Loisiijo Community

We have now reached a point where Loisiijo could be operational. The 3 river frontage bungalows are now complete, as well as the dining area and the Kitchen. Finition and furnishing will be the main goal for phase 5.

Our roof specialists are posing in front of their finished work:

The top bungalow needs a lot more work, but it will have to wait for Phase 5.

The November rains almost failed, there was certainly not enough rain to sustain a good growth of grass and now all animals are suffering. February is the birthing season for ungulates, zebra & wildebeeste in Shompole Conservation Area.

During a routine visit to the conservancy with Nixon Sitei the acting warden and Shanni Ole Petanya, the Secretary of Shompole Group Ranch, we came across several carcasses of zebra.

Cattle have also been moved to the slopes of Oldonyo Sampu looking for grazing. Many will die before the next rains which are due in April, and that`s hoping they will come then….

Today bungalow n°1 got its coloured floor, classical Masai red of course. It has been a great satisfaction to see the finished product. Well done to all the fundi. (tradesmen in swahili)

The Ewaso Ngiro river flows into the Rift Valley from the Mau escarpment, eventually reaching Lake Natron at the Kenya/Tanzania border. It reaches the lake only when the rains are plentiful. The river finishes in a swamp near the Shompole mountain. Lucky for the group ranch, because this is where we get the bullrush to construct the roof of the lodge.

It is a major operation. Villagers from Shompole are employed to cut the reeds, it is then transported to the river banks opposite the lodge, from where it is carried across the river for final use on the roof by the women. The women are experts at their job. Not a man’s work in the world of the Masai!
The reeds are then soaked in the river before being carried to the roof for fitting in place when wet. It makes a great roof.

Only a kilometer away from Loisiijo Lodge there is a research camp studying Striped hyena. The research was set up several years ago by Aaron Wagner of Michigan State University (USA). Aaron has been studying Striped hyena for many years & I believe that his project is the only long term study of this animal.

Very little is known about the Striped Hyena which is very elusive and difficult to see, study or photograph…… Except in the Shompole area of Kenya. Kenya and Egypt are the only two countries with populations of over 1000 individuals (which accounts for 51% of the maximum african population estimate and 82% of the minimum estimate).

Working in collaboration with the Hyena program, we want to try to offer a better insight into this little known animal. Our aim is to set up a foster parent program which will enable a visitor staying at the lodge to go out at night with the researcher while he is working, and learn more about hyenas. The lodge and the researchers will offer a follow up via email.