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I first started the whole Mountain Bongo camera trap project in July 2022 and I finally got a decent photo of one of the big males last week. High res photos of one of these guys in the wild like this are incredibly rare andhard to achieve and I’m chuffed to have got it. It’s been quite a journey with lots of helpful input and advice from Bongo Surveillance Project, Murray Grant, and the KWS team in the aberdares. We all share a passion for conserving and better understanding these highly endangered creatures.

There are some important things to note here:

1) All of this work has been done under direct supervision by the KWS ranger team who are very experienced with the movements and behaviour of the bongo. The KWS team are using our images to report and monitor on the bongo population.

2) You can see he is at a slight trot. He doesn’t like the noise of the shutter or the flash so when the first shot goes off he starts to move more quickly. It does disturb them slightly and this is something I am very mindful of as one does not want to overly disrupt their behaviour with one’s actions. If lots of would be camera trappers were to start putting flash cameras all over the Aberdares it definitely wouldn’t be to the bongos benefit. It’s a tricky balance as on the one hand these photos can be used to create awareness or funds for bongo conservation but one has to respect the animals themselves too. As such I am getting more and more thoughtful and careful about where, how, and if I use the bigger cameras based on these observations.

3) The trailcameras that we use more widely cause less/no disruption to their behaviour and are a much better surveillance tool. There is important work to be done to look more widely for the presence of bongo in the aberdare ecosystem as there are good looking bits of habitat that are less accessible and which are not currently being monitored due to a lack of resources. It would be heartening to know that there may be more of them than we currently think. Certainly in this part of the park there is a healthy population but it may be very localised. I simply don’t know all these answers but I’m intrigued to understand more.

I first started the whole Mountain Bongo camera trap project in July 2022 and I finally got a decent photo of one of the big males last week. High res photos of one of these guys in the wild like this are incredibly rare andhard to achieve and I’m chuffed to have got it. It’s been quite a journey with lots of helpful input and advice from Bongo Surveillance Project, Murray Grant, and the KWS team in the aberdares. We all share a passion for conserving and better understanding these highly endangered creatures.

There are some important things to note here:

1) All of this work has been done under direct supervision by the KWS ranger team who are very experienced with the movements and behaviour of the bongo. The KWS team are using our images to report and monitor on the bongo population.

2) You can see he is at a slight trot. He doesn’t like the noise of the shutter or the flash so when the first shot goes off he starts to move more quickly. It does disturb them slightly and this is something I am very mindful of as one does not want to overly disrupt their behaviour with one’s actions. If lots of would be camera trappers were to start putting flash cameras all over the Aberdares it definitely wouldn’t be to the bongos benefit. It’s a tricky balance as on the one hand these photos can be used to create awareness or funds for bongo conservation but one has to respect the animals themselves too. As such I am getting more and more thoughtful and careful about where, how, and if I use the bigger cameras based on these observations.

3) The trailcameras that we use more widely cause less/no disruption to their behaviour and are a much better surveillance tool. There is important work to be done to look more widely for the presence of bongo in the aberdare ecosystem as there are good looking bits of habitat that are less accessible and which are not currently being monitored due to a lack of resources. It would be heartening to know that there may be more of them than we currently think. Certainly in this part of the park there is a healthy population but it may be very localised. I simply don’t know all these answers but I’m intrigued to understand more.

This evening we thought it would be fun to recreate our original 1996 Rhino Charge pre-event team photo. A lot has changed over the last 26 years; the wheels are bigger and the legs are longer; the wrinkles are deeper and the hair is thinner; and the two @landrover are barely comparable. The fact that @bundufundi @kieran.avery and myself are all still competing together in this legendary event as a family is pretty darn cool #rhinocharge2022 #rhinocharge @menengaioil @forrangers @rhino.charge

This evening we thought it would be fun to recreate our original 1996 Rhino Charge pre-event team photo. A lot has changed over the last 26 years; the wheels are bigger and the legs are longer; the wrinkles are deeper and the hair is thinner; and the two @landrover are barely comparable. The fact that @bundufundi @kieran.avery and myself are all still competing together in this legendary event as a family is pretty darn cool #rhinocharge2022 #rhinocharge @menengaioil @forrangers @rhino.charge

Attenborough; 95 and still having a laugh. A couple of my photos that SDA kindly signed after a trip we did to Mana Pools in Zim. Always such a privilege. ‘To good times on safari’ @bbcearth #bbcearth #sirdavidattenborough #attenborough #95goingstrong

Attenborough; 95 and still having a laugh. A couple of my photos that SDA kindly signed after a trip we did to Mana Pools in Zim. Always such a privilege. ‘To good times on safari’ @bbcearth #bbcearth #sirdavidattenborough #attenborough #95goingstrong

Happy Birthday Sir David. Celebrating your 100th birthday today and wishing you well. What a privilege it was to spend time filming with you across the globe in years past. Fantastic memories full of laughter and fascination that I will always cherish. From filming the last northern white rhinos in Kenya and painted wolves in Zim, road tripping across North and Central America, to filming in northern Finland in the depths of winter. You never really needed me there in a medical capacity but I was so lucky to get that opportunity anyway. Thank you! #davidattenborough #100th #100years #sirdavidattenborough @olpejeta

Happy Birthday Sir David. Celebrating your 100th birthday today and wishing you well. What a privilege it was to spend time filming with you across the globe in years past. Fantastic memories full of laughter and fascination that I will always cherish. From filming the last northern white rhinos in Kenya and painted wolves in Zim, road tripping across North and Central America, to filming in northern Finland in the depths of winter. You never really needed me there in a medical capacity but I was so lucky to get that opportunity anyway. Thank you! #davidattenborough #100th #100years #sirdavidattenborough @olpejeta

Happy Birthday Sir David. Celebrating your 100th birthday today and wishing you well. What a privilege it was to spend time filming with you across the globe in years past. Fantastic memories full of laughter and fascination that I will always cherish. From filming the last northern white rhinos in Kenya and painted wolves in Zim, road tripping across North and Central America, to filming in northern Finland in the depths of winter. You never really needed me there in a medical capacity but I was so lucky to get that opportunity anyway. Thank you! #davidattenborough #100th #100years #sirdavidattenborough @olpejeta

Happy Birthday Sir David. Celebrating your 100th birthday today and wishing you well. What a privilege it was to spend time filming with you across the globe in years past. Fantastic memories full of laughter and fascination that I will always cherish. From filming the last northern white rhinos in Kenya and painted wolves in Zim, road tripping across North and Central America, to filming in northern Finland in the depths of winter. You never really needed me there in a medical capacity but I was so lucky to get that opportunity anyway. Thank you! #davidattenborough #100th #100years #sirdavidattenborough @olpejeta

Happy Birthday Sir David. Celebrating your 100th birthday today and wishing you well. What a privilege it was to spend time filming with you across the globe in years past. Fantastic memories full of laughter and fascination that I will always cherish. From filming the last northern white rhinos in Kenya and painted wolves in Zim, road tripping across North and Central America, to filming in northern Finland in the depths of winter. You never really needed me there in a medical capacity but I was so lucky to get that opportunity anyway. Thank you! #davidattenborough #100th #100years #sirdavidattenborough @olpejeta

Happy Birthday Sir David. Celebrating your 100th birthday today and wishing you well. What a privilege it was to spend time filming with you across the globe in years past. Fantastic memories full of laughter and fascination that I will always cherish. From filming the last northern white rhinos in Kenya and painted wolves in Zim, road tripping across North and Central America, to filming in northern Finland in the depths of winter. You never really needed me there in a medical capacity but I was so lucky to get that opportunity anyway. Thank you! #davidattenborough #100th #100years #sirdavidattenborough @olpejeta

Happy Birthday Sir David. Celebrating your 100th birthday today and wishing you well. What a privilege it was to spend time filming with you across the globe in years past. Fantastic memories full of laughter and fascination that I will always cherish. From filming the last northern white rhinos in Kenya and painted wolves in Zim, road tripping across North and Central America, to filming in northern Finland in the depths of winter. You never really needed me there in a medical capacity but I was so lucky to get that opportunity anyway. Thank you! #davidattenborough #100th #100years #sirdavidattenborough @olpejeta

Happy Birthday Sir David. Celebrating your 100th birthday today and wishing you well. What a privilege it was to spend time filming with you across the globe in years past. Fantastic memories full of laughter and fascination that I will always cherish. From filming the last northern white rhinos in Kenya and painted wolves in Zim, road tripping across North and Central America, to filming in northern Finland in the depths of winter. You never really needed me there in a medical capacity but I was so lucky to get that opportunity anyway. Thank you! #davidattenborough #100th #100years #sirdavidattenborough @olpejeta

Look who’s lurking about…. All videos taken on the piece of land we have near the Loldaigas. This was all agricultural land but borders with a large protected area and it’s amazing to see the wildlife coming back #trailcam #trailcamera #cameratrap #bushbig #honeybadger #wildlife

Cillian getting a bit over confident. No injuries thankfully. #sendit #2026 #newyear

Leaping into 2026 like… (no children were hurt when making this video-thankfully you seem to bounce quite well when you are only 7) #2026

Sibiloi on the eastern side of Lake Turkana. A place very special to me and my family from many memorable and life shaping safaris since childhood. An extremely hot, windy, harsh desert environment that remains hard to get to on long rocky and dusty roads. A place that still feels a long long way from the modern world. Not for the faint hearted. A place that can sometimes be intimidating and even scary.

It is also a place of immense wildness and beauty. A place of endless discovery and a rich history unlike anywhere I have been. The evidence of this history is evident everywhere: etched into the ancient lake shorelines; the sedimentary deposits overflowing with fossils; petrified forests; the stone tools left here by our hominid ancestors who flourished in this area. Then there is the lake and all the life it supports influenced directly by its historical legacy of intermittent communication to the Nile drainage basin. The golden light at dawn and dusk is unlike anywhere else.

This place is not as it was when I was a child. There are species missing from the plains and the lake shores of the National Park face a commercial fishing pressure that never existed in the past. KWS are fighting this hard. These things aside it is still very special and with the high lake levels there is a profusion of life in the shallows and inundated landscape.

It is always a great adventure to visit and whilst it’s not a relaxing safari the memories and education one takes from these experiences stay with you for life. It’s a great privilege to be able to take my own kids there now and to watch siblings catching Nile perch, tiger fish, and tilapia off the shore like I did with my siblings and parents, in a place that most people will never visit. I’ve been lucky to fish for Nile perch widely in places like Cameroon and Uganda and for me there is still nowhere like Turkana in terms of the ability to cast a fly or lure in daylight from the shore to target these iconic fish. Watching the kids literally having to brace themselves against the rocks to stop the perch pulling them in was something I won’t forget. #flyfishing #catchandrealease #thetugisthedrug #keepthemwet

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

We’ve just returned from a 10 day trip to Sibiloi National Park-Andrea, myself and the kids. Turkana is the highest it has been since the early 1900s, surpassing the high levels seen in the late 70s/early 80s. The fringes of the lake have therefore inundated lots of vegetation creating an incredible environment for aquatic life and birds.

Sibiloi was as beautiful as ever with great grass cover. I was last there in Dec 2019 when there were still a good number of Burchells zebra and Tiang on the plains adjacent to Alia Bay. Very sadly in the last 6 years the zebra have gone completely extinct there (presumably the bad drought of 2021-23 in conjunction with bush meat poaching). There are a few Tiang left (KWS team there guesstimate around 25-30) but only close to the HQ at Alia Bay. They used to be found right up to Koobi Fora. The reticulated giraffe that used to be quite numerous around Koobi Fora when I was there in 2004 are completely extinct in the park. I saw very small numbers of Bright’s Gazelle again just near park HQ. Didn’t see any south of the park from Isiolo all the way via Laisamis/South Horr/Loiyangilani/Gus. No oryx at any point in the trip. Only two ostrich near Ololokwe.

The only mammals that we saw with regularity throughout the entire trip were ground squirrels, gerenuk, baboons and dik dik. There are still warthog and lesser kudu in the park near Koobi Fora. Cheetah have been seen at both Koobi Fora and Alia Bay in recent months and we saw 4 African wild cats, striped hyena, and lots of golden wolves. I saw one black backed jackal too. Spotted hyena still present too and saw signs of porcupine and aardvark. There are reports of leopard but none of lion. There are hippo present in the lake near Alia Bay and north towards Koobi fora. Didn’t see them but saw fresh tracks and poo. There are apparently at least 6-7 and potentially as many as 20 according to KWS. Lots of crocs in the lake at Alia Bay. Koobi F camp largely underwater.

Those who know Campi Turkana will be interested by 7th photo showing lake level. You can no longer drive into the campsite and the water is lapping at the foot of trees that used to be 80m from the shore.

Boys being boys on their @osetbikes. Awesome little electric machines. First set of home made jumps on the piece of land we have near Umande. Loldaiga hills in the background 🤘🏼.

So it turns out Chameleons are excellent swimmers.

Check out the insane water clarity of the Soca River in Slovenia. 25m I reckon. Amazing. #socariver #axisgo