Above: The school children of Vanga receive their first dolphin education

Hot on the heels of Majoreni, the UNEP / CMS Year of the Dolphin, supported by tour operators TUI and Pollmans, was taken even further afield by the Kenya Wildlife Service education team, right down to Vanga, a small fishing community that sits on the border with neighbouring Tanzania. Credit for much of the recent work reported for Year of the Dolphin goes to many hard working and creative individuals on Kenya’s Year of the Dolphin committee, who have asked me to acknowledge that the main commercial partner in Year of the Dolphin , TUI, organised the events under the leadership of TUI-Pollmans Special Executive Abdulaziz Abdalla, who has a long track record of work for conservation of Kenya’s natural heritage.

Above: A group of Vanga Primary School’s girls get involved in dolphin education activities 

Rachel and Emanuel travelled down to Vanga, a community that has been idenetified as a crucial target for this year’s initiative. The fishing activities here at Vanga put the dolphins at risk of accidental by-catch - if they become entangled in the fishing nets, the dolphins can drown, being unable to surface to breathe. Vanga is also suspected to be one of the few remaining locations in Kenya where the endangered dugong, or manatee, is thought to still exist, although reported sightings are now rare. 

Above: Rachel and Emanuel explain the threats that exist to Kenya’s dolphin populations 

The KWS education team taught the children about the different species of marine mammals they have, their importance, the threats they face from fishing practices and pollution and of course how their communtiy can make a difference and help protect them. Once again, for this isolated community, it was both an educational and exciting day. A unique opportunity for them to learn to both appreciate and protect their natural resources for future generations. 

Above: By bringing some basic technology with them the KWS team give the children an insight into the marine world they would otherwise never have

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Above: Majoreni Primary School children demonstrate their new knowledge of the dolphin species found along their coast 

When Kenya Wildlife Service took their Year of the Dolphin education to Majoreni Primary School, it really was something special for the children of this out-of-the-way coastal village. Very much off-the-beaten-track, this was the first time they had played host to Kenya Wildlife Service and had environmental education brought to them, their first opportunity to learn about dolphins and with the aid of DVDs and a computer screen, the first time that many of them had even seen a dolphin!

Above: The children cram in to the classroom and gather at the window to watch a film of dolphins and other marine wildlife 

The KWS team of Rachel and Emanuel, the Tourism Officer, taught the children about the four species of dolphin we know to inhabit this part of the East African coast, their basic anatomy and biology - most of them assumed that dolphins were fish, so it was something of a surprise to learn dolphins had more in common with people!

Above: The enthusiastic children learning their way around a dolphin

The teachers were equally enthusiastic and full of praise for the KWS education team and Year of the Dolphin, sponsored by tour operators TUI and Pollmans, expressing their gratitude for coming there to teach their children. Although a long and tiring day, for Rachel it was a highlight of her week, and exceptionally satisfying for her to contribute knowledge to a community so eager to learn.

Above: Rachel and Emanuel had to take their class outside, the classrooms not being big enough to take all the children that the school wanted them to teach

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Above: Shimoni’s school children start their afternoon of marine environment education in the classroom 

 The next stop for Year of the Dolphin’s environmental education was Shimoni Primary School, where Kenya Wildlife Service’s Rachel and Jillo taught the children about their marine ecosystems.

Above: Rachel shows DVD’s to bring to life some of the ocean’s wildlife 

The full classes of school children were enraptured by DVDs showing some of the ocean’s most remarkable species, including dolphins and whales, animals that many of the children have never seen despite living next door to the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area.

Above: Jillo takes the children through the mangroves to help them understand important ecosystems that they will to play a role in protecting

 The children were then taken outside to look at ecosystems on their own doorstep and investigate how some of the smaller creatures they take for granted play an equally important role in their marine environment. 

Above: Rachel and the children take a close look at some of the marine life they often overlook  

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Above: Wasini village 

You’ll have seen in my recent blogs the wonderful Year of the Dolphin events held in Shimoni and Majoreni over the weekend, where the stars of the shows were undoubtedly the children from some of our local schools who used songs, poems and drama to convey important messages about dolphins and marine conservation to their villages.  

Above: Wasini’s school children in anticipation of their visiting teachers 

But this was only possible thanks to the groundwork undertaken by the Kenya Wildlife Service team in Shimoni, under the direction of our warden, Yussuf. In the preceeding weeks their team, including Rachel, GVI’s very own former Marine Science Officer and Expedition Manager, and Jillo with the KWS research department, travelled to local schools to educate the children about their dolphins and marine ecology. 

Above: The children get to thinking about how their marine life is interlinked 

First stop was Wasini, to teach about food webs, not only in the classroom, but outside where they attempted to make their very own food web. For this island village that is almost entirely dependent on fishing and the flow of tourists attracted by the many dolphins and beautiful coral reefs, it is invaluable for them to understand how all the marine life, from mangrove trees to humpback whales, are interlinked and dependent on responsible management of natural resources the whole way along the chain. 

Above: The children start stringing together their own food web

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Here at GVI we believe that just as important as the work we carry out, is ensuring that the skills and knowledge are passed on to others in Kenya - capacity building is central to our ethos and GVI’s National Scholarship Programme represents one of our best examples.

Above: Ekens learns compass navigation from Emma, our Terrestrial Science Officer, during his training 

Each year we take on board up to 8 Kenyan nationals for between 5 and 10 weeks, undergoing two weeks of intensive training through lectures and in-the-field practice, in marine research and coastal forest research survey techniques, as well as a teaching course. They then have to sit and pass examinations before they can join our research teams and community development programmes, 6 days a week for the next 3 to 8 weeks. Although sometimes learning to cook and maintain our base for up to 30 people can prove just as challenging. 

Above: Jillo (left) with another of our National Scholarship students, Raymond, at our Satellite camp by Tsavo West National Park, with the magnificent Mt Kilimanjaro behind 

Our National Scholarship students so far have included four Kenya Wildlife Service rangers from the coast and four students studying at Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute (KWSTI) who have joined us for their field attachments. Our first KWSTI student, Jillo Katello, who you may remember from our last blog, was promoted to the KWS research team here at the coast on the strength of his learning and experience and now works alongside us here at KWS headquarters in Shimoni.

Above: Nasra, one of our KWSTI students at Kidong’u village on the edge of Tsavo West 

At the end of last year we took on 3 of KWSTI’s students - Nasra and Ekens studying for their diploma in Environmental Management and Nigel studying Wildlife Management. All three of them became instant favourites amongst our expedition team for their overwhelming enthusiasm and love of the natural world, and I am very very happy to report that all three passed their courses and were commended for their field attachment presentations and reports. Their course supervisors were impressed by just how much they had learnt and  experienced during their attachments.  

Above: Nigel, studying creatures great and small in Shimoni forest 

As Ekens pointed out to me yesterday in relation to his presentation back at KWSTI in Naivasha, “The problem was time. We only had 10 minutes and there was so much to say. I had 60 slides and had to keep skipping them. My supervisor said to me that the GVI students learn so much more”. Now that they have their diplomas we hope to welcome both Ekens and Nigel back to our expedition team as interns and provide the next step forward for two of Kenya’s brightest young conservationists. 

Above: Ekens proved to be adept at spotting Colobus monkeys high in the canopy of Shimoni forest

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Even without our research boat at sea every day, vital data on dolphins around the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Protected Area has been collected in the last couple of weeks. Despite the rather sad circumstances, it is still very exciting to report that we now know of a fourth species of dolphin present in the area. 

Above: KWS arrive at the stranded dolphin in Gazi 

Upto know GVI Kenya has been able to postively identify and record the distribution of three species here - Indian Ocean Bottlenose dolphins and Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins are found year round, whilst the mesmerising Spinner dolphins visit us in February and March, performing their acrobatic spinning leaps. We can now add a fourth species - Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus).

Above: the dolphin is carried to deeper water - ideally it would be carried in a special stretcher and kept upright, shaded and covered in wet towels but KWS and the local people on hand to help had to do the best they could 

A couple of weeks ago, the KWS team in Shimoni were called to assist a stranded dolphin at Gazi, a half hour up the coast. GVI’s Rachel was contacted for advice on how to handle it as there is very little expertise or training here to deal with dolphin strandings. Jillo Katello, from the KWS research team, and former scholarship student with GVI, was on hand to the do the best they could, carrying the dolphin to shallow water and holding it at the surface to breathe. After a few hours the distressed dolphin had calmed down and swam away.

Above: The dolphin is held in the water and kept balanced to ensure it can breathe through its blowhole 

Sadly the next day it was found washed up again having died. Remarkably, within a week a second Risso’s dolphin was found dead here in Shimoni. At this point we have no reason to suspect anything other than natural causes for these two deaths - there was no indication of entanglement in fishing nets which is one of the most widely known threats to this species. However tissue samples were taken to Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute for analysis. 

Above: Jillo from KWS with the Risso after it was found dead the following day 

Risso’s dolphins are a large robust species, reaching close to 4m in body length. They favour deeper waters with steep shelves, 400m - 1000m in depth, feed mainly on squid, making it unlikely that we would find them in the shallower waters close to the coast. As you can see from the photos they are easily distinguishable from our other dolphins here as they do not have the long thin rostrum or ‘break’ of the other species, but instead a rounded, rather blunt head. The many scars that can be seen are also typical of this species and not something to be alarmed about, it is thought they acquire them with age through social interactions. 

Above: A second Risso was found dead at Shimoni just one week later. The many white scars are natural and characteristic of the species

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As International Year of the Dolphin is extended by UNEP / CMS in to 2008 to build on the remarkable acievements of last year, Kenya Widlife Service and other stakehloders in Kenya are taking the message of marine conservation to new audiences and new communities.

Above: Majoreni Dolphin Club is launched, their first task to plant the mangrove saplings visible behind them 

Yesterday took us to to Majoreni, half way between Shimoni and the border with Tanzania, and another poor rural fishing community that is willing to think long term and look after their natural resources. The event saw children from Shimoni, Mkwiro and Wasini schools journey down to spread the messages they learnt last year of dolphin conservation, and the students of schools in Majoreni and neighbouring Vanga perform equally impressive and educational songs and drama. 

Above: Majoreni’s school kids receive dolphin education books, kindly sponsored by TUI, UNEP/CMS and Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society

But the adults are also playing their role, the fishermen having taken the time and effort to receive education on responsible fishing practices - this will be backed by a fishing gear exchange porgramme. And the adult drama group performed a play to highlight the threats to dolphins and spread the message to the whole communtiy, many of whom stood in the rain, then hot sun, all morning to watch the event. 

A local celebrity was also on hand to spread the word - the local celebrated poet and village elder performed an inspiring traditional swahili style poem that touched both local community members and international guests. 

And the guests were not just there to observe - the first thing we did was to get our hands dirty planting tree seedlings at the local school, under the guidance of the Kenya Forestry Service - a sustainable alternative to the ecologically important mangroves which are traditionally cut for local construction.

Above: Robert Hepworth, Executive Secretary, CMS, planting bamboo - nicknamed locally as the fisherman’s friend, for it’s diverse uses

Another very successful day, the out-of-the-way community of Majoreni were excited to be the centre of attention and to have had so many visitors in the preceeding weeks coming to provide free and valuable education to them. It was an exciting day for all, including my new buddy, Saidi, below, who learnt a bit of photography from me and has welcomed me back to visit their mangroves next time… I can’t wait to go back and see the progress! 

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Above: local school children are treated to a trip to Kisite Marine Park to look for dolphins

Firstly, you may have noticed I’ve been a bit quiet on WildlifeDirect these last few months, sadly the unrest in Kenya forced us to take a break, but I’m very pleased to report that GVI is back in Shimoni and preparing to get the research started again.

Above: Lionel Murage from East Africa Wildlife Society addresses the local communities at Year of the Dolphin in Shimoni 

Until then I’d like to keep you updated with all the hard work that has been underway in our absence. 2007 was designated ‘Year of the Dolphin’ by UNEP’s Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), an initiative to stimulate international awareness and conservation action. So successful was it, especially right here in Kenya, that it has been extended in 2008.

Above: Robert Hepworth, Executive Secretary CMS, and Yussef Adan, KWS Warden of Kisite Marine Park talk with the local boat operators

Last year focussed heavily on teaching the kids, the future guardians of Kenya’s wildlife, but also saw the introduction by Kenya Widlife Service of the first ‘Code of Conduct’ to address dolphin-watching tourism.  This year, emphasis is being placed on educating and engaging the local fishermen and tour boat crews, the ones who can make a difference today.

Above: local boat operators ready to receive their certificates after attending workshops and lectures on dolphins and responsible tourism by Kenya Wildlife Service 

On Saturday, Kenya Wildlife Service head quarters for the Kisite Mpunguti Marine Protected Area hosted a wonderful event to link last year in to this year’s activities, attended by the CMS Executive Secretary, Robert Hepworth. The event saw the launch of a new KWS patrol boat to monitor repsonsible dolphin tourism, certificates for the local boat operators and fishermen who have given up their time to sit through some thorough dolphin education, a trip in to the marine park to see dolphins for many of the local children who have been the most avid young conservationists and the launch of new ‘Dolphin Clubs’ in 15 local schools to promote coastal conservation and environmental awareness.  

Above: The new KWS dolphin patrol boat 

In addition to hard work and commitment from KWS, ably supported by Rachel, our former GVI Marine Science Officer and Expedition Manager, the Kenya Forestry Service, Fisheries Department and Kenya Marine & Fisheries Research Institute have all been involved. With support coming from major tour operators and many local boat operators, it all goes to show that Kenya’s commitment to conservation at every level certainly hasn’t been disrupted! 

Above: Rachel joins some of the local school children on Kisite Island in the Marine Park 

Above: Mkwiro Primary School perform dolphin acrobatics alongside thier song ‘Conserve our Dolphins’ 

I had a wonderful day, with many songs and performances from the local school children to keep us entertained… the highlight for all of us was the official inauguration of the Dolphin Clubs, the kids putting on a full marching drill after an intensive day’s training from the KWS rangers…

Above: Inauguration of the new school Dolphin Clubs

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Over the weekend we played host to students from Shimoni Primary School. Friends of Shimoni Forest, who we are supporting in their efforts to seek responsible management of the forest by the community, feel that one of the most effective ways to get their message in to the wider community is by sending home groups of excited children to tell their families what they have learnt. So with the challenge put to us, that is what we set out to do on Saturday…

The children begun their day with the theme of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ before going on to make recyled baskets from paper mache - an activity they found very funny, but once they had dried by the end of the morning and been planted with vegetable seeds, they had the beginnings of their own school vegetable garden. We have started introducing the concept of these little hanging gardens in Mkwiro village, where the goats manage to get to absolutely everything within reach, no matter how clever we think we are getting with fences!

The children then settled down to an outside class on the Angolan Black & White Colobus and other primates found in Shimoni before being taken in to the forest to to learn more about it hands-on, including behaviour as they watched a troop of Colobus, and flicking through our books to identify the birds.

This is the third such class we have run for Shimoni Primary School and plan to get as many of the children in to the forest as we can to ensure they don’t take for granted their incredible natural heritage.

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