Where to begin? Summer 2012

I have neglected my blog entirely over the summer, dropped it just like that!  For those who are in a small way interested, very sorry.  But it has been a summer of intense activity - here and there.  I have had a baby so was not able to be there.  So through adverts and a large amount of serendipity and other strange factors a fantastic team was pulled together.  Cody Can DO, Iris The Brave, Pete The Anti-Poacher, Kim The Adventurous, held the reins and looked after the project with their energy and spirit.  And of course the support of the community and particularly Antonio's cooking. 

Cody has been managing Mareja with the help of his girlfriend Kim, Iris undertaking biodiversity research and doing everything else in between and Pete running an intense anti-poaching drive.  The detail makes fascinating reading...like the time Iris had to use her researchers fishing rod to capture a large snake outside her room (luckily not poisonous.)  They have coped with many bush-like moments mainly revolving around car troubles...the wish for reliable functioning vehicles gets ever deeper and more profound.

But it is all overshadowed by what is now an all out elephant massacre.  You will have read the press no doubt but this devastating wave of poaching has hit every corner.  The reports come in weekly of yet more killings and Dominik now doubts that the remaining herd is viable at all, with possibly only young left without milk or any learned understanding of the surroundings. 

So much more to say. But for now must thank the fabulous summer team for a great deal, and I hope to add more of their thoughts, happenings and photos.

Ivory glitters like gold against the rain

After a lull in my will to BLOG - like a log that gets lodged in the stream, there has been a slow build up of momentum and now a dam of information has formed.  Here an overview...

Dominik returned nearly 2 months ago to Mareja to discover all sorts of inexplicable happenings.  As he put it, the community were in a state of 'confusion'.  Confusion no doubt fuelled by poachers hovering around and lodging in the neighbouring communities offering ready cash for ivory.  It is hard to imagine the power for confusion this generates....particularly in the rainy season when there are no tourists, little activity on the reserve and so the benefits of these large land mammals with glittering gold tusks alive wanes, and dead they assume a whole new meaning.

So I have received a rash of reports from Dominik via text (always confusing, wrongly spelt and requiring much interpretation!)  Within the wider, surrounding national park he estimates from reports that 40-50 elephants were killed last year and about 15 so far in 2012.  The poachers have been kept at bay within Mareja until now - he has sent me 4 different alarm texts of shots heard at some of our most precious and remote watering holes.  But only yesterday Dominik found a young male elephant dead near our beautiful Mareja mountain. 

The chilling part of this new episode is that all reports have been received when Dominik is OFF the reserve, momentarily in Pemba to refuel...so the inevitable question arises.  Are members of the Mareja community informants, who give the poachers access and information when the coast is clear? 

It seemed that the Head Ranger tried hard to prevent Dominik tracking the young dead male, taking him around the site...so operating in such climes the answer to this question is probably YES.  That is the hardest part - who can you trust?  But you cannot estimate the value of money in such areas - indeed it readily corrupts world over.  And of course the hardest part of all...can you blame them?

The blame really lies at the feet of those that trade and buy ivory - the power of their actions leaves ripples so deep and devastating. 


My first elephant encounter at Mareja.  A young shy male as you can see hiding from us!
This was the animal found dead this week.

On a personal level Dominik described this recent killing like 'someone coming into my house and killing my dogs'.  On a global scale the conservation impact is immense, by removing elephants, a conservation flagship species, you upset the whole ecosystem leading to the erosion of the few wild and biodiverse areas left on our planet.  In this case coastal forest arguably one of the rarest of global biodiversity hotspots.


Dominik is now wracked with anxiety - does he take the hard line, fire those implicated or somehow buy their allegiance...but in reality how do you monitor and implement this? The Head Ranger has worked at Mareja for nearly 10 years, helping to develop the community project, he is a resident and knows the ins and outs of its bush and project better than anyone.  What to do?

Who would think I could cause such chaos in Pemba from rural weekend in Herefordshire...?

My friend Peter is visiting Dominik at Mareja for a week.  Amazingly Dominik is back in Pemba on Friday, poised and ready to collect him a whole day and half early. A happy, satisfying (and rare) bit of organisational efficiency...until I receive a text midday Saturday to say he has gone back to Mareja after reports of shots near the house.  Peter arrives midday Sunday....

In summary what follows left me wanting to lie in a darkened room belly up and never ever venture into the world of communications again:

• Saturday midday ring Nzuma Lodge (Peter had a mutual friend who knows the owner)- his wife says they are full but may be able to sort something but will let me know first thing Sunday morn. I hear nothing so send a message saying 'not to worry I will sort something else out' - (sent from mobile phone that works, important detail.)
• Saturday early evening email Jasper - asking what chance is he could drive Peter out to Mareja (conscious that he is not best pleased with Dominik and his ways - so it is a tentative query)
• Sunday morning 10am UK/11am Moz no word from either of above ...so I contact my good friend Rebecca for help
• About 11am UK - peace and tranquillity descends - Rebecca offers bed, I imagine Peter happy, welcomed with beach views, sun and beer and feel greatly relieved
• About lunchtime - still feeling relaxed...I get text 'No Peter'.... then the new picture unfurls
• Jasper's brother has waited an hour, so has Rebecca, no Peter - I get indigestion and break out in pregnancy enhanced sweat
• 3 people waiting to collect 1 - Peter leaves with most unexpected option

Peter has in fact been whisked off by Jonnie (whoever he is) to Nzuma and Pemba airport was the scene of wasted time, Peter confusion - a nice twistt, Geert, Jasper's brother, thought he was waiting for a different Peter (our Oxford researcher)

Who would think I could cause such long-range chaos?

Last I heard, 2 days later than planned, Peter was heading with Dominik to Mareja ...Peter was driving while Dominik enjoyed the view - I believe he was testing his 4x4 skills. I wonder if Peter was in the mood for more tests...for sure I am NOT!

Summer opportunity: General Manager and Fixer (4-5 months)

We are looking for support this Summer, with an exciting programme of activities.  Although 'voluntary' we will pay all your expenses...the search for such an adventurous type is made harder as they/you will need to speak fairly good Portuguese or Swahili. For more details see the advert below or do be in touch via email sofascott@hotmail.com  Deadline: 13th April 2012

http://escapethecity.org/opportunities/1782-mareja-community-conservation-projects-general-manager-and-fixer-4-5-months

The adventures of Tom...just imagine

Tom in Oxford, packed and ready for his unknown adventure

stepping into Dominik's shoes at Mareja over Christmas and NY while there is a major poaching crisis?  If you know Dominik and Mareja and the amorphous, lurking, immeasurable pressure of elephant poaching....it is a feat that requires very large adventurous feet and a bold stride.  But Tom pulled on his boots and took it all on.

He left family and friends for a very remote wild Christmas and New years eve, almost alone - though with a backdrop of locals, the call of lion and star shine and hopefully buoyed up with a beer or two.



The 'to-do' list grew as D had time away from the muddy end of the spectrum to consider things with a coffee in hand ...rebuilding the garage roof before the big rains really hit and the kitchen on top of simply managing the place and its surrounding 38,000 hectares of coastal forest.  If you are conscientious or observant and have a green core you see the mountain of work - in addition to staff and Ranager management and daily maintenance (water collection, road repairs, machinery maintenance and so on.) 

Luckily we have spoken to Tom fairly regularly, he would find the good spot underneath the communication tree, a cashew sited on a slightly raised hillock and update us.  I always try to find out how he is coping, any stresses, concerns or hurdles physical or other.  D always tries to impart more worries and jobs.  It is a female v male approach..  Possibly I see more clearly the intricate knowledge you need when living deep in the bush to... repair punctures, handle the 4x4 around hidden pot-holes etc.  D doesn't see these things, they are just part of his life and even psyche, he doesn't preempt but has learnt to get out of the holes....eventually.  He has lived there for 15 years so Mareja's ways are second nature to him.

Well once the bush is closed over from rain Tom will return and I will get a full debrief.  I am much looking forward to seeing him and to hearing all his thoughts and stories.  I am sure he will have seen the highs, lows and challenges in all their Mozambican technicolour - and enjoyed a rather demanding bush-hardened boss (not me!).  (Imagine Tom doesn't even speak Portuguese and has had to steer the whole team, about 20 people - but thank goodness he has some Swahili.) 

It is an amazing thing he has done.  And it will be illuminating to have a fresh spirited view on the place and its work load.  It will help us better plan 2012 - a year when we hope to achieve much at Mareja.  My huge thanks and admiration to Tom.  He has given us peace of mind, renewed energy and will provide another perspective...what more do you want for a new year?

The terror of random communications and Tom sets forth - fully equipped (minus a plastic gun)

I get the strangest texts from Dominik, with his one bar of connection from a particular cashew tree, best received while lying on top of the Land Rover. He writes things like this...under caju w lion. heard leopard earlier. close meet ellie in day.  Or my favourite...last night vivid dream, ikcl a snake, just now I met her in my path, qhe iired n made off.  now owle franzy got a baby m the stairs and pasents attending at best.  That is transcribed for you, letter for letter - I can usually get the gist but sometimes wonder if the lion or snake has eaten him and the owl eaten a baby, or at least something has nibbled off his texting finger!

Anyway the latest communication instalment has resulted in urgent messages requesting that Tom brings yet more useful things. 

The most exciting news is that Tom the new volunteer (see previous entry) decided to go out and see what is happening for himself - he would rather be on the ground helping Dominik with the poaching problem.  So he left yesterday loaded up with all sorts of fantastic goods, bought thanks to the generosity of our supporters....GPS, satellite phone, mobile solar charger, more uniforms, more ibobrufen for Naquata (who if in UK would have a hip replacement.) etc.

Two days before Tom was due to leave - I get a crackly phonecall asking for....plastic toy guns and handcuffs.  After much searching I find them on ebay - ebay is a wonderful thing. I buy and then send pleading emails to the sellers requesting quick dispatch.

Just after putting Tom on the Heathrow bus I return home to see the postman delivering the ebay goods...so sadly they remain here.  (I am now very well equipped for Ranger impersonation in Oxford, where poaching even of Mallard ducks, is yet to be an issue ... but I am prepared.)

World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day and thoughts turn to Africa.  Mareja is in an area where an estimated 1 in 10 people suffer from AIDS: sadly the real figure is likely to be much higher. 

There is a very low awareness’ of the effects of the disease and the ease with which it can now be controlled through medication. Free treatment is available in Pemba but it's a 3 hour drive away and a local witch doctor is still a much preferred option.