Safari Lessons From East Africa

A comparison of the various aspects of wildlife management as observed in East African nations of Kenya and Tanzania, with policies and parks in India.

- Ashok Mahindra

From my recent wildlife safari tours to Kenya and Tanzania I have observed how some conservation issues and wildlife safaris are dealt with in East Africa. These are enumerated below along with my comments on the situation in our own backyard.

CONCEPT OF NATURE CONSERVANCIES

Nature conservancies are private partnerships where the local communities maintain the conservancies jointly with the safari camp operators. Some of these, such as Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy, are owned by the local community and are located on former communal cattle grazing land. Others, like Ol Pejeta Conservancy are owned by private individuals and are often located on former cattle ranches. Together, they are changing the face of conservation and tourism in Kenya.

For example, Saruni Samburu Lodge sits in the middle of the 384-sq km community-owned and managed Kalama Community Wildlife Conservancy, one of a growing number of privately-owned wildlife reserves in Kenya.

Tortilis Camp at Amboseli is the only camp located in the 32,500-acre private Kitirua Conservancy, providing photographers easy access to the dry Amboseli lake with off-road safaris. Others wanting access have to pay the conservancy fee and use Tortilis Camp vehicles.