On the 12 of June, the Mara conservancy proudly celebrated their 20th anniversary. Custodians of the beautiful Mara Triangle, the Angama family is proud to not only take guests into the park each day, but to support the Mara Conservancy in every possible way!
It all began way back in 1994, when the management of Africa’s famous safari destination, the Maasai Mara National Reserve, was divided into the eastern side, managed by the Narok County Council, and the north-western sector (the Mara Triangle), then managed by the Trans Mara County Council. The Mara Triangle is 510 km/sq, representing about a third of the entire Reserve.
By the end of the 1990s, infrastructure, equipment and roads in the Mara Triangle were in disrepair. Vehicles were inoperable, staff morale was low, gate revenue was evaporating and poaching rampant. Gate buildings and ranger outposts had disintegrated and there was no running water nor functioning sanitation. The main road network, which had been constructed in the 1980s, had all but disappeared due to negligence and unregulated off-road driving had created a proliferation of tracks in the central part of the Mara Triangle.
Often not paid for months, 30% of the staff complement was present at any one time. There were several private sets of park entrance tickets and recognized revenue was 20% of the potential. Only one-third of the Mara Triangle was considered secure, with the remainder unvisited by security staff and tourists. In these areas poaching and illegal grazing were out of control, with thousands of wild animals being killed annually. Cattle theft along the escarpment was also a frequent occurrence.
Something had to be done. Fast.
In 2000, several local leaders became concerned about levels of mismanagement in the Mara Triangle, and as a result, the Mara Conservancy, a not-for-profit management company, was established to manage the Triangle in collaboration with the Trans Mara County Council. A management agreement was signed and the Mara Conservancy started operations in the Mara Triangle on 12 June 2001, only 20 short years ago.
This created the first public/private sector partnership of its kind in the region and has led to an active and cooperative partnership between conservation professionals and the local Maasai community that endeavours to improve the conservation and management of one of the most visited and well-known protected areas in the world. The management of the Mara Triangle by the Mara Conservancy is based on transparency and accountability. Operating solely on 37.5% of tourism revenue, the following has been achieved: 126 000 ha protected; 200 jobs created; 250 000 ha patrolled; 4 600 poachers arrested; 59 000 snares destroyed; and 30 000 dogs vaccinated. Nothing short of miraculous.
In celebration of 20 years of dedication, it is fitting for us to remember those with the foresight who established the Conservancy. Those who worked hard for two years to achieve what was then considered impossible, a private not-for-profit company managing a Protected Area. The Conservancy has proved that a public/private partnership can work in conservation and the model is now being touted for other National Parks.
The Angama family would like to honour the following people who work so hard to ensure that our guests experience the finest wildlife viewing in Africa: Ole Kijabe, Gov Samuel Tunai, Shadrack Seiyio, Brian Heath, the Conservancy team and the board of directors. Without the work that you all do each day we would not have a business. It is as simple as that.
