- Ramat Wildlife Society
- Phone: 254 791 197 454
- Email: [email protected]
Kisapuk conservancy is located 37 km from Bissil town and 19 km from Namanga border town. It is found in the southern part of Matapato Rangelands in Kajiado Central.
Kisapuk conservancy is a community-based conservancy which was started in the year 2022 by 47 Maasai land owners. Its area is approximately 11,000 acres of land.
The land owners agreed to set aside their parcels of land to do wildlife conservation alongside their source of livelihoods which is pastoralism.
They realized that wildlife and livestock are interdependent, and that they actually rely on each other for survival.
They agreed to make a land use management policy that will enable wildlife and livestock to share the resources available in the ecosystem in a sustainable manner.
Through this initiative, livestock and wildlife can now get pastures and water throughout the year.
The land owners also benefit from the proceeds received from the ecosystem as a result of engaging in tourist activities. The conservancy is also aimed at taking care of wildlife and ensuring that endangered species are protected to make sure that they live to the future.
The conservancy is also working on an initiative that strives to minimize or bring an end to human-wildlife conflict. To reduce this conflict, it is therefore critical that a solution be found that balances the safety and peace of wildlife, people, and livestock in order for this ecosystem to continue to support all its species.
Right on the edge of human settlement and arable farmland, the conservancy is aimed to be used as a demonstration site for sustainable rangelands management.
The conservancy is also aimed at ensuring it responds well to the implementation of efforts to control erosion and a stringent grazing plan designed to maximize available forage for wildlife and livestock.
With increased abundance of predators, human-wildlife conflict has become a challenge that is being addressed by implementing mitigating strategies.
Kisapuk conservancy is a locally led initiative employing a triple bottom line approach. That’s putting great emphasis on the people, their livelihoods, and wildlife. All these components are interlinked and have an adaptive management style of thinking that uses a learning-by-doing culture within the conservancy.
Community led conservation, looking after the heritage, people and the natural resources of an increasingly fragile ecosystem in between the Amboseli and Maasai Mara Ecosystem.
Kisapuk conservancy is committed to sustainable rangelands management that allows space and resources for all people, livestock, and wildlife. To achieve this initiative, it seeks a balance between the conservation of the ecosystem and appropriate enterprise for the resident Maasai communities. Kisapuk conservancy is adopting a unique approach to conserving land by creating a viable livestock enterprise through a holistic management (HM) approach. Through holistic management, Kisapuk intends to improve the productivity of the livestock in the region, improve livelihoods, and maintain the cultural heritage of the residents Maasai community.
Enabling partnerships and improving livelihoods.
Regenerative grazing protecting livestock, wildlife, and their habitats.
Local leadership engagement, maintaining Maasai heritage and traditional ways of pastoralism.
Having changed from a pure savanna grassland to a woodland savanna over time due to changes in land tenure system and other several reasons, Kisapuk conservancy has a diverse range of plants found in low lands as well as on the hills which are considered to be of medicinal value as well as the best food for livestock and wildlife.
Kisapuk conservancy boasts many seasonal rivers including the famous Lesonkoyo river. River Lesonkoyo is named after a kind of plant called Esonkoyo which smells good and is used traditionally by the Maasai morans as a perfume.
The conservancy has many tributaries that carry water to the main Lesonkoyo river.
The conservancy has a number of hills, including the famous Kisapuk hill which carries the name of the conservancy. The name Kisapuk means big, indicating that this hill is a big hill. Apart from being a historical site for the Second World War, it is also a beautiful hill with a good viewpoint of the entire conservancy as it is situated in the northern end side of the conservancy. There is also a hill called Linti which is situated to the northern side.
Being on the border of Kenya and Tanzania, Kisapuk conservancy boasts a huge history of the Second World War between the Germans and the British. There's a hill on the Tanzanian side called Noondashi, named after the Dutch. From the story given, the Dutch were camping there during the war. On the Kenyan side, we have the hill by the name Nembendera which was a training camp for the British soldiers. On the same history of the wars, Kisapuk conservancy also has the famous Esoit oo loogol Ala. This is a huge rock which was thrown from the top of Linti hill by the sub-section of Maasai Morans (Iloogol ala) who were looking for an escape route to run away from their enemies. To date, the rock still lies at the foot of the Linti hill in the nearby Parsilet conservancy.
Kisapuk conservancy boasts a wide variety of wildlife including zebra, giraffe, antelopes, elephants, lions, leopards, wild dogs, and cheetahs. Being part of the important rangelands ecosystem, Kisapuk conservancy has a good abundance of wildlife, which makes it a unique destination for tourists. The conservancy is committed to protecting and conserving this wildlife for future generations while also ensuring that the surrounding community benefits from tourism activities.