Oltukai Conservancy

Category: Uncategorized, Wildebeest, general wildlife, lions, predators, zebra | Date: Dec 02 2008 | By: oltukaiconservancy

This morning the Ol Tukai Game Scouts called to report lions have moved into the conservancy. This is a rare occurrence in the conservancy because during dry months the larger prey species like zebras and wildebeest migrate north to the Serengeti or south to the near by Tarangire national park.  During the rainy seasons, November-December and April-May the lions occasionally follow the herds to the fresh grazing grass of Ol Tukai.  Patrick Fleming Ol Tukai Team

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Category: Wildebeest, general wildlife, water, zebra | Date: Nov 11 2008 | By: oltukaiconservancy

The long awaited short rains have returned to Ol Tukai. For 6 months the dry season has taken its toll on the arid land which makes up the eastern shoreline of Lake Manyara. Fresh water sources had all but dried up months ago and the migratory wildlife had moved off the Conservancy heading southwest to the more permanent water sources in Tarangire National Park. On Nov 7th, the 2-3 week “Short Rains” started to fall turning a once arride landscape into a now green healthy eco-system. Within a couple of days the Wildebeest and Zebra, the largest and most abumdent large mammals in Ol Tukai began to return in great numbers. Fresh green grass has attracted them back to Ol Tukai and water levels in the lake have began to rise bringing back many migratory bird species.

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Category: Uncategorized, education, flamingos, general wildlife | Date: Oct 21 2008 | By: oltukaiconservancy

     Nearly all of Lake Manyara’s 1.5 million Greater and Lesser Flamingos have migrated to Lake Natron and other Soda lakes in Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya for the annual Breeding season. Both Lake Manyara and Natron are “Soda” lakes located in Northern Tanzania.

   The Flamingos use the lakes abundant algae Blooms as a source of food. Throughout December and May, the Flamingos return from the Northern lakes with their young and stay in Lake Manyara until Sep-Oct when they migrate North again. At the moment Lake Manyara is in the heart of the dry season with water levels low and Alkaline levels High.

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Category: education, general wildlife, predators | Date: Sep 16 2008 | By: oltukaiconservancy

New Sightings from Ol Tukai!

In the last few weeks many reports have come into the Ol Tukai Conservancy office from eye witness accounts and game scout accounts of Leopard, Cheetah and Hyena sightings within the Conservancy. This is great news to the team at Ol Tukai because sightings of leopards and cheetahs have been exceptionally rare here over the last several years.

Just last night, September 15th, another report was received from Sidan Lodge staff of a leopard strolling around the area. For those who don’t know, Sidan Tented Lodge is our newly constructed eco safari camp nestled in the heart of the Ol Tukai Conservancy.

At around 8:30 p.m. local time, the Ol Tukai game scouts and myself, looking through night vision goggles from the safety of one of the Sidan lodge tents, suddenly spotted the leopard casually meandering through the middle of camp. After a short time, the leopard went on his way, undisturbed by our presence.

In addition to sightings such as that of last night, there have been accounts of many other species of wildlife in the area. Within the immediate vicinity of Sidan Lodge, there are daily sightings of Thompson Gazelle, Giraffe, Reed Buck and other small species of antelope. Avian species found in camp include Ostrich, Yellow neck spur foul, Secretary birds, Kory Bustards, Lilac-Breasted Rollers and many others.

The frequency and diversity of recent wildlife sightings have given us hope that the construction of the lodge appears to have had little to no effect on the eco-system in and around the campsite and Conservancy at large. Needless to say, life is thriving in Ol Tukai!

More updates to come soon…

Thanks from the Ol Tukai Team.

-Patrick Fleming

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Category: Rock Hyrax, general wildlife | Date: May 13 2008 | By: oltukaiconservancy

THE ROCK HYDRAX IS VERY ADAPTABLE.
The hydrax(procavia capensis) is a small furry mammal that looks like an oversized guinea pig. Its size about 12 inches at shoulder, while theweight is 5-9 pounds. The life span is 12 years, the dry savanna to desert rain/forest is its habitat. The hydrax is found throughout East Africa, including the Conservancy pilot areas.

They are very adaptable and spending several hours sunning themselves in the evenings, they feed on grasses, herbage leaves, fruits and insects and bird’s eggs. The hydrax are preyed upon by leopards, pythons and large birds. The Conservancy’s broad approach to landscape conservation works to ensure the survival / presence of species like Hydraxes, by conducting intensive patrolling, researching and environmental land watch/prevention of of Tree cutting or tree replacement.
Thank you for sharing,
Boniface Ngimojino.

Tags: hyrax, water

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Category: general wildlife, water | Date: May 01 2008 | By: admin

Hey Corbett,
please go through with this website blog.

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS IS THE 3rd LARGEST MAMMAL.
Along the Tarangire- manyara ecosystem, including the Lake manyara, this particular mammal is available. The hippopotaamus(Hippopotamus Amphibious), is the third largest living land mammal, after elephants and white Rhinos. The size of the Hippo is 13 feet long and 5 feet tall, and the weight is up to 7, 000 pounds. Its life span is 50 years, where the habitat is in the rivers, swamps and protected areas(found in the lake manyara throughout the year). Ther are two species of hippo remain. The Hppo spend most of each day in the water close to shore. They have soft bodies, thick hides(skin), four webbed toes, and small ears, eyes and nostrils.

The Conservancy is taking a great care in the hippo conservation, restoring and maintaining anatural flow of river/lake water.
Thank you for your kindness.
Boniface Ngimojino.

Tags: 21, 522

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Category: general wildlife, zebra | Date: Apr 28 2008 | By: admin

The zebra(Equus burchelli) are wide -ranging and often occur in the tens of thousands in migratory herds. The size of a zebra is 45-55 inches at the shoulder. Its life span is 40 years. The zebra’s habitat is in the treeless grasslands to wooden savannas. There are several species of zebra live/found along the Tarangire- manyara ecosystem. Among the changes facing zebras in their habitats including heavy poaching for both meat and their magnificent skins. The Conservancy has been conducting conservation monitoring, researching and out reach to the people on communal lands to ensure this keystone species doesn’t disappear.
Thank you,
Boniface Ngimojino.
e- manyara ecosystem. Among the changes facing zebras in their habitats including heavy poaching for both meat and their magnificent skins. The Conservancy has been conducting conservation monitoring, researching and out reach to the people on communal lands to ensure this keystone species doesn’t disappear.
Thank you,
Boniface Ngimojino.

Tags: 524, 542, 82

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Category: general wildlife | Date: Apr 21 2008 | By: admin

THE BLACK FACED MONKEY IS COMMON IN TARANGIRE- MANYARA ECOSYSTEM:

This small, black- faced monkey is known as Cercopithecus acthiops. The size is ranging from 18 to 26 inches tall, with 7 to 17 pounds in weight.

Its habitat is in the woodland, savanna and high bush. The life span is 24 years. The Vervet Black- faced monkey, it adapts easily to many environments. While the different types of black-faced monkey vary in colour, the body is usually a greenish- olive or silvery- grey. Black – faced monkey live on a diet of leaves and young shoots, but barks, flowers, and fruits are also consumed. This mainly Vegetarian diet is supplemented with insects, grubs, eggs and small rodents.

Black- faced monkey seldom venture far from their tree homes, since they are vulnerable to a variety of predators, including leopards, Baboons and crocodiles. The conservancy is putting a lot of efforts to ensure the survival of species like this Black – faced Monkey.

Thank you for your cooperation

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Category: elephants, general wildlife | Date: Apr 16 2008 | By: admin

An African elephant(Loxodonta Africana) is the largest of all land mammals and is remarkable not only for its size, colour, but also for its tusks, ears, trunk, intelligence and herd Loyalty. Their size is up to 11 feet tall, 7, 000 to 13, 200 pounds in weight.

Their life span range from 60- 70 years( approximately the same as humans). The habitat is in the dense forest to open plains, so that, they are available along the Tarangire - Manyara ecosystem( Ol Tukai). In the last centuries, elephants have been in danger of extinction. Today their numbers are increasing, but poaching and the conversion of wild lands to short-term uses are also rising. The Conservancy has trained local Game scouts/Anti- poaching teams to protect elephants from illegal hunting/poaching. The Conservancy anti-poaching teams are monitoring current elephant distribution, movements and overall land use to safeguard elephant habitat.
Thank you very much for your kindness.
Boniface Ngimojino

Tags: , 535, 6

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Category: general wildlife | Date: Apr 14 2008 | By: admin

THE GREATER KUDU IS THE MOST HANDSOME OF THE ANTELOPE.
Along the Taranire- Manyara ecosystem,thre is a lot of of great mammals, including the Greater kudus. They have stripes and sportson the body, and most have plenty of white hairs on the forehead between the eyes. The males have spiralshorns that can grow ot 6 feet in the length. the Zoological name of greater Kudu is TRAGELAPHUS STREPSICEROS. The size is 55 inchesat the shoulders, with 565 pounds in weight.Their life span is up to 7-8 years. The habitat is in the sense bush or forest. Kudus live in the drier areas of the Eastern and Southern of Africa, whever there is enough low-and mediumlevel-woody growth to provide food and shelter.

They are browsers and eat a ariety of leaves and shoots. The Conservancy is putting a lot of efforts in intensive patrolling and monitoring , and to ensure the survive of species like Kudu. The Greater Kuduis known as “Grey ghost” and often takes long hours in the field.
Thank you very much for your interest n this game/Mammals.
Boniface Ngimojino

Tags: 540

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