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The program presentation has continued using lectures and field exercises to introduce students to the conservation dilemmas facing Kenya and the strategies employed to deal with them. A major exercise conducted under the Wildlife Ecology class has examined  rangeland condition in the Kimana and Kuku Group Ranches and  its implication to wildlife conservation, ecological integrity of  the Amboseli wildlife dispersal areas, Maasai pastoral production system, and the socio-economics of local communities, especially the Maasai.

The Wildlife Management course had two trips to Amboseli National Park which is famous for its elephants which have long been studied by scientists such as Cynthia Moss and Joyce Poole and is famous for its large mammal concentrations with the imposing Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background. During the first visit, students conducted a field exercise involving identifying and counting large mammals using road transects. This was aimed at estimating large mammal densities and species diversity. During the second trip students were taken through the park and during this field lecture, challenges facing Amboseli National Park were discussed while seeing the effect of large mammals, elephant vegetation destruction, the effects of tourism and management facilities, and the impacts of lodges on baboon behavior.

After the first series of lectures, which explored the underlying contexts of conservation in Africa and Kenya in particular, the students are now examining relevant conservation models as well as tackling ethical questions. Dr. Simon K. ole Seno, Center Director

Student Reflections

Last Saturday we got to go to the orphanage in Loitokitok. We provided them with some food stuffs and a soccer ball in exchange for some play time. Initially all the kids introduced themselves to us, sang and danced, then they temporarily commandeered our cameras. The children of Kenya are not only beautiful, they take priceless shots. After awhile we reverted to a hearty game of their version of duck-duck-goose: simba-simba-twiga (lion-lion-giraffe.) Fun was had by all and by the end they had convinced us with smiles, laughs, and the few words we could understand that we had to come back. Over the next few months, among other things, we will be getting to know a whole new lifestyle with a whole new group of people and it makes me excited. Hopefully by the time I leave here I can say I contributed something to this place; right now all I can say is that what I have to learn from Kenya and its people will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Zack Bagley, Purdue University                            

We've just returned from a field exercise practicing rangeland monitoring techniques, which entails gathering information about vegetation cover and walking several thousand meters through rich African savannah. The earth is red, the sky is blue, and every bush has ten inch thorns. Put another way, the land is beautiful and powerful. This has not been our first field exercise, for every third day or so is spent driving with our professors to Amboseli National Park or Kuku/Kimana group ranches, pausing along the way for relevant lectures about the area. In Amboseli we have conducted thorough game counts, and relaxed at five star hotels all in the same day. The park is beautiful: lush swamps teeming with wildlife, elephants proudly marching past herds of zebra and wildebeest, all while we cruise on top of our jeeps laughing and smiling.

Philip Stoker, University of Redlands

Last week we braved dust storms for two hours to build fences around newly planted saplings at the local primary school and play soccer with the kids. It was wonderful to help the school and feel as though we had accomplished something meaningful. But to be quite honest, I think I took more from the school than I could have ever given. As the post-building soccer game wound up, I headed towards the Land Cruisers and passed by one of the classrooms, from which I heard the high-pitched voices of young children. I sat and watched in awe as the children began to sing traditional Kenyan songs and Christian gospel songs. The feeling that ensued is almost indescribable. Singing children does not do it for everyone but it certainly did it for me. To see so much joy and happiness in the faces of those kids, to experience the song without understanding the words, to hear the rhythm yet not know the meaning—these are the things that I will never forget from my time in Kenya. I would venture to say that the singing children have defined and will continue to define my stay in Africa. Harper Addison, Davidson College

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