELD OPERATIONS & SECURITY FINANCE
MANAGER MANAGER COMMUNITY MANAGER MANAGER MANAGER
Evanson Evelyn
CONSERVATION Jasu
OPERATIONS
PROGRAMMES ACCOUNTANT
OFFICER
ASSISTANT
Munteli &
Peter Moses Letupukwa Thomas Ben Yesalai, Letoiye Jeremiah Lpuresi Lerimara Lembagani
Mparasaroi
LION KIDS CAMP & BUS RESEARCH EASTERN REGIONAL EWASO REGIONAL & Lentiyo & Lenakae CAMP CAMP SECURITY
MAMA SIMBA
YOUTH COORDINATOR DRIVER OFFICER COORDINATOR COORDINATOR FIELD OFFICERS SCOUTS CARETAKER COOK SUPERVISOR
COORDINATORS
Lion Kids Camp 17 Mama 15 Warriors
Samuel NASUULU, WESTGATE,
Guard, Matron Simba Ladies
ASSISTANT KALAMA, MPUS KUTUK
& Cooks WESTGATE & MEIBAE
17 18“We believe that a long time ago all
wildlife belonged to the women and
then they were released to the wild.
No one brought them back. Now because
women are involved in conservation,
we will conserve them in the wild.”
Mparasaroi Lemantaan,
Mama Simba Coordinator
19 NaterenkweEwaso Lions
P.O. Box 14996, Nairobi 00800, Kenya
Kenya tel: +254 (0)719 883 520
info@ewasolions.org
www.ewasolions.org
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