This photo (right) illustrating the co-existance of wildlife, livestock and people in our project area south of Nairobi National Park was taken by a team of World Bank environmental and financial leaders who were on a project site-visit. They met several of the Maasai families in the Lease Program and saw first hand how wildlife on these important private lands are thriving. The grasses are severely dry so everyone is hoping the brief recent rains are a sign that the "short rains" might come early this year. Because of the severe drought, Nairobi NP and the Maasai lands close by are full of migrating wildlife because of the permanent water located in the Park and the Empakasi River, which marks the open un-fenced southern boundary of the Park. Paula Kahumbu reports sighting a single cheetah, which she judged to likely be a female, near Masai Gate looking very healthy. Let us hope there is an equally healthy male cheetah near by.
