I have just returned from a tough week in the field in West Gate Conservancy. The rains have finally arrived in Samburu which is great. I unfortunately chose the wrong time to move back to Echo Lima Camp for a week (its been sunny and blue skies since I left!).
I had scheduled to work at night during this week which meant ground-truthing during the day and driving at night. During the day, most of the roads were washed away and we came across many road blocks – either elephants had knocked over trees or the Ewaso Nyiro river had brought in lots of debris. We spent hours clearing away the debris to get through and driving through a lot of water!
Raphael and Ricila clearing away the debris
I am quite excited – I think I have just figured out how to upload my first video onto YouTube and on this blog. Lets hope this works. Click on the video below to see me driving through probably the smallest amount of water during that week.
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After that, Gypsy was literally swimming through much more water. I was especially proud of Gypsy when I was returning to camp one night at 11 pm and had to drive through the Pukur lugga (sand river) which was flowing and the sand was very soft. I walked across to make sure I could do it and decided to give it a go. I drove through with no problems; sand and water covering the tyres. I heard the next day that a Landcruiser had got stuck there a few minutes after I had gone through. Very unfortunate for the Landcruiser, but Go Gypsy!!! She continues to be a fantastic car for this type of terrain.
The rains were amazing. The Kipsing river was full off water for the first time in months and flowed into the Ewaso Nyiro. However, unfortunately, our tents are not totally waterproof and every night, rain would leak into them. One night, I woke to find my back totally wet after rain came through and soaked through the mattress. We didn’t see sun too much during this week and if there was any sun, the mattresses and blankets would be spread out and our little camp looked like a bush laundromat.
The Ewaso Nyiro River is full
With just a little bit of rain, the Echo Lima Camp and surrounding areas transformed. It is green everywhere and looks so different to when we left in August.
The Echo Lima camp in October – Gypsy and the tents are in the distance
The hardest part of the week was working at night (I have got very used to sleeping at 8pm!). One aspect of my research is to estimate the density of lions and hyenas in the community areas, so this required me to work at night.
However, the recent arrival of the rains and using spot lights attracted an enormous number of bugs – the most I have ever seen. All sorts of flying and crawling bugs and beetles flew into our faces, into the car and however much we tried to cover up, they ended up all over us. Gypsy currently looks like a bug graveyard. The beetles seemed to have an interest in my hair and often they would nestle in my hair, only to come crawling out over my face when I returned to camp and was asleep (or trying to sleep) in my tent. I think I need a genet cat to sit on my head and sieve through my hair picking out the bugs. One thing is for sure – the genet cat would definitely have a feast:)
A rare dry moment – Francis and I enjoying a cup of tea (trying to keep warm!) whilst out ground-truthing one day
So, although I had the toughest driving experience, was soaked 24-7 and am still removing bugs from my hair, I am glad the rains have finally arrived in Samburu. It was a long, dry spell and the people, their livestock and the wildlife have really suffered over the past few months. The cows are returning home, the Ewaso Nyiro is still flowing and it is green everywhere.
The reserve is green once again