Dear Supporters,

We promised to share our strategic plan in this newsletter but we’re not ready to do so as dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s is a bit more work than we envisioned. We are however ready to share our updated vision, mission and theory of change with you which are best captured in this graphic.

Our work is ultimately aimed at conserving and restoring raptor populations in Kenya so that they become abundant, are appreciated for their intrinsic value and live in harmony with people. Our contribution to that vision of the future is to secure healthy raptor populations in Kenya. To achieve this, we believe positive outcomes are developed through these interrelated areas of action:

1. We need to protect critical raptor habitats so raptors have space to live in abundance

2. We need hands-on management and interventions to restore raptor populations to prevent extinction of raptor species

3. And we need to educate people on the value of raptors and the importance of raptor conservation

All these actions require collaboration with partners, building of capacity on all levels and research and monitoring to evaluate our impacts.

In this newsletter we address our work in these interrelated areas and hope you enjoy reading and as always we're grateful for your support on this journey.

Nick Trent, Executive Director

Spotted Eagle-Owls at Kilimandege

At Naivasha Raptor Centre we have 2 breeding pairs of Spotted eagle-owl. Popeye and Olive, both very young, haven’t been successful yet. Sombrero and Soy-sauce on the other hand have had many successful clutches. End of January we released one of their chicks at Kilimandege Sanctuary while Sombrero was already on eggs in her nest box making the next clutch.

The released Spotted Eagle-owl - notice the pronounced ear tufts. They get these tufts by the time they fledge, when they’re fully feathered and grown which takes about 2.5 months.

In the wild Spotted Eagle-Owls usually make their nest on the ground but even when they nest off the ground, the owlets will jump out of a nest before they can fly. They then spend about two weeks on the ground, practising their hunting skills by catching insects and other arthropods, while still being fed by their parents. In this period the owlets are vulnerable to predation, especially from cats and dogs in urban areas.

Mid March a juvenile Spotted Eagle Owl, found at Elsamere, was brought in by veterinarian Dr. Titus Kaitho. It had no injuries but was clearly too young to fend for its own and not being able to locate the parents and nest area, we had no choice but to keep him safe at Naivasha Raptor Centre until it’s old enough for release. After stabilising the young bird for a few days it was put in with Sombrero’s new clutch.

The rescued Spotted Eagle-owl - notice the downy feathers and the absence of ear tufts, both indicating that it’s too young to be released back into the wild.

While Spotted Eagle-owls are widespread and locally common in sub-saharan Africa, there are many anthropomorphic causes of death recorded, including persecution, vehicle strikes (Spotted eagle-owls often hunt near roads) and collisions with barbed-wire fences.

Expanding nest monitoring in the Mara

Raptors are one of the most endangered species groups in the greater Mara region and their conservation needs to be prioritised if we are to slow and reverse their population declines. To guide conservation decision making we need reliable and long-term datasets that inform population trends and health. Through systematic nest monitoring we provide some of these data for 8 focal raptor species within the greater Mara region – these species include three vultures, 4 eagles and the secretarybird.

Our nest monitoring programme is set up to systematically observe raptor nests and report breeding success or failure. Successful breeding is critical for raptor populations to thrive and one of the best ways to protect raptors is to protect their nests. For this we work closely with conservation managers that are responsible for the protection of the Maasai Mara, and we share our datasets freely with them.

One of the 38 active Lappet-faced Vulture nests we monitored in 2022 inside the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

To effectively monitor the ecologically and politically diverse greater Mara region, we have divided the region into 5 nest monitoring blocks. The Maasai Mara National Reserve is Block 1 and Lemein Parmuntoro (the Mara Raptor Project manager) has been monitoring nests here for three successive years.

We are very excited to roll out our nest monitoring programme in several other blocks this year. Our goal is to have 5 nest monitoring teams covering all 5 blocks by 2025.

Counting vultures at Kwenia

Now that the Kwenia Vulture Sanctuary is formally established it’s time to start the systematic monitoring of the Rüppell’s vultures nesting on the Kwenia cliffs. For this reason, Stratton Hatfield will head to Kwenia in early May to work with the sanctuary team to conduct the first vulture count of 2023.

This colony was previously monitored between 2002 and 2009 and the results were published in this research paper. To summarise, the mean number of birds present on the cliffs each year from 2002 to 2009 was 168.9 while the mean number of active/occupied nests each year was 47.6. Based on these numbers, Kwenia is probably the most important breeding location for Rüppell’s Vulture in southern Kenya. The only other site in southern Kenya that has been systematically surveyed for this species is Hell’s Gate NP, where an estimated 15–20 pairs breed.

These upcoming counts will use a similar methodology to the counts conducted from 2002 to 2009 so the results will be comparable. The May count will be a practice session to get a new baseline and develop the capacity of the sanctuary team. A thorough and more formal count is scheduled for November this year and we can’t wait to share the results.

The rescue of Chewy the Ruppell’s Vulture

Ruppell’s Vultures are Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red list and have seen a rapid population decline of about 90% over three generations. In Kenya, their decline is caused by habitat loss, declines in wild prey populations, electrocution and collision with power lines and poisoning. The Ruppell’s Vulture is the most numerous raptor living at our centres, with 6 permanent residents in Naivasha and 2 more under veterinary care at Soysambu. The last one was found by our director Shiv Kapila, while finally having some time off and spending a day on a game drive.

Stumbling upon this vulture, Shiv immediately jumped out of the car to give first aid. It was very thin and weak but still put up a fight, earning him the nickname Chewy. Aborting his vacation Shiv took the vulture to Naivasha Raptor Centre to be examined and treated. The wound including an open fracture were at least 3-4 days old and the rescue was just in time to save its life. After initial care it was transferred for intensive care to Soysambu raptor centre.

Left: The rescued vulture on it’s way to Naivasha Raptor Centre Right: Chewy being carefully examined at our clinic by Shiv

Turning theory into practice

When Dr. Juliet Waiyaki, a recently graduated wildlife vet, informed KWS that she was particularly interested in working with raptors, they recommended she contact the Kenya Bird of Prey Trust. This she did and, although we struggle to find long-term funding for this position, she’s now officially on board as an intern up to and including May. In her first week a juvenile Fish-eagle was brought in and she could get her hands dirty. Fortunately the bird didn’t have major trauma and after a month of rehabilitation under the care of Simon and Juliet it was released in Soysambu (read Juliet’s report of the rescue and rehab here).

While reading, learning and practising avian suture techniques at Soysambu Raptor Centre, Chewy was brought in and this was a serious case. One of the toes was almost severed and a portion of the phalanges was exposed. The massive wound on the thigh had turned septic and the carpal was a mess, needing bone craft in the future. Now, weeks later, the vulture is fully mobile and active but will be captive for life. In time it will join the other Ruppell’s vultures at Naivasha Raptor Centre and become part of a captive breeding programme. Read Juliet’s report about the treatment and recovery of Chewy here.

Left: Juliet practising avian suture techniques. Right: Juliet cleaning the wounds of Chewy

The advantages of a soft release

The juvenile Fish Eagle we released on the shore of lake Elementeita on 11 March (see previous article) proved to need much more exercise. After the release we monitored him daily and recognising he wasn’t doing well, we returned him to our centre.

The Fish Eagle had recovered in an enclosure from soft tissue damage to its wing received from fighting with another Fish Eagle at Lake Naivasha. When we released him 5 weeks later we hoped he would stay around with the intention of us being able to hack him e.g. feed him each day until he got fit. However we noticed during long flights he would fly with slow wing beats and cupped wings. We were not too sure about his history prior to being brought in but it became evident that we'd have to either hack him for months or retrieve him and fly him hard back at the centre. The decision was based more on our ability to be with him at the lake, where his greatest threat was another Fish Eagle, or the much easier option of training him.

For some reason he took a special liking to Mwanzia who had him within a few days flying to his glove. Initial flight training is so easy though it takes time. The aim is to make sure the eagle flies free very well. This will require taking him up on the hill each day. Soft releases have the advantage of follow through. If things don't pan out that well one can retrieve the situation. Hard releases with no follow through is justified for individuals who have been in captivity for a short time, have recovered from minimal damage and a history of looking after themselves. But this Fish Eagle needed that extra security. Hopefully he will increase his fitness levels to a point where he can be released with better prospects for success.

Mwanzia training the juvenile Fish Eagle.

One of the very few to recover from electrocution

The second most numerous bird at our centres is the Augur Buzzard. And although the Augur Buzzard previously was very common, a recent publication shows it has suffered a catastrophic decline of 91% in Kenya. Out of the 8 Augur Buzzards at our centres, 6 have been electrocuted, ending up living with a missing foot or wing. By comparing reasons for admission, we and others working in rehab, are well placed to identify potential reasons for overall population declines. For almost all species habitat loss is the primary reason for population declines. For the Augur buzzard it’s a good bet to put electrocution second. To understand the potential of mortalities by electrocution, read Simon’s blog.

Hesitantly we released him at the end of March. Hesitant because danger is out there and the odds are stacked against him. He would be safer staying with us, but he’s fully recovered and earns a life in the wild and finding a mate to breed with.

Thank you for your support