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| Lions Of Tsavo |
| Help protect Tsavo’s legendary lions and find ways for lions and local communities to live side by side. |
     
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On The Expedition The 600-square-kilometer Taita/Rukinga Wildlife Conservancy is considered by many to offer the finest wilderness experience available in Kenya. Here you can see civets, aardwolves, and other species missed on most safaris. However, lions are difficult to locate here, and you'll search for them from vehicles in evening, late night, and early morning drives, taking a mid-day siesta like most of the local wildlife. When you find lions, you'll keep track of individuals and scan for prey or other lions. You'll also help photograph lion whisker patterns (for identification) and videotape and record behavior. While on patrol, you'll monitor the distribution and abundance of more than 100 species of other wildlife to help secure government protection for the Taita/Rukinga Wildlife Conservancy's unspoiled savannah woodland. Meals and Accommodations You'll stay at Campi ya Neka, a cluster of tents in the heart of the wilderness, from which you can enjoy unbroken views of the wild African bush stretching to the horizon. Many animals pass the camp on their way to a nearby waterhole, including elephants, buffalo, and impala. The tents feature two beds, electric lights, and fans, with communal flush toilets and showers nearby. Your team will enjoy dining on a varied and balanced menu of mostly Western fare, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, flavorful spices, and delicious desserts, all prepared and cleaned up by the excellent camp staff. More Information 
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Research Summary Taita/Rukinga Wildlife Conservancy, Tsavo region, Kenya — In the dry woodlands outside Tsavo East National Park, Kenya, lions kill hundreds of livestock every year, driving ranchers to kill lions or convert their land to cropland or charcoal production. If Kenya is to maintain safe havens for its legendary wildlife diversity, we must find ways for lions and humans to coexist. Dr. Bruce Patterson, Dr. Samuel Kasiki (Kenya Wildlife Service), and Alexander Mwazo Gombe are investigating the ecology of Tsavo's infamous "maneless" lions to understand lion requirements there. You can help collect data on seasonal changes in lion density, social structure, and survival. Meet the Scientists  Dr. Bruce Patterson Field Museum of Natural History Dr. Samuel Kasiki Kenya Wildlife Service  Alexander Mwazo Gombe Tsavo Research Centre |
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About the Research Area Encompassing some 20,000 square kilometers, Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks comprise Kenya’s largest wildlife sanctuary, equaling the size of Massachusetts or Wales. Its unspoiled beauty and wildlife rival any wilderness area in Africa. The project’s base camp is on Taita Ranch, a 96,000-acre tract of privately owned land that is nestled between the southern arms of Tsavo East and West. Both Taita and neighboring Rukinga Ranch, which is managed by Wildlife Works, contain extensive acacia savannas that have disappeared elsewhere in Kenya due to cropland conversion or exploitation for charcoal. The ranches form a vital migration corridor for almost 1,000 elephants and hundreds of buffalo that move seasonally between the parks in search of water. As a private sanctuary, the ranches offer research opportunities that are impractical in the national parks, including round-the-clock surveillance and radio- and satellite-telemetry. The Taita-Rukinga Conservancy also hosts another Earthwatch-supported project – Elephants of Tsavo led by Dr. Barbara McKnight and Dr. Samuel Kasiki. Teams stay in a rustic tented camp, Campi ya Neka (“Lion Camp”) in the heart of this wilderness. Delicious meals prepared by camp staff are served in a capacious dining tent, and because the camp is dedicated to this Earthwatch project, all its activities are consonant with the research programs and work schedules. The camp is managed by Southern Cross Safaris, famous for its deluxe tented camp Satao, which is 60 kilometers away in Tsavo East. In tents at night, you’ll hear the sounds of Africa take over – the hoots of eagle owls, the rumbling and trumpeting of elephants, and the thundering roar of a lion on patrol. Some days end late and others begin very early, but like most wildlife here, you’ll be able to rest at midday. Many experienced travelers regard the conservancy as one of Kenya’s premier wilderness spots. Find out more |
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Locations shown are approximate.
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