MAN VS BEAST – A TALE OF LOVE

Greetings from Ecotourism Kenya,

The month of love has been upon us and the world of sustainability, conservation and eco-tourism as a whole is nowhere but at the front of the movement, as usual.

Photo by: The Standard Newspaper

Emuria works on the shores of Kampi Ya Samaki Beach. He is a fisherman by profession however his hobby is feeding crocodiles. Yes, the beasts that some people equate to and others fear more than sharks. He now has Sylia, Eriko, Kigeugeu and 2 other constant diners and has never been attacked, even as he daringly feeds them at close range. Both locals and tourists are amazed by the standard three dropout’s unique relationship with the reptiles. Locals say that in the last five years, crocodile attacks on both people and livestock have decreased drastically. Fishermen and local business people are smiling all the way to the bank as local tourists are charged Sh500 per person while their international counterparts Sh1,500 per person respectively. Emuria sometimes walks away with up to sh5000 a day. Rural conservation and sustainable tourism at its best, won’t you say?

KISS THE LIKONI NIGHTMARE GOODBYE

The Likoni Ferry is the main gateway used by tourists and tour operators alike when accessing the beautiful beaches of the South Coast of Kenya. The traffic snarl up as you access the ferry from Mombasa Island to the South can be discouraging to any tourist. However, Kenya has made a multi-billion deal with Australian Dopplemayr Group to build and manage cable cars. On completion they are set to carry a total of 180,000 per day, easing congestion and making the South Coast easily accessible to all.

ECO-TOURISM, THE BEST WAY TO LOVE THE ELEPHANT

A lot of attention has been paid to the elephant in the last recent years. Innovations from unique satellites to highly trained anti-poaching units have been implemented in the hope of conserving mama Africa’s humble giant. Not being left behind are the people who shoot elephants the most, journalists. The Giants Club African Conservation Journalism Fellowship, is an initiative that gathers professional reporters in Kenya, Botswana, Gabon and Uganda. It is an initiative under Space For Giants and aims at bringing in investment in eco-tourism and green energy solutions so as to earn local people more money in these ventures. Furthermore, it brings a strong scientifically led voice of African issues by African voices.