Our First Day at Taita Research Station: Karibu!
Our first day began with an introduction to the research carried out at the station and in the surrounding Taita Hills. A recurring theme throughout the day was the importance of combining scientific research with local and Indigenous knowledge. We found this especially inspiring, as understanding the environment requires both perspectives. After our delicious breakfast, we were introduced to research ranging from hyperspectral remote sensing to bird ecophysiology. One of our fellow field course students, Nikolai Tuuri, has been studying how indigenous trees outside forests can be detected using hyperspectral remote sensing, with the help of Darius Kimuzi, who has extensive knowledge of local tree species.
After the morning briefing, we headed to Dawida Biodiversity Conservation Station, where we learned about conservation work in the Taita Hills from John Maganga and Cesar Pacioni from Ghent University. The area is home to several endemic species, including the critically endangered Taita Apalis, with fewer than 200 individuals remaining, as well as the Taita Thrush, Taita Greenbul and Taita White Eye. Habitat loss is one of the main threats to these species, making the restoration of forest corridors and the planting of indigenous trees important conservation measures. Cesar also introduced us to his research on how forest fragmentation and deforestation affect birds and their physiology. Conservation also involves the relationship between people and wildlife. John Maganga talked about local efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding snakes and prevent unnecessary encounters with them. For example, during droughts, placing a bowl of water outside can provide snakes with access to water and reduce the likelihood of them entering houses. We also learned how climate change may further alter this relationship, as rising temperatures could push some snake species from the lowlands towards higher elevations.
Into Ngangao Forest
After the introduction at Dawida Biodiversity Conservation Station, we headed into the protected Ngangao Forest. At around 1670 meters above sea level, the forest offered both a physical challenge and an impressive introduction to the landscape of the Taita Hills. John with the assistants The forest is home to many endemic and indigenous tree species, including Celtis africana and Aphloia theiformis. We also encountered Ficus thonningii, a strangling fig, and Newtonia buchananii. One particularly impressive Newtonia buchananii is estimated to be more than 500 years old. The tree also carries visible marks from historical logging, giving us a very tangible reminder that the forest has been shaped by human activities for a long time.
One interesting thing we saw were the so-called logging pits scattered around the forest. Around 200 of these pits have been mapped by a University of Helsinki student. They are remnants of earlier logging practices, where pits were used in the process of cutting and processing large trees. Seeing these traces of past human activity in the forest offered a glimpse into its history and how people have interacted with the landscape over time.
The forest is still changing. Pine trees planted in the past are now dying in places, while indigenous vegetation is regenerating around them. This contrast between introduced trees and recovering indigenous forest illustrates how ecological processes continue long after land-use practices have changed.
The forest also carries meanings that go beyond its ecological value. We visited a sacred cave associated with traditional practices and community history. The site has been used for prayers, including during periods of drought, and has played a role in local social practices. It was a reminder that a landscape can simultaneously be an ecosystem, a research site and a culturally meaningful place.
We also had ten minutes of silence in the forest. Without conversation, the experience shifted from observing the forest as a fieldwork environment to simply being part of it. The forest became less of a fieldwork site and more of an experience: sounds, smells, humidity and the vegetation around us suddenly felt much more present. Some of us definitely got closer to nature than others!
The hike ended on the rocks overlooking the surrounding Taita Hills. After several steep climbs and descents, the view was a fitting end to our first field experience.
A Glimpse of Everyday Life
In the afternoon, we got the chance to explore the local area more independently. Each of us had a small shopping challenge: find something for ourselves, a small gift for our mothers and something we did not recognise. This turned into an interesting way to explore the local market and everyday life outside the research station.
Our shopping bags ended up containing unfamiliar fruits, sweets and various small discoveries. Exploring the village after spending the morning learning about conservation and research also gave us a different perspective on the area. The afternoon reminded us that the Taita Hills are more than just a research environment; they are a lived-in landscape shaped by communities, history, livelihoods and culture.
We ended our first day at Taita Rocks Hotel, watching the sunset and reflecting on everything we had seen and learned. After a long day in the field, our first taste of a Tusker beer felt like a well-earned end to the day.
Our first day at Taita Research Station showed us that fieldwork is not only about collecting data. It is also about learning to observe a place from different perspectives. Scientific research, local knowledge, conservation and everyday life are all connected here and we are looking forward to finding out what the rest of the field course will teach us.
By Roosa Kotilainen and Sini Saarela, Geography students
Day two of our course in Taita-Taveta region started with our fellow student colleague, Sarianna Waldén, giving an interesting briefing on her masters thesis work so far. Her topic dives into the experiences and realities of women in the artisanal and small-scale mining industry, exploring their stories and roles in the supply chain, how the women are organised and how the social aspects of women in the industry develop.
Although around 10–50 % of the industry's over 1 million Kenyans workforce consists of women, little research has been done focusing on women in this region. This gender imbalance has also proven itself true with the difficulty of getting ahold of women working with gemstones and mines, as Sarianna has so far been able to interview five men and two women on the topic.
This year only three out of seventeen students in the Mining Engineering program in Taita Taveta University are women. Although it may not sound like much, according to a local miner at Choke Ranch, where we headed after Sarianna’s briefing, women have only recently begun receiving formal mining education. This is therefore a rather positive development.
The hour-long drive to Choke Ranch, our main stop for the day, took us through acres upon acres of sisal plantations, one of Kenya's significant export cash crops. Sisal is a rough natural fiber used to make rope, baskets and carpets, to mention a few. We learned this particular plantation is one of East Africa's biggest, providing jobs for communities in rural areas.
Arriving at the Choke Ranch, we were greeted by Oscar Mwangola in a mining suit and Robert Kitatu in a conservancy branded t-shirt. Oscar being a member of the ranch founding family, took us through the main activities and operations conducted on the 25 acre land area. The ranch land, originally used mainly for cattle grazing with community access as well, has developed into a multi-purpose zone providing a more stable income. The ranch combines artisanal gemstone mining, cattle farming and conservation. This variety also provides resilience in case of any unforeseen events such as drought or prolonged periods of not finding any gemstones of value.
The gemstones found at Choke Ranch is a rare green garnet called tsavorite, first discovered in 1967 and named after the Tsavo region. Tsavorite is mainly found around the Taita-Taveta area, with the geology extending a bit across the border into Tanzania as well. As tsavorite is often found alongside graphite-rich rock, the ranch has also explored the possibility of creating yet another source of income by extracting and selling the graphite found in the mine waste material.
The artisanal mining of tsavorite is a tedious process, with Oscar explaining how advancing one meter in the mine can take up to a week once at around 80 m distance from the mine entrance. Some upgrades such as an electrical winch used to haul waste bags to the surface has eased the practical problems of mining. Artisanal mining is still mostly operated using handheld, labor-intensive tools such as jackhammers, rock drills and chisels.
We had an exciting opportunity to visit the active mines. The mine shaft was quite low and dusty, but we made it all the way to the end of one of the tunnels. Oscar guided us through and showed us the rift layer indicating possible tsavorite, along with remnants of the nodules containing the gemstone still visible on the wall.
To our surprise, there were also lots of bats! A little scary for some of us as they flew past us, but thankfully, no one got bitten. The air was quite stuffy, so after our quick tour underground, we climbed back up into the fresh air.
After the mine visit, it was Robert Kitatus' turn to talk about the conservancy project. Choke Ranch is part of a wildlife corridor connecting Tsavo East and Tsavo West National parks. They have an ecological responsibility to ensure that the migratory corridor is open for wildlife to roam freely. The conservancy also has a herd of 1000 cattle, whose grazing helps maintain the quality of the savanna, benefitting the wildlife. However, the combination of cattle and wildlife brings on some challenges. Wildlife can be a threat to livestock, as for example lions prides may hunt them. In the last two months, 17 cattle have been lost. This issue is addressed with wildlife-friendly deterrents, such as LED lights. Wildlife and livestock can also compete for resources, even though both have designated, separate drinking stations within the conservancy.
Choke Ranch has currently a staff of 40 personnel, with around 90–95 % of them hired from nearby communities. At the moment no women are working in the mines, since separate facilities would be needed. Oscar did mention this gender imbalance question must be addressed in the coming years in some way.
The ranch also contributes heavily to community wellbeing by providing water as well as funding the building and upkeep of schools, hospitals, or other infrastructure needed by the community. One third of the profit of the ranch is used for community improvement, another third is dedicated to wildlife works and the last third is for the ranch owners.
We then boarded our vehicles to explore more of the ranch, with Mwairiba hill as our final destination. On the way there we saw elephants and giraffes, which was a nice surprise. It was very special to see them up close, as could be told from our group's excitement. We stopped briefly at a spot with a drinking station, where multiple elephants were having a drink. A cattle herd was eager to drink too, and the two species had a bit of a standoff. This was a real-life example of Robert’s teaching on how wildlife competes with livestock over resources. In the end, both species got to quench their thirst, but the cattle backed off first. Guess the smaller yields for their own safety holds true in this case as well.
We then continued our drive up to the Mwairiba hill as high as possible. The dirt road was rough and deeply rutted, so we were quite nervous, but our driver got us safely to our destination. The hike up Mwairiba hill took us about 20 minutes but felt like forever, because of the heat and steepness of the path. But the views at the top were worth it and we spent a good while there. We even saw more elephants walking down in the savanna. The rangers accompanying us on the hike (in case of a lion encounter) explained how part of their job is to monitor any illegal activity in the area. Seeing some suspicious smoke in the distance, they logged the sighting into an app they use.
After our little hike we drove back to the research station for dinner, which was once again delicious. Everyone is always happy to see some chapati-bread on the menu. Later in the evening we had a cozy movie night. The day was quite long and intense, but we enjoyed it! We learned a lot along the way and got to see many things we would not have encountered on a general tourist excursion.
As the authors of today’s blog post, we hope you found it insightful and enjoyable to read. :)
As a small disclaimer, this text is mostly based on notes taken during our visit. Although we have strived to present the information as accurately as possible, there may be some minor inaccuracies due to possible misunderstandings.
By Lila Salonen and Liina Leisola, Geography students
Kings of the Jungle
The day started with a filling breakfast and sore muscles from yesterday's supposedly "easy" afternoon walk up Mwairiba hill. We jumped into our vehicles and headed to Lower Sagalla in Voi, located between the Sagalla Hill and Tsavo East National Park. There the Head of Tsavo Operations, Ewan Brennan, gave us an insightful presentation on human-wildlife interaction called "Save the Elephants & The Human – Elephant Coexistence Program”. Enrico gifted him a kitchen towel with some of the species from the Taita landscape!
Save the Elephants is a conservation organization which focuses on research, protection, awareness and human-elephant coexistence. The program addresses human-elephant conflicts, which are increasing due to population growth and urbanization in the resource limited environment. Despite the fact that elephants are extremely intelligent, they can cause serious harm. While searching for food and water, they can destroy infrastructure, such as houses, fences, water tanks and pipes, not to mention crops, which are an essential source of livelihood. For that reason, the organization seeks solutions to keep the elephants out of the farmlands. Beehive fence is one of the inventions we got to see introduced by a landowner. Save the Elephants therefore offer farmers a way to sleep peacefully without constantly fearing crop losses.
After learning about behavior patterns of elephants, we got to see the elephant damage control measures led by Derick Wanjala. First, we learned about beehive fences, which unfortunately were not active due to drought season. The function of beehive fences is based on elephants' natural fear of bees. The owner of the first farm, Titus Mwawasi, explained that when the elephants try to pass on one's land through the fence, movement sways the hives and bees come out. In addition to keeping the elephants out of the farmlands, beehive fences provide increased pollination and an opportunity for honey production. So, it is a win-win situation for farmers and biodiversity, at least when the rain arrives!
We also got to see the warning tower. The second landowner, Nashon Mwagharo, explained that the tower works as an early warning system around 10 farms. Farms take turns guarding the area and when someone spots an elephant, they inform other farms so everyone can be prepared. Nashon highlighted that the community is a family, and everyone works together. Community building through conflict!
Nashon has gained experience in farming through trial and error. At first, he grew crops such as corn and sorghum, that were raided by elephants. However, there are some crops that elephants dislike, such as sunflowers and chili. After he started farming sunflowers, he has been able to sleep peacefully at night. Titus also mentioned that before the beehive fences, he couldn’t grow crops properly. Now life is smooth sailing!
According to the farmers, there is no need for negativity towards elephants. Rather, the solution is to learn to live alongside them and have respect for them. We learned that communities that live among elephants have lots of knowledge about their behavior patterns and the ways they move in the area. There are also lots of cultural aspects and historical beliefs towards elephants.
Here’s also a movie documentary tip for the enthusiasts: “A Life Among Elephants” which you can watch on Apple TV. It tells the history of African elephants and the work that sparked a global movement to protect them.
Chapati and shopping
After visiting the farmers, we headed to the Women’s Eco-Enterprise Center for lunch. It is a community hub supported by Save the Elephants that helps local women build sustainable alternative livelihoods. We got our tummies full of local home-made food and the best chapati so far!
After lunch we went shopping! The center was selling some locally made sisal handicrafts such as baskets, hats and coasters. Everyone was excited to buy some souvenirs and support local art. We also got to buy some honey from Save the Elephants – the product of the beehive fences! The profits go to the local farmers, so it was a great chance to support the local community.
Chakazuri Cultural Center
On our way back to the research station, we stopped by the Chakazuri Cultural Center, that works as a meeting point for women in different fields, especially gemstone mining. The owner Edith Lewela and her husband Chaddi Lewela gave a wonderful talk about their work at the center and some history of Taita. Edith Lewela has been a pioneer for women in artisanal gemstone mining in Taita Taveta. She has taught women in mining for decades and has incredible knowledge about the industry. And we also got a great musical performance about the tsavorite gemstone and conservation!
There was also a chance to shop, so the group got to see and buy some gemstones, jewelry, and other handicrafts. There were so many different types of gemstones, and we learned about their healing properties.
In the evening, the research station’s sauna was heated up, and we got to rewind after a long day. Lala Salama!
By Elida Peuhu and Kiia Korpinen, Geography students
Our fourth day at the station started with a presentation by Miguel Torrents-Ticó on human-carnivore conflicts. The presentation was about people’s attitudes towards carnivores in areas of high-tourism and low-tourism. In high-tourism areas, people tend to give animals more value from the economic point-of-view, whereas people in low-tourism areas appreciate more cultural values. According to Miguel’s research, people appreciate carnivores more in low-tourism areas, which was kind of surprising. The difference was that the appreciation was towards dead carnivores, as it was tied to the local culture.
Skull Caves
After the presentation, we went to visit a local skull cave. Skull caves like these were a burial tradition of the Taita people that stopped around 100 years ago after Christianity became more prominent in Taita hills. According to tradition, the skulls of successful and respected men were brought to the cave, and ceremonial activities would take place.
With the lead of Darius, we walked into the indigenous forest patch where the cave located. The entrance of the cave was not easy to spot, as it was almost blocked by vegetation. A few dozen skulls were visible from the outside, which was an unsettling sight to see in the middle of a forest. Darius told us about the traditions and rituals of the Taita people in the old days and explained the meaning of bringing skulls into the forest. According to Darius, skull caves are only a tradition of the Taita people and can be found only in places that have been inhabited by them.
Housing project next to the station
On the car ride back from the caves, we had an interesting chat with Darius about the new construction site next to the station. The team from the station were upset that a patch of forest containing a lot of indigenous trees were cut down and the land was flattened.
As we learned from Darius, the plan is to build 4 apartment buildings, reaching a height of nine stories. The project was mandated by the national government of Kenya.
The plan is basically an entrenchment of the national government to gain revenue from capital driven real estate development, masked as a housing program. The revenue is extracted from the local Wundanyi population, not in the form of rental but by selling the apartment to the local populace, with interest. So, the national government is basically acting like a private real estate developer, and the profits go to Nairobi and do not stay in the Taita-Taveta county. On top of this there is no real shortage of homes in Wundanyi, according to Darius.
This kind of entrenchment into county lands by the national government was also seen in another housing project next to the Wundanyi center. Here the ownership of the houses has been given over to the county government though.
Darius also told us how the opposition has said that they will run down the project if they win the election next year. This will just leave the already destroyed forest patch as an empty stain on Wundanyi grounds. This does, however, not mean that it must be left unattended. We were playing around with thought of smaller scale housing and replanting of indigenous vegetation.
Visiting Staff Farms
In the afternoon we visited the homes of staff members. We were divided into four groups, who visited the farms of guards James and Julius, field assistant Darius, and hospitality manager Rosalia’s family.
Rosalia’s parents
We visited Rosalia’s parents’ farm in the village of Lushangoni, about 10 kilometers from the research station. We were greeted by her parents, grandma, children, siblings, and other relatives and friends. As the head of the family, Rosalia’s father Boniface warmly welcomed us into their home and was visibly exited to meet our professor Enrico Di Minin. After greetings and an exchange of gifts, Rosalia’s little brother Mwamburi gave us an interesting tour of their family farm. We got to join in planting and harvesting bananas, collecting Macademia nuts, feeding the cow, and turning cow feces into methane gas for cooking.
Later, we had an amazing dinner of traditional Taita foods with ingredients gathered from the farm. This included arrowroot, sweet potatoes, kimanga, and many others. After the delicious dinner, we watched wedding videos of Rosalia’s mother Emily and Boniface. Her parents got officially married just last year with a little pressure from their children, who acted as bridesmaids. After this was the highlight of our night when the guys from the local football club Hotlions started a traditional dance party. We joined the dance that was accompanied by water container drums and Swahili singing. Enrico was so excited that he requested another round of dancing that lasted until late in the evening. To top it all off, we all got Taita names assigned to us by Emily.
We left the farm happy, stuffed, and exhausted from dancing. According to our group, this was the highlight of our course so far. It was super interesting to experience the culture and traditions of the Taita people and gain insight to their farming practices and daily living.
James Mwanghaghes farm
A different group took a bit more relaxing visit to the station's night guards home. James Mwangaghe lives not too far up the road from the station and lives there with his family of four. As we entered the premises, a man was irrigating the fields next to the road and had just planted vegetables such as spinach and tomatoes.
When we got to the house, which was higher up than the terraced fields, we were greeted by the friendly laughter of James, and his two dogs, Poppy and Black. At first, we sat down in to the small but cozy house, which James had himself built from clay, and were greeted by James' daughter Jennifer and his wife Gladys. We also saw James' neighbors, his brother with his family. We chatted for a bit with Gladys and she told us about the crops they grow. These crops include spinach, tomato, sweet potato, avocado, banana, and papaya. Gladys was also already waiting for the rainy season, which will bring maize, beans, potatoes, cassava, and grass for their cow.
After a quick chat with Gladys we moved outside and sat down with James in the yard. We talked for at least three hours about everything and nothing. It was pleasant to have a casual visit to a normal farmer's home here in Wundanyi. It had no formalities at all; it just felt like visiting a friend's home for supper. While the many chicken and two cats ran about our feet, and while James' firstborn, Edvin, offered us sugarcane, we got to touch many topics. One interesting question was how do James and Granton, our housekeeper who was also with us, feel about the fins. James said directly that without the fins, he could not expand his house, and his daughter could not go to school. Granton told us that thanks to the fins he got his drivers' license and housekeepers' license. Granton also feels a special bond because he has been working at the station for so long.
After some hours dinner was finally ready, and we all sat down inside the house, us and James' family. Gladys and Jennifer had cooked some, chapati, kimanga, mashed potatoes, rice, beans, and chicken. Dinner was eaten in a lively and joyful atmosphere, and we got to chat a bit with Jennifer, who studies to become a teacher and starts her last term in Mombasa now in September.
After the delicious dinner, we headed back to the station, Edvin showing some light on the way, and James going to start his shift guarding the station.
The visit to James' house was very relaxed and gave a glimpse at the cozy life of a normal family in Taita, without any formalities, just a straight-from-the-heart dinner gathering with chatting, laughing and eating. The whole family was obviously happy at the life they live here, like Edvin said, it's even safe to walk after dark in Taita.
And for anyone at the station who thinks our night guard is big and scary, remember his name (Mwanghaghe) means bush baby.
By Aapo Tuulentie and Oskar Strauss, Geography students
In Wildlife works office
The fifth day started by traveling down to the lowlands to Wildlife Works office. This office manages Wildlife Works’ Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project. Upon our arrival, we received a warm welcome from the staff and a very friendly dog.
Cara Braund from Wildlife Works held a presentation on their Kasiga Corridor REDD+ Project. The main idea of the project is carbon compensation with market-based tools focusing on deforestation. REDD+ stands for “Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries” and plus indicates “additional forest related activities that protect the climate like sustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks” (UNFCCC). In this system carbon credits can be bought to compensate for CO2 emissions by, for example, companies who aim for carbon neutrality. Carbon compensation can be done by paying for either removing CO2 from the atmosphere or reducing emissions. The Kasiga Corridor project focuses on the latter through stopping deforestation. Money gotten by selling carbon credits can then be shared between landowners who have successfully gone through the verification process for measured impacts in mitigating emissions.
At present moment, the trading of carbon credits is unfortunately halted for Wildlife Works due to issues with 3rd party verification in the process. Verification is needed for applying a methodology by which the actual impact of actions is assessed. The time span of turning land into a conservancy is typically 30 years and verification is done at least every 5 years, but Wildlife works have been doing it every 2-3 years in the past. Landowners get paid a starting bonus when the process has gone through and after that quarterly. Wildlife Works is in the process of collaborating with a new validation provider, but the process takes time.
On our earlier visit to Choke Ranch, we heard about the project’s impacts in action. They had been able to convert their land into a conservancy with revenue coming from multiple sources, including the Kasiga Corridor REDD+ Project in the past. However, now that the carbon credit trade has been halted, they had plans for new revenue streams like ecotourism. Cara from Wildlife Works also told us that some of the landowners had reverted back to more traditional land usage like livestock grazing as the project doesn’t bind them and payment for reducing emissions has been off for a while.
Wildlife Works has also big textile business, which we were surprised by. They make textiles for multiple customers and employ mostly local people. The plot in which the office and textile business is located is an Exporting Processing Zone, which is legislation by Kenyan government that aims to create more jobs and investments by allowing certain exemptions from taxes and tariffs.
Afternoon hike to Judgement cliff
In the afternoon, we headed to Judgement Cliff, located south of the village of Wundanyi. We enjoyed a nice brisk walk through the village toward the view point. For the final ascend, we were joined by a couple of furry friends as our guides.
Judgement Cliff was once a significant place for the local community. According to folklore, those who irrevocably broke the village rules were brought to this spot, and after their final words, they were pushed off the cliff. Fortunately, no one fell during our trip, and we enjoyed the breathtaking scenery in perfect harmony. After the hike, we were surprised by an unusual dinner instead of local cuisine, as the kitchen staff served us pasta.
Dr. Mary Mutiso’s presentation
The day was rounded off with a presentation by Mary Mutiso from Taita Taveta University, who shared insights into her research career and future prospects. Mary has conducted research at several Kenyan universities, including work related to water resources and management, climate change, and the relationship between environmental change and local livelihoods.
What a great day again, let’s get back at it tomorrow.
By Tuomas Hartikainen and Vili Rauhala, Geography students
Today was the first day of leisure during the field course. This meant that everyone was free to spend their time as they pleased. Some went bird watching early in the morning, some went to different churches and some slept in. We had planned a football match against a local team in the afternoon, but it was unfortunately cancelled due to heavy rain. In the evening we went on a night safari in the Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, which was the highlight of the day for many.
A birdwatching trip
Some of us woke up early to go birdwatching in the forest’s below Vuria peak in Taita Hills. We were guided by John Maganga from Dawida biodiversity conservation station which is also located in Taita hills. John has vast knowledge about birds and snakes. He would be excellent guide, to help us locate critically endangered Elusive Taita Apalis, which is also endemic to Taita hills with only under 200 individuals left alive. Information from the birds is based on John Magangas knowledge.
We left our cars and started to ascend higher to the mountain. It was a rainy and foggy day. Even though we were high up in the mountain you couldn’t see any views, because the whole area was inside thick clouds. After walking about twenty minutes we reached the place where Taita apalis is known to live. Taita apalis is a relatively small bird which likes to live close to the ground, it makes its nest usually 1-2 meters high in the bushes. They move in pairs (male and female) and the bird is known to have the same partner its whole life.
There were no signs of any bird at first and the windy and rainy weather wasn’t helping. John had a speaker with recorded singing of Taita apalis to lure them towards us. No signs after about half an hour. We changed places and no signs again. Then suddenly the Taita apalis appeared. It sat on a bush branch beside our path maybe 20 meters from us, till it flew away. Most of our small group managed to see it. We were lucky!
After this we walked up the path and John tried to lure different birds with his speaker. Suddenly there were many birds flying over the path between the trees. We saw two species: Usambaga double-collared sunbird and Taita white-eye. Maybe around eight birds including both of the species flying between trees around us, for quite a long time. John said it was a rare occasion to see so many of these two species at the same time. Taita White-eye is endemic to Taita hills, but not a rare sight in Vuria forest. Usambaga mostly lives in Usambara mountains in Tanzania close to the Kenyan border, but its habitat also includes southern Kenya like Taita hills. It was a very successful bird watching trip!
A visit to an Anglican Church
At the same time, part of the group was visiting local churches, so here is what anthropology student Meri Teperi had to say about her morning visit to the Anglican Church of Kenya:
“On a rainy day, arrival times at the church were more flexible than usual, and people gradually drifted in little by little. We arrived after the first songs had already begun. The pastor led the singing with the energy of a performer, and the congregation participated by clapping and gently dancing along. Every now and then, there were prayers.
As the service progressed, different groups came forward to perform at the front of the church. First, we blessed the children who were present. After that, both the women's and men's groups performed their own songs. Everyone whose birthday fell in that month was also invited to the front to receive a blessing, and together we sang them a birthday song. Finally, those of us who were visiting the church for the first time were asked to introduce ourselves.
The service was easy to follow because the song lyrics were displayed on screens. The lady sitting behind me also gave me a tap on the back whenever I failed to realize that it was time to stand up.
Around the halfway point of the service, a short auction was held. Among the items for sale were tomatoes, onions, and sweet potatoes. Scarves were also sold to support the church, and we all bought one for ourselves.
During the latter half of the service, the pastor delivered an emotional sermon. The central message was that nothing should be allowed to prevent people from attending church or weaken their faith in God. It seemed clear that attending church was an important source of strength for this community. Throughout the entire service, the atmosphere in the church was warm and welcoming.
At the end, we went to greet the children in Sunday school and sang a song with them to the familiar melody of Brother John (“Frère Jacques”), but with local lyrics.
It was a wonderful experience, and we are grateful to Rosalia for giving us the opportunity to participate in this occasion with her.”
At the station
In the afternoon we watched a documentary called Shepherds of the Earth, which was recommended by one of our teachers Dr. Miquel Torrents-Ticó who played in the film. Some had already watched half of it when the screening was supposed to start, which meant that most of the plot was lost on the few students who decided to join in. The film included themes such as resource scarcity and destruction of nature. Afterwards, Miguel gave us an interesting quiz on recognizing the spotted skins of different carnivores. We then had an afternoon sauna in small groups taking turns as the sauna is quite small.
A night safari
As the day was getting dark, we packed our dinners in boxes and headed towards Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary for a night safari. This is the best time of the day to spot carnivores such as lions, as they become active in the night. We had already seen elephants, giraffes, zebras, and antelopes in the lowlands during daytime, so this was an interesting opportunity to spot new animals. A ranger joined us in the bus with two big green lights, which were much more powerful than our own flashlights.
The safari was divided into blocks and posts, with different chances of spotting specific animals. For example, lions are most commonly seen between posts 4B and 4C. Zebras are widely spread across the whole safari.
To spot animals, we needed to shine our lights in different directions and look for reflections in the eyes of animals. A quick way of differentiating a carnivore and a herbivore is to check whether the eyes reflect from the sides of the head or the front of it. The color is also important. For antelopes and zebras, the reflection is white, whereas for lions it’s reddish.
The first animal we saw was the common eland, which is the biggest antelope in Africa. According to the ranger, it has poor night vision. We also saw other antelopes, such as the waterbuck. Many of the antelopes and zebras were spending time together, which increases their safety against predators as they are in a bigger group. We also saw bushbabies in a tree, a rabbit and a leopard tortoise. We were quite worried for the tortoise as it was walking on the road in the middle of our bus and three other cars taking part in the safari. Luckily the animal survived unharmed.
After around two hours, we still hadn’t seen a lion or other big cats which were our priority. There are 22 lion prides in the area, but some of them also spend time in Tsavo. The ranger mentioned that three cheetahs were spotted a few days earlier. The weather was mostly rainy, which decreased our chances of spotting cats despite it being dark. The first cat we saw was a small genet with white skin and black spots. It was moving in the bushes but close enough to the road that some of us could get a good glimpse.
Near the end of the evening we finally saw a lion, which everyone had been waiting for! It was a young male whose mane hadn’t grown yet. The lion seemed unbothered by us and kept walking close to the road. After the excitement of finally spotting the big cat, we started to feel bad for chasing it with cars and shining spotlights on it. This kind of behaviour highlights the ethical concerns of a safari trip. Animals can often be disturbed when tourists like us are trying to get a close look and good photos for social media.
We arrived back at the station in the night much later than usual. Overall, the safari went smoothly despite the rough weather and our backup tire falling from the roof of the bus at one point. Luckily this incident wasn’t serious and we were able to retrieve the fallen tire.
By Meri Teperi, Anthropology student and
Nikolai Tuuri and Sampo Muinonen, Geography students