How local people are helping the situation
Eyes, ears and action
Human Elephant Conflict Project Scouts
One of the most successful initiatives that Noah initiated was the creation of a scout's association. Twelve men, comprised of both Maasais and non-Maasais, formed a formidable team who, together, covered the entire 1000km2 in which the elephants still roam in the TransMara.Armed with a bicycle and a GPS receiver (an electronic instrument that provides geographical coordinates from satellites), they help gather the information Noah needs to predict when and where human elephant conflict situations would arise.
This data gathering formed the first phase of the project, and it's results were extrapolated in order to select the farms to be used in testing mitigation techniques in the 2nd phase.
TransMara Game Scouts Association
Formed in June 2003, this association of scouts was formed because of the amount of wildlife being lost in the TransMara, especially to poachers. And if the region is to hold any hopes of establishing is own tourism industry, which would directly benefit the local people, then action needs to be taken.Chaired by Leonard, Noah's principle scout in the project, they are attempting to monitor populations of buffalo, zebra, leopards, hyenas, all types of antelopes and topis.
All scouts in this association are volunteers, and they are lacking even the most basic equipment such as good shoes in which they can carry out their patrols.
