In the “Cradle of Life”

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“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

The palpable effects of the rising sea-levels, air pollution, deforestation and poaching of the wild can be eclipsed, however temporarily, by the cacophony and commitments of the big city life. Before this happens, my overwhelming sentiments and affinity for the African Bush compel me to tell a story of recent encounters in the wild, and share the awareness gained from the ethnic homeland of the Maasai. After all, it’s not everyday that one wakes up on the real-life sets of “The Lion King”. Tuning into Zazu and many of the 570 species of endemic birds orchestrating a morning symphony, in the original garden of Eden. Masai Mara, Kenya is indeed that mystical a place. This land awakened my mind and rejuvenated my soul, while I discovered its graceful people, extraordinary scenery and rare biodiversity.

Taking a deliberate pause between graduate study at MIT and my next work assignment, I aspired to reduce my personal debt of good fortune, to the world. Given the current state of our planet, Wildlife Conservation was and remains a top priority. So when the opportunity to visit Kenya presented itself, I was keen to make it count and avoid the clichéd Luxury Tent and Safari adventure. There were Photo Op hungry, self-indulging Tourists aplenty so I wondered if one could enjoy this threatened wildlife ecosystem in a more responsible way.

Thanks to GoAbroad, an online volunteer feedback, ratings and information directory, I shortlisted a wildlife conservation assignment quickly. The ‘Big Cat Wildlife Research and Conservation, Masai Mara’ project is deeply rooted in East Africa and truly engages volunteers in responsible and meaningful pursuits, in an intensive mode. This project was a perfect choice, being both environmentally ethical and culturally sensitive.

The African Impact team qualifies applicants carefully and worked collaboratively in my case, to help me through the process. I happened to be the first ever Indian to volunteer for the program, and accidentally put my country on the conservation map of The Mara. It was to be a privilege to experience the Maasai homeland at such close quarters and contribute to the local community’s development. Certainly very gratifying, the stint also came with responsibility and expectations!

'When you are in Africa, you feel primordial, rocked in the cradle of the world’- Jodi Picault. So now that I was finally in the cradle of mankind, my tryst with the wild began right from the moment we hit the road along The Great Rift Valley. Playful Baboons warmly greeted us, as though they were the official welcoming party. The dirt road from the small hill town of Limuru to The Mara isn’t for the faint hearted, especially the track after Narok, but then the Kenyan warmth and hospitality can carry you through anything. For beginners, the ubiquitous Swahili greeting ‘Jambo’ always earned a disarming smile and wave throughout my time in the Bush and beyond. That said, it didn’t take me long to realize that Kenya is a complex unity with over seventy ethnic communities, speaking close to eighty different dialects- all united under the green, black and red national flag.

The African Impact, Big Cat Monitoring project is based in the core of Naboisho Conservancy, a well preserved wilderness corridor that offers spectacular year round game viewing and also boasts of the highest concentration of predators and wildlife, in the world. It’s a treasure trove for lovers of the wild and much better preserved from the trappings of tourism, except for a select few, high-end luxury camps. Thanks to a ‘roaring’ welcome followed by a sumptuous Ugali and Sukuma lunch, the fatigue from our five-hour gruelling journey faded quickly and it was already time for some wildlife action. Our Project Manager Caroline was hands-on from the get-go and inducted us into the project, giving an extensive overview of what was expected from us in our time in the bush. She patiently explained the project’s conservation and research objectives, appointed individual volunteer responsibilities, outlined house rules and also touched upon the various weekend excursion options volunteers could consider.

Early in the evening and what was to become our routine for weeks to come, we set out for our very first Big Cat monitoring activity accompanied by our driver cum Maasai guide, Francis. Underestimating what we were to encounter and how closely, I picked my seat in the project truck with little concern! Francis reiterated the bush etiquette and encouraged us to clarify doubts and ask questions. Always upbeat and bubbling with wildlife anecdotes, he also showcased a talent for imitating laughing hyenas and playfully teasing the young males of Enoolera pride. An alumnus of Koiyaki Guiding school, he is indeed a perfect example of indigenous Maasai co-exiting and conserving nature.

Just ten minutes into the drive through the woodland transect of Naboisho, we sighted our first local lass, this tawny beauty sprawled on a glistening rock as though patiently considering her many options for supper. I couldn’t take my eyes of this captivating sub-adult lioness and in that very moment my love affair with these fascinating cats drew deeper meaning. Her languorous mood, comfort of being and intrepid indifference to our presence was the very embodiment of freedom! It was a moment of truth- the serendipitous awakening one hoped for.

Though largest of Africa’s cats, Lions are downright lazy and sleep up to eighteen hours a day. However, come dusk they wake up in leisurely rhythm with the ebbing twilight, as though dawning the stellar power of their supremacy in the nocturnal world. While we were still admiring her imposing silhouette in fading light, we also needed to ID her. By identifying each lion, we were to track individuals, their pride, home range and population trends. So out came the binoculars, cameras and the GPS. I eagerly grasped the process of ageing and other factors that are considered to positively ID a particular lion. Every lion is identifiable from the whisker spots, which are found in rows on each side of the face. Other unique characteristics used are growth and mane coloration in males, notches in the ears, facial or body scars, injuries etc. But, only the whisker spots remain unchanged throughout a lion’s life. This beautiful sub-adult female was from the resident Sampu Enkare Pride. She obliged our interest with poise and gave us many beautiful mug shots of her restful face. Francis explained that besides being documented for our project records, this information was also shared with The Mara Lion Project, further contributing to a concerted effort to alleviate loss of lion population in East Africa.

As the evening progressed, dark rain clouds began to loom over us, affecting visibility. Apparently, the entire Mara region had missed its November share of rains, increasing wildlife mortality due to starvation. The drought like situation impacted the resident wildlife as well the Maasai livestock. Witnessing these parched savannahs getting soaked in this much-needed downpour, felt as though a sacred phenomenon transpired before us. This was to be the reason my first time in the African bush will always remain a poignant memory. It was as if I heard the flat-top acacia tree studded savannahs, its peppering of wildebeest, zebras, elephants, giraffes, gazelles, warthogs, impalas, topis, buffalos, pods of hippos wallowing alongside crocodiles in river, elusive leopards and solitary cheetahs, even the little dik-dik, breathe a collective sigh of relief. The game of life was on!

Our first day at the camp, set the pace for our routine thereon and featured many lasting impressions. An early dinner and departure to bed by 8:30 pm helped in processing some of those. The persistent roaring of the Enesikiria pride lions just a few hundred meters from our tents, alongside the hyenas laughing into the darkness of the night, was going to take some getting used to! One thing was sure- nobody was going to use the outhouse toilets post 9:00 pm, which is why the emergency buckets in our tents came handy.

The bi-weekly Game Counting marked an early start to our second day in the bush, scheduled for the entire first half. Caroline debriefed us on the recently improvised conservation process, which sounded quick, simple and scientific. But only when we got into action did we realize that because of the recent bout of rain, the resident wildlife numbers had ascended drastically. We divided responsibilities for conducting counts on either side of the truck and quickly got comfortable using the rangefinder and compass. These figures were synchronously plugged into the wildlife monitoring and tracking mobile app, developed by a research scientist working in the area. Even so, the activity proved to be arduous and tricky with countless tommys, topis and wildebeest sprinkled all over the rolling savannahs. Given the results, it was gratifying in a broader sense. After all, thanks to climate change and increased human-wildlife conflict in the Mara region, rapid loss of animals in recent years had been devastating to the balance of this primeval ecology.

Our evening drive was a re-run of the previous with added adventure of witnessing a clan of hyena jointly nurse their young. Warthogs, aka pumba, scurried through the bush with their tails upright, as though tuning into signals of possible danger. Indifferent pond-mates, the wallowing hippos and sneaky crocodiles tensed the waterhole visitors. An elegant kaleidoscope of giraffes towered over their peers to leisurely feast on whistling thorn Acacia for dinner. In the midst of this drama playing out on the Mara stage, we intruding mortals got held up in the stormy rain, and were unable to use our GPS tracker for elephant data collection. We sat all bunched up in our truck, keenly listening to an orchestra of elephants trumpeting away the celebratory anthem of this much needed respite. And just like that, another wet day in the bush had come to an end, marking a humble beginning of our introduction into the wild.

The resident cook Emanuel could easily win the top honors for playing MasterChef in the Wild. Thursday morning breakfast was particularly befitting for champions and the fence-building activity we had on schedule. Tanking up on carbs and calling ourselves conversation warriors hardly helped ease the thought that one was to be on foot in the terrain of big cats. In true Masai tradition, Francis taught us how to use machetes, brave the bush and chop at least five hundred branches. The camaraderie and constant banter helped and for the next two hours we gave it our all, to pile up a few hundred tall branches. Though the sun was beginning to get stronger, we were to quickly rehydrate, then jump back into the truck and drive to the trenches. We divided the work between carving stumps, weaving and wiring the fences. These fences were designed to grip soil and stop water from flooding in channels, formed due to excessive use of the dirt road leading into the conservancy – a man made problem!

Friday marked the weekend locally, but not for us African Impact volunteers. Besides our daily big cat monitoring activity, another intrinsic part of the volunteering experience was contributing to the community outreach program. The afternoon was spent planning a wildlife quiz for the environment and business club students of Nkoilale School, an hours drive from our camp. Principal Moses greeted us warmly and gave us an informative tour of the school premises. He was open to questions and admitted to a near 60/40 ratio of boys to girls. He also explained the common practice of rescuing young Maasai children herding livestock. The kids are brought to school and their parents are summoned to give consent for their children’s education. With such good work already in progress, our volunteer effort redoubled the effort underway. After quick introductions, we quizzed the students on African wildlife and took questions. Impressed with their knowledge and gusto, we felt certain that in spite all odds, these children are indeed beacons for Rising Africa!

Wrapping up, we left the school for our last monitoring activity of the week. As we were breathing in vistas and bantering about our time with the students, everyone suddenly fell silent at a spot halfway along our way. We had chanced upon the rarest of sights! Three cheetah cubs alongside Mama Cheetah were chilling out as though ringing in their weekend. After a few spellbound moments a volunteer broke the quiet, asking to answer nature’s call. Francis drove a safe distance away from the cats to facilitate this, when we were astounded to see a human specimen, walking jauntily in the direction as the Cheetahs! Without losing any time we rushed to save him, upon which we received a simple explanation that he was walking back home- his vehicle had broken down near by! Alarmed by his nonchalant attitude, we warned him that there were cheetahs a few hundred meters away. He casually noted ‘Oh is it!’ and then jumped into our truck, ensuing native banter with Francis. Though the episode was unnerving for us, that man was on his home turf much as the Cheetahs!

The weekend could have meant cooling our heels and kicking back but given fleeting encounters with Masai, an excursion to a nearby Masai village, with a promise of deeper immersion seemed in order. An hour’s drive away, the Maasai village welcomed us, led by many red-checked Shuka clad Moran warriors and large flat beaded disk wearing Maasai women. They sang and danced for us as a group but it was the Morans who insisted that we all attempted the Masai jump, adumu together. Enthused by the inclusion, we eagerly attempted this but our efforts paled in comparison to their Olympic fitness standards. Saving us further embarrassment, Ben who is one of the village elders took charge by showcasing the cattle bomas, also inviting us into his home, made of mud and dung. He explained about Maasai beadwork, their culture, spiritual beliefs and semi-nomadic pastoral lifestyle. Inviting us to stay with his family upon our next visit to The Mara, he also offered us the Maasai staple drink Amasi which is a lumpy, yoghurt-like concoction, made of fermented milk. Every impression at the village was thought provoking, but their love for cows and livestock was most intriguing. Besides providing sustenance in the form of milk, meat and blood, cows are considered a gift from Enkai, the Maasai God and are a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Though we missed meeting the medicine man and the village chief, our day’s highlight was haggling over trinkets with over thirty Morans in the middle of their makeshift craft market. This encounter’s other-worldliness was liberating for us, but ironically women in the patriarchal world of the Maasai, enjoy few liberties. By tradition women are second to cattle for Masai men and with polygamy in practice to boot, this reality is not going to be up for review any time soon.

A 6:00 am start on Sunday morning was rough but necessary to traverse the expansive savannahs of the Masai Mara Reserve. We were on a mission, seeking to encounter the critically endangered black rhino, an elusive leopard or two and a perhaps a large pride of over twenty lions. Instead, nature had other plans for us. Right after lunch, our Masai guide Joseph suddenly got a call and said there has been a change of plans – there was something we needed to see! He stepped on the gas and in a matter of minutes, we were in the middle of all the action. You see, the unseasonal rains had triggered a reaction amongst the zebra and wildebeest folk who had made up their minds to cross the Mara river. We were witnessing an unseasonal enactment of ‘The Great Migration’, reputed as one of the ‘Natural wonders of the world’! The crossing of a river filled with hundreds of hostile crocodiles in the water was quite literally the ‘Circle of life’ at high speed. Even the big cats lurked, looking forward to the herd’s arrival. Clownish Wildebeest make easy prey but also bring balance to the fragile ecosystem and remain key to survival on the savannahs. With more rain clouds looming over us, we wrapped the evening in awe of this spellbinding performance. No one knows exactly how far back the migration dates, perhaps millions of years. Yet, a single change in the environment here is known to trigger enormous consequences.

Our second week in the bush was much a reflection of the first, punctuated with unusual events like witnessing multiple cheetah kills. Other gripping wildlife encounters included a sneaky scorpion creepily showing up for dinner, right inside our dining area. Another time, a big herd of elephants uprooted multiple acacia trees, creating midnight havoc right outside our tents. Each day was unfolding under a familiar theme but posing different challenges, for instance the time when our 4WD got bogged at the banks of River Talek at dusk. Instructed to cross the river on foot, we saw unnerving signs like fresh elephant dung and a freshly killed wildebeest carcass, as we picked stones to help Francis get us out of this ordeal. We got home safely thanked the watching savannah stars, knowing fully well by now how brutal nature can be to the compromised!

Another high point of the second week was the opportunity to teach about India and its wildlife, to the children at Nkoilale Primary school and student guides at Koiyaki Guiding School. Highly interactive and thought provoking, these new generation Masai seem built for the future. I realized how critical it was for these future caregivers, conservationists and guides of The Mara, to understand the need for wildlife conservation. Already caught in the crossfires of past rituals and present day demands of the new world, the young Masai are indeed carrying a huge burden of protecting and preserving what’s left of their motherland. So together we pledged to stay dedicated to the cause and perpetuate conservation efforts as a way of life. We discussed myriad cultural differences and concluded, wishing for a borderless world where black, white, brown, red or yellow are synergistic shades in Mother Nature’s palette.

As luck would have it, my time volunteering at Naboisho was capped with my birthday. Though a lovely opportunity to celebrate with my Masai friends and co-volunteers, it was also time for reflection and pause. Availing perks of the low season, I booked myself a luxury tent at Basecamp, Masai Mara. Just the thought of not using an emergency bucket at night or a brushing my teeth into a sink full of bugs was comforting enough. Nickolas the manager of the camp, made sure I was living it up and allotted me the ‘Obama’ tent for an even more special experience. The American president had actually resided in this tent, on his visit to The Mara. Overlooking the expanse of the Masai Mara reserve on one side and the Talek river on the other, this beautiful living arrangement in the bush, came very well appointed. Settling down with a cup of Kericho tea in the balcony, I drank in the vast space and wondering what the President might have reflected upon as he sat in the same easy chair.

My time in the bush had made me cognizant of that Global warming and many other ecological micro-trends were bearing down on the Mara ecosystem. Other than the geological elements at play, the Masai attitude of resignation to what is happening to their homeland, topped by the indifference of tourists, also needs addressing. The reserve is surrounded on three sides by an increasing population of herders and Masai hungry to reclaim their land. Breaking the law every night, big herds of Masai livestock are driven into the reserve and adjoining conservancies for grazing. Where livestock gathers, so do lions, hunting the easy prey. On document is the infamous Maasai retaliation wherein the many adults and cubs of the Big Cat Diary’s March Pride, were poisoned. Aside from such events, big cats are respected among the Maasai because of their fame of asserting dominance, when opposed by belligerent hunters. This alarming human-wildlife conflict has to be accepted, understood and quickly addressed by the natives. After all, ‘Until the lion learns to write, every story will always glorify the hunter’ –African Proverb.

Right after our evening game drive, the camp surprised me with a three-course gourmet meal and a birthday cake. However, the celebratory traditional Masai dance by the staff was the real icing on my cake. Though my birthday and a Sunday, a 6:00 am drive into the Mara Reserve was a reason compelling enough to spring out of bed. My every longing was fulfilled- finding a troop of giraffe, with a lone acacia tree and the backdrop of a beautiful tequila sunrise thrown in! Quenched so, by nature’s benevolence, clarity of purpose formulated firmly in my mind.

With no more rains, soaking The Mara, my drive back to Naboisho was hot and dusty but also had a surprise waiting at the end of it. My volunteer friends and the project staff planned a sundowner with cake, cocoa and a beautiful hand written card. Overwhelmed by all the love I received from the land of the Maasai, I sat back in my canvas chair, feeling revived in the calm rhythm of life. It was only a few months ago that I had watched a thrilling rendition in New York, of the Lion King on Broadway. Now I saw its true meaning- it is only when everything has its natural place that the Lion ascends! Only then, we can all live like Lions.

I understood what ‘Out of Africa’ author Karen Blixen meant by saying “You know you are truly alive, when you’re living among lions”

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Photos

? With Robert the 'Rescued' Cheetah @Nairobi Animal orphanage
?? #SacredMoment #WildlifeWarrior #Kenya #BigCat #Volunteer #CheetahLife ? #I❤️Africa

Our Work Station cum Dining and Hang-out area
#CameraTrap #HyenaHang-outByTheNight #VolunteerLife #AfricanImpact #NaboishoLife #Roar #ProjectCamp ?

? So who is doing what this week ? #Responsibility #ActivityBoard
Dishes - Data Recording (Clip-board, Compass and GPS), Pictures - Data Collection - Data Entry - Photo ID'ing - Report and Share findings with the Mara Lion Project
#Raptors #Elephants #BigCats
#AfricanImpact #VolunteerLife ??

? My very comfy room / sack at our project Camp @Naboisho ?
#VolunteerLife #AfricanImpact #NaboishoConservancy ⛺️

? With Master of the Wild - Our Masai Guide cum Driver -Francis Saruni ?
#LearnFromTheBest #MasaiWarrior #Shuka #AfricanImpact #NaboishoLife #KingFrancis

? Wildebeest for breakfast anyone?
? #ChampionsBreakfast #LionLife #King'sBreakfast ?

? The forever elusive Leopard is the hardest to sight, given how very shy they are.
...Not easy spotting these spotted beauties! They camouflage so beautifully, in the African bush but then the yearning grows #AskFrancis

? Somebody's gotta get hurt #Impala #FoodChain #SurvivalOfTheFittest
Leopard kill 'hanging on a tree' ...for a late night snack perhaps #LeopardLife

? Francis and us watching a herd of elephants go past!
#MasaiWarrior #AfricanElephant #NoMessing ?

? Machete Mash !
#VolunteerLife #Jungle cutting branches #MakingFences #WildlifeWarrior #ManMadeProblems #CombatSoilErosion ?

#Future Wildlife Warriors of #TheMara ?
#Curious #FutureForward #ResponsibleTourism #WildlifeWarrior ????

? One for the frame - Nkoilale School ? #NarokCounty
???? #SayCheese ?

? #Blissful @Sand River, Masai Mara National Park
? -Right after we witnessed the Zebra n Wildebeest mini #Migration! An #epic moment!

? Attempting the famous Masai Jump -Adumu ?
-Clearly, I have a lot of practising to do ?#MasaiWarrior #MasaiMara #VolunteerLife #Adumu #Jump #Enkai #MasaiVillage #Inkajijik #BomaLife ????

Guys ..Make a Run For it !! #NotTheUglyFive #BeautyRunsDeep
#WeMadeItGuys #FollowTheRain #Procreation #TheGreatMigration #WildebeestLife

? With the lovely Masai Mamas ?
? They helped me make my own Masai beads bracelet and It's one of my most prized possessions from my travels across ?#MasaiMamas #BaseCamp #MasaiBeads

? 5:30 am start #Happy #Birthday #Sunrise #WellWorthIt
? #Dawn breaking #Birthday #MasaiMara #LoneAcaciaTree !!! ?

? Birthday Morning Safari at The Masai Mara Reserve
#Bushnell #EarlyMorn #SafariLife #TheMara #BirthdayGal ?

? Birthday Sundowner ?
☕️ With these lovely people #HotCocoa #Blessed #BirthdayWeekend #TheGreatAfricanOutdoors #Naboisho ?

? Thank you so much my lovely co-volunteers and everyone at the camp. Soooo Sweet!
??? #Cherish #Blessed #Thanks #HandMadeBirthdayGreeting

? Masai Mara Safari Lunch right by the Mara River
#JungleLife #WildlifeVolunteers #MasaiMara #MaraCrocs ?