Finishing up the Ecology module at Mpala

Welcome back! Our last week at Mpala was exciting and educational. The lessons on ecology and epidemiology with a focus on the mosquito vector were the peak of our discussion. Environmental and human factors influence the breeding spaces for mosquito larvae. In quest to understand this, the students hiked Mlima Fisi with Dr. Dino Martins to look for the larvae breeding sites.

Hiking Mlima Fisi at Mpala

Students shopped in Nanyuki town and later visited the Mt. Kenya Conservancy where they interacted with the endangered mountain bongos and South American Llamas. Sunday was spent hiking Mukenya Hills, and later attended the Laikipia science, education, and conservation film festival. We had the chance to watch the pack of wild dogs in the Laikipia plateau as documented by Dedan Ngatia, a wild dog ecologist and Paula Kahumbu, a wildlife conservationist.

Enjoying the sun at the peak of Mukenya Hills.

In a cave at Mukenya Hills.

Some of the Bongos at Mt. Kenya conservancy.
Photo credit: Wambui Mbogo

Emmanuel on the left and Jack on the right feeding a Llama at the Mt. Kenya animal orphanage.
Photo credit: Wambui Mbogo.

Mpala provided a conducive learning space to understand human-elephant interaction, biodiversity of African Savanna and wildlife-livestock interaction. A change in altitude and vegetation defined the mid-week as the students hiked Mt. Kenya with Dr. Dino Martins.

At the foot of Mt. Kenya

Students in a camel boma with Dr. Maureen having a discussion about livestock.
Photo credit: Medina Lubisia

We flew to TBI Ileret campus on Saturday ready and excited to start the Geology module. Kale beach was the place to end our week. We had the chance to swim in the waters of the enigmatic Lake Turkana!!