In this edition…                       

           Snap Shot: Golden Harvest at Olympics

           News: Alarm Over Reptile Exports

           Natural History: Giraffe: A Tall Myth

           Destination: National Museum Reborn

SNAP SHOT

For Gold and Country
 

Kenya won a total of 14 medals in the just ended Olympics. With a record medal haul of 5 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze, the Beijing Olympics was the country's most successful sports outing where the country emerged 15th best world wide and Africa's best - what else.
 
The triumphant team arrived back in the country on August 27th to a thunderous reception by hundreds of fans and government dignitaries led by Vice President and Sports Minister. The victory also stirred the local corporate scene with many firms obliging hefty pledges for the sports men and women.

Kenya's Moment of Glory

This was indeed Kenya's moment of great glory and pride, especially after the national ego was eroded following the disputed presidential elections last December and the attendant violence.

In January we coiled in shame and embarrassment as our image as a peaceful and democratic nation was shattered into hollowness. Perhaps for this Kenyans throughout the world were overjoyed to see their flag wafting in Beijing among the mighty nations of the world.

Flame of Patriotism

Indeed the sporting event stoked the fire of patriotism among Kenyans like nothing else has done for years.

"The Kenyan team won for the 36 million of us", read a letter in the local press, "As we heard our national anthem played, we all sang the words along and listened to ourselves, realizing the meaning of the words"

Not done yet, the writer even discovered that we have the best flag and perhaps our anthem tunes best! "By the way have you noticed that we have not only the most attractive flag (with deep meaning too) but also the best national anthems in the world? I am proud to be Kenya", roared George Muthinja writing from Germany.

A writer from London saw the matter differently in terms of Kenya's potential at the global event if the country could diversify its portfolio from "track" events. Said Gerry Loughran, a special correspondent for Sunday Nation:

 "...Just three more golds from any other event would have put Kenya in the world's top 10. You cannot help wondering where Kenya would reach if it harvested the natural talents of its boxers, gymnasts and hockey players, for start"

We cannot agree more with Gerry.

Courtesy: Daily Nation

NEWS WATCH

Reptile Trade Alarm...
 
Like a prophet who is never recognised at home, Kenyan reptiles are beloved of pet lovers abroad in spite of them being the among the most reviled animals among indigenous people. Already, 2 people are in police custody in Mombasa following a botched scheme to export snakes illegally on 21st August 2008. The consignment was intercepted by Kenya Wildlife Service officials after a tip off and information suggested the luggage was destined for Japan. The reptiles originated from a reptile farm in Ukunda, South Coast whose proprietor was also arrested.
 
The following day Interpol officials in Frankfurt, Germany intercepted a contraband cargo containing 338 reptiles from Mombasa. Interpol officials have launched investigations into illegal trade in live wildlife protected by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES.
 
Scorned at home; treasured abroad
 
It's not clear what obsession the world may have with Kenyan reptiles. But we know these creatures have not endeared themselves to most of us who may privately celebrate if all the crooked exporters could rid this beautiful country of all the ugly snakes, toads and lizards! And damn KWS and the scientists. Poor reptiles; scorned at home, treasured abroad!
 
 
Share with us your views on this debate: bulletin@menengaiholidays.com

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... As Cobra Bites Owner in Japan
 
In a strange twist of irony, a man living (illegally) with 51 venous snakes in his apartment in central Tokyo unwittingly owned up after one of the snakes bit him and was forced to call an ambulance.
 
Green Mamba
 
He was arrested on his release from hospital because keeping such snakes without government license is illegal in Japan. He had been rushed to hospital after being bitten by a deadly 1.8 meter green mamba as he was trying to feed it, and at one point lost consciousness as a result of the bite.
 
Just tell me: how do you marshal enough guts to live with a mamba let alone feeding it?
 
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PARK BRIEFS

Repackaging Nairobi Park

The oldest park in East Africa and for a long time a national blue chip in terms of visitors and revenue, Nairobi National Park has gradually been losing appeal to many visitors. Subsequent a near complete ecological severance from the migratory corridor in the Athi-Kapiti plains, the park lost its carrying capacity for wildlife which occasioned a marked erosion of its original touch with visitors who have come to regard it as a sanctuary of desolate grassland. This has led to substantial drop in visitor numbers in the last decade, in spite of the park's unique reputation as the only park within 15 minutes reach from a capital city.

Concerned with this spartan performance, KWS has teamed up with KATO to revamp the park's image and restore its former glory as a tourism jewel of Kenya.

The initiative went to a good start when KWS hosted a game drive and bush breakfast for KATO members last week. KATO members apprised themselves of the wildlife status and also current and upcoming visitor facilities. In an interactive discussion, the park management unveiled a host of strategies that will ensure the park endears itself again to tourists and tour operators.

It emerged that night game drives, walking safaris and transit game drives from the International Airport may soon cease to be a wishful thinking that it is now. Did I hear a murmur: "we have heard that before? Watch this space.

Political Tourists in Maasai Mara

Maasai Mara is all too used to hosting global celebrities whether privately or publicly. So it's no big deal that a group of politicians would visit Mara as they are known to do so in their private capacities while others have business interests.

Two weeks ago however, local media houses took great note of Kenya's President on a game drive in the Mara watching the wildebeest migration. The president took the chance to "market" Kenya and appealed to the whole world to visit the country and savour its splendid beauty.

Accompanying the president was the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Najib Balala; Assistant Minister of Tourism, Director of Tourism and Managing Director of Kenya Tourism Board among others in what appeared more like "political tourism".

The minister, who stayed at the Leleshwa Camp, (www.leleshwacamps.com), said the objective of the visit was to sample "a day in the life' of a tourist"

Coming just days after hosting a breakfast meeting for the tour operators, the Ministers charm and enthusiasm in spear heading tourism development in Kenya has earned him a soft spot within the tourism fraternity.

NATURAL HISTORY

Giraffe - Silent but not Mute

Giraffe, the tallest animal is no doubt an elegant creature that adorns African savannas. Many visitors just marvel at the sight of the animal at close range and also admire their majestic lazily walking. Indeed a giraffe crossing the road during game drive is a real delight to many tourists. But the most precious though rare opportunity is to encounter giraffes mating; yes one tall beast mounting on another - a tall order indeed!

In this issue we briefly discuss their ecology and recap a few facts and myths.

That giraffes are tall is no doubt; a male reaches up to 5.5 m high while females are slightly shorter, at 4m average. The most distinguishing feature is of course the elongated neck lined with a short erect mane. And, contrary to a common mistake, both giraffes have a pair of horns though the males have a median lumpy horn and several bumps depending on the actual race of the giraffe.

Feeding above competition

They feed on tall browse with the aid of a long and prehensile tongue which, together with their height gives them access to tall foliage beyond reach of majority of herbivores. Hence giraffes almost experience no competition for food except with elephants with which there is an overlap.

Uniquely noticeable in most wildlife sanctuaries is the impact of giraffe feeding on vegetation. Pruning of young trees keep them short for long periods producing an "umbrella effect", whereas the trees whose canopy is beyond reach is shaped into a waist line at the feeding level. Where both giraffes and acacia trees are in high density - like Lake Nakuru Park, these effects are easily noticeable.

Chewing thorns with ease

Watching a giraffe feed no doubt leaves one perplexed at the ability to fold thorny twigs with their tongue and the chew them away like its no big deal. Yes, because they have a horny papillae that protects the lips and the tongue against thorns. When a giraffe stares at you, you easily notice the narrow muzzle and an upper lip that gives the face a "licking" appearance. This long and flexible lip, coupled with an equally long and prehensile tongue enable giraffes to strip off leaves from branches and even select leaves between sharp thorns. In the process the giraffe is able to collect enough foliage to fill its 34kg a day food requirements.

Socially Aloof

In terms of social organization, giraffes form loose open herds without a definite structure or hierarchy. They are as aloof socially just as you see them in the wild when you click away at them. They form no long lasting bonds such that a giraffe herd "says nothing" and neither can it be predicted in terms of sex and age composition.

Giraffes have a gestation period of 14 months and females reach sexual maturity at 4 years, 3 years earlier than males. During calving, mothers are usually standing and calves literally drop 2m down. A tall wake up call indeed!! A calf may gain its feet within 15 minutes and suckle in the first hour. From second week to second month, calves spend most of the day just standing and looking around. This sight of seemingly unguarded calves, some with umbilical cord still attached, has contributed to the myth that giraffes are careless mothers. But studies suggest a mother-calf bond is much stronger than earlier assumed and may last up o 22 months. Calves accompany and feed with the maternal herd starting about 5th month and most become independent at 12- 16 months.

Unique fact

Besides the height and long neck, a unique feature about giraffes is their walking gait in which legs of the same side mover together. This is called parallel walking or ambling walk which giraffes share only with camels and hyenas (does any one dispute this?) The rest of animals have a cross-walk.

Myth

Giraffes are widely said not to have any sound. However the fact is that though very silent, they are not mute. They have an alarm snout while calves bleat and make a mewing call. Cows seeking a stay calf may also give a roaring bellow, while courting bulls have been heard to utter a raucous cough. What a tall myth!

Clinical research

The giraffe's anatomy has attracted curiosity of medical researchers and hence contributed immensely to the theory and knowledge of clinical conditions like blood pressure control. One outstanding feature noted by medical researchers was that a giraffe must record very abrupt increase in blood pressure when it lowers its neck to drink water - due to hydrostatic pressure. How does it manage such abrupt rise in pressure to prevent fainting? Also, given the long legs and the big body mass above, the pressure at the lower limbs would be so high as to cause oedema. Yes giraffe never suffers from any of these.

An interested reader can read a moving research work titled "A Tall Story: Prevention of Fainting and Oedema in the Giraffe" by late Professor J Kimani. This material is available at the archives of African Journal of Neuro Surgeons - www.ajns.paans.org

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Eco-bits:

Did you know the following about giraffes?

§         They have no upper incisor or canine teeth;

§         They have no scent glands;

§         Horns are present even at embryo, and doesn't hurt the mother during calving;

§         Horns are formed of a cartilage from skin layer and is unattached to the skull;

§         Horns are used only for fighting among giraffes while predators are ward off using kicks

Share with us further observations and comments about the giraffes:

info@menengaiholidays.com

Further reading www.wildliferesearch.com/giraffe

Literature Credit: "Behaviour Guide to African Mammals", 1991. R.D Estes
 

Animal Quote

"When an animal does it we call it instinct - when we do it, we call it intelligence"

RESEARCH NEWS

Mammals can "Smell a Rat"

Mammals, including humans, have a built-in alarm detector in the tip of the nose for sniffing out danger, according to new research from University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
The tiny sensor is used to pick up chemical warning signals sent by fellow animals in distress. It's been known over time that many plants and animals emit airborne molecules called pheromones, which alert members of their species to dangers such as predators. But how mammals detected these pheromones has been a mystery.

Mouthful terminology

Now the research team says the answer lies in a microscopic ball of cells in the nose called the Gruenberg ganglion.

"The ganglion is the only [smell] sub-system that's completely functional at birth, so we were thinking it was important for nipple finding for the baby mouse," said study co-author Marie-Christine Broillet.

But after numerous tests for nipple finding and other possible functions, the team found that the ganglion played a role in danger communication.

OK, very well scientists; but must some of these discoveries have such mouthful terminologies?

Courtesy: National Geographic

He said...
"It is inexcusable for scientists to torture animals; let them make their experiments on journalists and politicians."

Henrik Ibsen; Norwegian Playwright; (1828-1906)

DESTINATION

After closing for about two and half years the national museum is now open to the public after undergoing extensive renovation and restoration.

It is situated on museum hill road, just five minutes away from the city centre and is a worth visit to lovers of history, culture and natural history.

The hall of Kenya exhibits Kenyan history and the diverse culture ranging from the cost, central highlands to the western region. The great hall of mammals showcases the big five and many more including the skeleton of the famous Ahmed of Marsabit (a male elephant that carried huge tasks and was protected under presidential decree). The extensive ornithological collection has thousands of different bird species one might encounter while on safari in Kenya and is truly an ornithologist's favourite hall.

Geology and Prehistory

Geology and pre historic gallery traces the evolution of the earth and the cradle of man kind. Here the fossils are depicted including the Stone Age tools that were collected on different pre historic sites. Methods of establishing the ages of some particular fossils are also explained.

There is also the gallery of contemporary East African art where the local artists have exhibited different forms of paintings and sculptures full of creativity. African rock art is also show cased here.

Snake Park

The snake park which shares a compound with the museum exhibits the indigenous species of reptiles found in Kenya. Adjacent to the snake park is a botanical garden full of medicinal herbs and many more indigenous plants species.

Of course there is a coffee shop and some beautiful lawns and gardens very ideal for family outings and picnics; lest you imagine life at the museum is all work and no play

Further references: www.museums.or.ke

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