Working for the 'lion king'

Chinese man's mission to protect wildlife makes world of difference

'I never expected that one day I would be part of a patrolling team led by a wildlife enthusiast from China," says Sammy Mumeita, a 34-year-old Masai ranger in southern Kenya's Olkinyei Conservancy.

"We consider Zhuo Qiang, also known as Simba, as someone who is a messenger between our community and China," he says.

Mumeita says he first met Zhuo six years ago through a friend. "Simba wanted us to continue our own conservancy efforts and also join him in helping to reach out to more people to propagate the message of conservation," he says.

Since then Zhuo has made several visits to the local community and also conducted valuable research with them on how to protect local animals, especially lions.

Mumeita says that though his community has received overseas researchers from all disciplines, Zhuo was the first Chinese person he had met.

"It was strange as until then we did not really know the difference between Chinese, Indian or Japanese people," he says.

"What really captured our hearts was his determination and resolve to set up a fund to protect wildlife in Kenya."

Zhuo was convinced that only through joint efforts could the conservancy efforts succeed. He made several trips to China and the surrounding areas to rope in more volunteers for his campaign. Currently his surveillance team is made up of more than 15 volunteers from Mumeita's Masai community.

"We are very happy to work with him as he is a good and qualified partner, who has brought many Chinese people to visit my homeland," he says.

The Masai community has also seen a big increase in the number of Chinese tourists visiting the wildlife reserves.

Mumeita says that his team has also sought Simba's help in getting more support and facilities from China. "I'd love to go to China one day to see how they are dealing with wild animals and how different our natural environment is."

In recent years, poaching has not been the only bane for wildlife. Extreme weather conditions and living-space conflicts between humans and animals are accelerating the killing of wildlife. For local Masai people, conservancy means less space for cattle, which the community depends on for sustenance.

Many Masai people like Mumeita have spent their entire life rearing cattle, but growing numbers are now finding that conservancy work is a more sustainable way of supporting their families.

"Conservancy work is more interesting than raising cows," Mumeita says.

"It offers me a constant and steady income. I don't need to sell my cows, and my earnings are far higher. I have money coming in at the end of every month and so I have money to buy more cows."

Previously the lives of Masai people depended largely on the climatic conditions for harvests and growing food. Droughts severely hit their income.

Mumeita says that after joining the conservancy team, members have enough money for food and their children's education.

But although members of the local Masai community have gained through conservancy work, many remain doubtful about this new way of life.

For Ole Mpusia, Mumeita's colleague in the patrol team, persuading a local man to join conservancy efforts is his current priority.

"His allocated land is quite close to the river where many animals go for water," Mpusia says. "But the owner doesn't want to give over the land and is still using it for extensive grazing, thereby rapidly stripping the grass cover."

Mpusia says the team has been trying to convince the owner to join the conservancy efforts, and even offered higher compensation.

He says that by leasing the land to conservancy's facilities, the community can earn at least 200,000 Kenyan shillings ($2,337) for one plot.

Such challenges are common in Africa, where conservancy teams have been struggling to change a centuries-old way of living.

"The other thing I still remember when I started my conservancy career in 2005 was that it was very difficult to change my mind," Mpusia says.

"One of my Western friends asked me then what they should do to set up a conservancy to protect animals.

"It was a tough question as it meant reserving a particular area for wildlife only. It also meant we have to keep the cattle confined. The whole conservancy concept itself was alien and difficult to understand.

"Many of my family members asked me what the whole concept was and it took me over nine months to convince and persuade them."

Now the job is much easier for the team as more people have joined the efforts to protect wildlife.

Daily patrolling is done with the help of motorcycles from morning till night. But when they are confronted with armed poachers, they have to report the activities to other armed rangers and work with them.

Establishing conservation areas will help bring more tourists to these reserves and also bring in more income. The funds can be used to develop the local communities further and is a good example for other communities to emulate, he says.

Mpusia has six children, the eldest 13 years old. Although his favorites are the girls, he says when his children complete their education he would urge them to join the campaign to ensure that animals are protected and cherished.

"Simba has helped make our conservancy efforts successful. If you are alone, you can't do anything, but if you work with and are supported by others, great goals can be achieved," Mumeita says.

lilianxing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 03/15/2013 page6)