Edition 48: Autumn 2009

Wildebeest have been circling the East African plains for over a million years, and during the 20th century their annual migration became one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions – little wonder, considering the sheer scale and drama of the natural spectacle. Today, with two million or so animals taking part, it continues to enthral those who visit each year.

However, despite the fact that the wildebeest population involved has increased five-fold over the past fifty years (due in large part to the eradication of the rinderpest viral disease), there is a growing concern amongst scientists about the future of the migration. As Jonathan and Angela Scott discuss in On the run (page 34), the problem has more to do with what’s happening outside the national parks and reserves than what’s happening inside them. As you’ll discover though, hope is anything but lost, with certain conservation programmes on the fringes of the Masai Mara Reserve already paying dividends.

One woman full of hope and firmly focused on conservation solutions continues to be Jane Goodall DBE. During our recent conversation (page 28), she spoke of her realisation of and now firm belief in the fact that animals and their respective habitats can’t truly be protected or preserved unless there is cooperation from the surrounding human populations. It sounds obvious, but for far too long many conservationists have been ignoring the plight of people struggling on the perimeters of national parks and reserves, simply thinking that separation of man and beast was the solution for the survival of wildlife.

Obtaining the support of local communities is easier said than done, though, as it can often involve asking them to sacrifice what little they have just for the hope of something better. When I asked 84-year-old Kiroti Koriata, a Maasai elder whose 68ha of land borders the Masai Mara, if his recent decision to lease his property to the private Ol Kinyei conservancy was an easy one, he replied, “No, it took me nine months to decide.” But now with a regular, guaranteed income generated from eco-tourism, he can see the benefit of protecting wildlife for the first time in his life. The potential change of mindset was epitomised by Teketi Tongoyo, another Maasai whose land now forms part of the same conservancy.

“Animals like wildebeest, zebra and elephant would destroy the crops I planted, so I would kill them to protect my harvest. Now, I’m much more protective of wildlife…I feel towards a lion cub like my own child, because the change he has brought.”

Tourism is often vilified for its damage to the environment, be it carbon dioxide produced from long-haul flights or ill-thought-out mass-tourism developments, but it can also play a major role in protecting our planet and the people and animals who call it home.