Help conserve one the the most spectacular ecosystems on earth, August 8-19, 2016
In association with Life Net Nature, join the Maasai of Maasai Moran Conservation and Walking Safaris and conservationists Leslie Kadane and Bridget Gies on a two-week giraffe monitoring expedition on the Siria Plateau in Western Kenya. The Siria escarpment is on the Northwestern edge of the Maasai Mara Reserve, overlooking an area known as the Mara Triangle. The plateau serves as a key habitat and corridor connecting wildlife to the greater Maasai Mara ecosystem below.
Rustic yet charming, our campsite sits atop the Siria escarpment. Hyena Camp (also known as Lolkonoi camp) has pit toilets, hot showers, and private areas to pitch our tents. Delicious meals will be prepared by local Maasai chefs to help make our stay enjoyable and comfortable. Each morning after breakfast we will head out into the bush with our Maasai guides to track daily movements of the local giraffe population, collect data, and experience the Maasai Mara environs first hand. During free time, volunteers will have an opportunity to tour the magnificent Maasai Mara Reserve or participate in other activities including walking safaris, birding, or simply relaxing at camp.
Maasai Moran Conservation and Walking Safaris (MMCWS) is a community-based conservation organization working to establish a conservancy to protect the ancestral land of the Maasai - thereby protecting wildlife habitat - along the Siria plateau. As pressure for agricultural development increases, wildlife habitat is decreased and traditional grazing practices of the Maasai are threatened. Data collected by Life Net Nature volunteers in partnership with MMCWS highlights the importance of the Siria plateau habitat for national and international audiences. Furthermore, income from eco-tourism provides economic incentive for the wider Maasai community to conserve habitat along the escarpment.
This expedition is for anyone who loves travel, camping, spending time outside in a spectacular setting, and who has a sincere interest in habitat conservation - no special skills are necessary. We will teach you everything you need to know!
With your help the Maasai of MMCWS are one step closer to realizing their goal of protecting their heritage for generations to come. If you’d like more details about this unique and unforgettable conservation adventure, click on the Forms page to see the project briefing from 2014.
