Earthwatch staff member Anna Janovicz went on Saving Sweetwater's
Rhinos in January of 2005. Together with fellow staff member Jacquelyn
Merrill, we held a teleconference for people interested in the project.
The following is a transcript of that session.
Saving Sweetwater's Rhinos
Other teleconference Q&A's
Q: What was the best part about this expedition?
A: This expedition was just fantastic. The best part is that you're working on foot, not in a vehicle, and there are about 40 black rhinos in the reserve. You also get to do a different field activity every day. You may measure acacia trees, do a game count, or follow Morani-a semi-tame rhino-to record his habits and diet. For extra-curricular activities, you could do a hippo walk or footprint ID.
Q: Is it true that working on foot is very risky in the reserve?
A: There used to be an activity called "rhino patrol", where Earthwatch volunteers could follow the reserve's guards on foot, and get pretty close to the rhinos. Unfortunately, there have been a few buffalo charges, so this activity is no longer an option. All the other activities are on foot, though, and there are a lot of activities!
Q: Is there a computer available for me to download my photos?
A: There is only one computer, used for the data you collect. There isn't a lot of opportunity to use it for anything else. Also, the electricity is shut off in the afternoon and evening. I would suggest bringing a big memory card for your camera, or maybe even a few of them. I also suggest bringing CRV3 batteries: they have a really long life, and I never had to change or charge them while I was on this expedition. If you are bringing anything that you need to plug in (battery charger, camera charge, etc.), make sure you have the proper converters. Your briefing should have more information about this.
Q: Was there anything you wish you brought, but didn't?
A: I stuck to the packing list in the briefing, and I wasn't wanting for anything else. I do wish that I had brought less field clothes. At the reserve, Catherine does laundry, so I only needed 2 or 3 pairs of clothes. The guards love hard candy, so I wish I had brought more of that for them.
Q: The briefing recommends flipflops, sneakers, and hiking boots. Do I need all three?
A: I always wore hiking boots in the field, on the footprint ID and hippo walk. I wore sandals around camp and in town. Sneakers would be good to wear at camp, but I only wore the boots and sandals. You have to be comfortable in whatever you bring. You may need to make quick sprints to get away from animals, and possibly climb trees. The ground is uneven, so you need good ankle support. Aardvarks make huge holes in the ground, but the guards will point them out to you. "Chee-mo" means "hole" in Swahili, and you'll hear that a lot! The gators recommended in the briefing are for ticks, not snakes. There aren't a lot of snakes, but you want to prevent ticks from getting between your pants and socks.
Q: Is the reserve fenced in?
A: Yes, and it's adjacent to a cattle ranch, which is part of the conservancy. There is a low stone wall that keeps the rhinos in their part of the conservancy.
Q: Did you see any large wildlife?
A: Two days, we saw elephants, but they're very elusive. There was a translocation of 56 elephants in 2001, so you won't see very many. We saw rhinos frequently, and you can get fairly close to Morani. I saw a few buffalo, lions, and a hippo for three seconds. It was very exciting!
Q: How long are the night drives?
A: I don't remember them being any longer than 2 hours, though it can last for three. You rotate night drives based on the number of people on your team.
Q: Do you have any other clothing recommendations?
A: The days are temperate, but the night drives can get chilly. You should bring a hat, gloves, and a sweater for the night drives. You also need to bring dark-colored clothing (dark green, black, navy, brown), so it's more difficult for the animals to see you. You can't wear white or light-colored khakis. I don't know if camouflage is okay to wear.
Q: Do we need cash on the reserve?
A: There is beer and soda available for sale at the reserve, and you'll probably visit the cultural center, which has a gift shop. There is also a tourist gift shop devoted to Morani, who is very well-studied. There are ATM's in the Nairobi airport, and I didn't have a problem using them.
Q: Can I get my visa in Nairobi?
A: Yes, you can get it in the airport in Nairobi when you arrive. In January of 2005, there weren't any lines, there weren't any problems, but you should check into what it's like there now.
Q: What's the food like?
A: The food was really good! Catherine and Dixon cook for you. You're there for two weeks, and the menu starts over each week. The day-to-day meals differ, but if you're there two Mondays or Thursdays, you'll begin to recognize the menu. There were different options for breakfast, oatmeal, fruit, etc. Dessert was fruit; the passion fruit and mango were delicious. There's no chocolate, unfortunately. You can purchase beer and wine in town, and it's nice to share with the group and the guards.
Q: Do we have opportunities to go into town?
A: I went into town three times: once before and once after the expedition, and once on our recreational day. We also went to a nightclub in town, but of course, nothing else was open at that time of day. The town is 40 minutes outside the reserve.
Q: Should I bring any gifts for the guards or the local peoples?
A: You surely aren't required to, but the guards do love hard candy, like Lifesavers and Jolly Ranchers. They can't get that kind of stuff, and they just love it. It's not necessary to bring anything for the native people. We went on a side trip to learn about the local culture, but we didn't bring any gifts. You may be able to barter in town with baseball caps or graphic tees from your home town, for curios that are sold there. In Nairobi, the kids love pencils, pens, and paper, but Earthwatch isn't involved in handling those gifts. You're on your own to distribute them, if you choose to bring them.
Q: Are there travel agents in Nanyuki, if I wanted to explore the area?
A: I believe that most of the agents in Nanyuki are geared towards climbing Mt. Kenya.
Q: Was it comfortable to sleep there?
A: I fell right asleep every night, because I was out all day working. There was an occasional spider or ant, but nothing bigger. I heard lions roaring a few times, but it was nice background noise. It's nice and warm, and they have blankets available, so don't bother bringing your own. You also don't have to worry about any big animals coming into your rondavel.
Q: Is there anything you did that you recommend?
A: Get up to see the sunrise over Mt. Kenya. It's right along the equator, so the sunrise should be about 6 A.M.
Q: What time did your day start?
A: We got into the field early, but it fluctuates based on the day's activities. We had breakfast early, then went right into the field.
Q: Are mosquitoes a problem?
A: I went in January, and I didn't have any problems.
Q: Is there anything else we should know?
A: At the end of the trip, you can give tips to the guards. I'm not sure about the range, it could be $5 to $20. I'm not sure what other volunteers gave.
Q: How do I find out more about the research I'm helping with?
A: At the end of the year, the PI submits a field report to us with all the information, finds, and ultimate conclusions of the research conducted over the past year. You'll also get a copy of this information, and it's a great way to see the positive, tangible results of volunteering on this project!