REGULAR MONTHLY ACTIVITIES __ WEDNESDAY MORNING BIRDWALKS Bird watching walks at sites in and around Nairobi. Meet at the National Museum car pork every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. Return about 12:30 p.m. Those who are not members can get temporary membership at Kshs 100 per birdwalk, payable on arrival at the car park. Nature Kenya does not accept any responsibility whatsoever in respect of negligence of any of its staff, volunteers or members organising the outings/trips or for any for loss, injury, death or damage to property. POT LUCK OUTINGS Bird-watching outings held on every third Sunday of the month, i.e. 20 February. Bring a picnic lunch, binoculars, field guides, etc. and meet at 9:00 am at the National Museum car park. Those attending decide on the venue - hence "Pot Luck". TREE WALK Arboretum guided Tree Walks on the last Monday of every month i.e. 28 February from 9:30 a.m. Meet at the FONA offices beside the Sir! Guides HQ. ARABUKO SOKOKE (COAST) BIRD WALKS - The Saturday birdwatch will continue with the Arabuko Sokoke Forest Guides Association, on the first Saturday of each month i.e. 5 February, at 6:30 a.m. from the Visitor Centre, Gede. Cost 100/- per person. COMMITTEES A PROJECTS SUCCULENTA Saturday 19 February, 11:00 a.m. A visit to Grcte and Peter Davey at Athi River, to see their collection of succulents and learn about their permaculturc garden. Please bring own picnic lunch, drinks, chair, hat and walking shoes. How to get to the Davcys home? Take Mombasa Rd. About 1km after turn off to Namanga take turning to left marked Sunrose Nursery and follow Succulenta signs. Daveys is on the left, well before Waridi. Edithcolea grandis FRIENDS OF NAIROBI ARBORETUM Saturday 26 February '00, 11.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Come and enjoy a day of music, songs and dance from children near and far at the Nairobi Arboretum. Admission free. Annual General Meeting The Friends of Nairobi Arboretum AGM, will be held at Nairobi Arboretum on Saturday 11 March '00 from 11:00 a.m. Bring a picnic. PARTNERS TROPICAL BIOLOGY ASSOCIATION (TBA) Training Opportunity Are you an African national holding a first degree in biological sciences? TBA might be offering just the right field research training for you! TBA runs one course in Kenya (23 June-22 July, '00) and two in the Usambora Mts (28 Jul-26 Aug A 2-30 Sept, '00). Applicants are eligible to ONL'V one course. For more information or to apply, send letter of interest, a detailed CV and two CONFINDENTIAL acadcmic/professional references to TBA, at Nature Kenya, Application deadline 20 February 2000. 2 February 2000 The Nature/Cenj'a Newsletter Nature net BRAVE NEW WORLD \A /e welcome the 21” century on a high note, not to , W be attributed solely to too many parties. The passing of the Environment Bill last November and the lau|ich of the Nairobi Arboretum MasterPlan this January are the exciting ochievements we are celebrating. Congratulations to the members, partners and staff who wdTKed so hard, and who, with breathtaking Tenacity, prevailed despite the oftentimes difficult circumstances. Now we look forward to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species meeting in early April and the Convention on Biological Diversity meeting in mid May, both to be held in Nairobi. What with all this new verve we need to act today, so I encourage you to be quick, whether it is in writing to your local District Development Committee about environmental concerns in your area, by volunteering for the Friends of Nairobi Arboretum (FoNA) or renewing your subscription. Nature Kenya is here for the long haul and you give this ?orgonisation voice and strength; your contribution is of greater value than you may think. In this brave new world. Nature Kenya is having to embrace flew ideas and stretching to meet new challenges. So while the postage rates go up we need to try find new innovative ideas to recruit members to spread the costs of supporting membership. The birdwalks and potiuck outings continue while we organise to meet demands for more Saturday end overnight trips. The EANH5 Bulletin will now alternate with the magazine Kenya Birds, while Nature Net continues to keep you updated. iWhether you Simply enjoy receiving the publications, using the library, taking part in the many organised activities or Just supporting this organisation. Nature Kenya is here ■for you; it is your means to a better understanding of the ffiaturar world and your vehicle for the conservation of biodiversity. We’re looking forward to a year full of activity - old and new - that make it worthwhile to be a member and hope you enjoy the year 2000 with us. Catherine Ngarachu, Editor NATURE KENYA, P. O. Box 44486, Nairobi. Tel: 749957 / 746090 Fax: 741049 E-mail: eanhs@africaonline.co.ke ACnVTTTES TALK WITH SLIDES by Rupert Watson Author of 'Salmon^ Trout £r Chart of the World’ Monday 14 February ‘00, 5:30 p.ni. at the National Museums of Kenya, in the Natural Sciences Seminar Room More great news! Photograph shows the delivery of Nature Kenya's new Landrover. Bought under the Important Bird .Areas programme this vehicle will go a long way in facilitating sites liaison. Can you suggest a name for it? NATURALISTS CORNER DIADROMOUS FISH Rupert Watson Unappealing though their description may sound, 'diadromous' fish are characterised by an intriguing ability to migrate between salt and fresh water and live equally successfully in these vastly different conditions. Diadromous fish either breed in fresh water and feed at sea (anadromous), or breed at sea and then swim up rivers to feed (catadromous). Either way, their systems must be specifically adapted to enable them to survive in both environments. In fresh water, fish body fluid are more chemically concentrated than the surrounding water, so large amounts of excess water ore absorbed through osmosis. At sea the direction of osmotic flow is reversed, causing fish to lose water, for which they must compensate by swallowing more water and absorbing it through the stomach walls.The best known catadromous fish are eels of the Anguillidae family. More than one species is known to visit Kenya's rivers after spawning in the Indian Ocean, and local catfish fishermen on the Tana river are often surprised when a large eel takes their bait on its way upstream. In the tropics fresh waters tend to be richer in food than at cooler latitudes, while for the sea it is the opposite. This may be why there are very few anadromous fish in tropical rivers. In Kenya pipefish and needlefish are thought to be able to exist in salt and fresh water, but information is scarce. However, stretching the definition of 'anadromy' slightly, there are barbel, catfish, and cyprinids which all migrate from Victoria and other lakes, up in-flowing rivers to breed. Salmon are the most famous migrants from fresh to sea water. Atlantic salmon, and all six species of Pacific salmon, spawn in the gravel of cool northern hemisphere streams, nearly all dying soon after having done so. The young then swim down to sea where they spend up to four years gathering up the ocean's goodness, before returning back to breed where they themselves were hatched. Closely related, both brown and rainbow trout can also migrate to sea, but only do so in the north of their range, where the sea is cold enough for them - and then only some out of any given population. For the trout in the highlands of Kenya, the water is too warm below about 6000 feet, so they must live out their lives without ever scenting the sea. Join us on Monday 14th February at 5:30 p.m. when Rupert Watson will give an illustrated talk on the 'Life and Migrations of Sockeye Salmon', in the National Museums Natural Sciences Seminar Room. Incorporating more than 80 colour photographs, his book 'Salmon, Trout i Charr of the World will be on sale @ 3500/- PARROT-WATCHINS EXPEDITION, BRAZIL, 04 - 25 September '00 A 3 week expedition to look for Ins parrots and some of the 1,715 bird species of Brazil. The mission of this non-profit bird expedition is to explore, research and enjoy the unique birdlife in Brazil, discovering what the birds - particularly the Parrots - do and why they do it. The organisers are a group of leisure parrot birders, with the help of Brazilian birders and parrot experts. You are welcome to join our parrot expedition team! For further information and the itinerary contact Peter H. Them,Emmerich Alle 4,2791 Dragoer.DK-Denmark phn. +45 32 53 40 81 fax. +45 32 32 28 11 e-mail: them€’post4. tele, dk NOTICES WORLD WETLANDS DAY 5 FEBRUARY '00 Hosted by Kenya 'Wetland Working Sroup and National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi. World Wetlands Day marks the day when the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance entered into force on 2nd February 1971 in the Iranian town of Ramsar, In Nairobi the World Wetlands Day will be celebrated on Saturday 5"' February, '00 through a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities whose primary goal is to generate public awareness on the value of and threats to the wetlands of Kenya. BIRD HOTLINE African FInfoot/ Fourteen Falls - Jan Mwoki Kioko, Nick Nolionyo, Fred Baraza A John Musina Block and White or Jacobin Cuckoo/ L. Naivasha - Jan, Mwoki Kioko Giant Kingfisher/ Arobuko-Sokoke Forest - Dec - Jonathan Boya A Kay Heinbathom FEBRUARY DIARY Wed 2 Birdwalk Sat 5 Arabuko Sokoke Walk/ World Wetlands Day Wed 9 A 16 Birdwalk Sat 19 Succulenta Outing Sun 20 PotLuck Bird Outing Wed 23 Birdwalk Sat 26 'Wind in the Trees' Sat 26 - Sun 27 Camping at Malewa Mon 28 Tree Walk 4 EXCURSIONS Journey to the Lost Frontier Off the Beaten Track, Lake Turkona Safari Tuesday 18/04 Meet ot the National Museum car park at 6^30 a.m. to deport for Marich Poss by 7:00 a.m. stopping enroute for tea and lunch . Dinner and overnight at Marich Pass Field Studies Centre (MPFSC). Wednesday 19/04 Full morning birdwalk offer breakfost/ visit local market. Dinner and overnight at MPFSC. Thursday 20/04 After early breakfast drive from Marich Pass to Kolokol. Lunch at Jade Sea Journey's camp and from there proceed to the beach to embark for the crossing to Central Island National Park. Navigation time oround 50 minutes. In the late afternoon, short hike to ’Mombo' Crater Loke for bird and crocodile watching. Dinner and overnight on the Island under the stars on mattresses. Friday 21/04 After very early teo/coffee, morning hike around the volcano crater rims with a view over the crater lakes inhabited by lesser flamingo and other water birds. Return to camp at about 9:00 a.m. for breakfast. Opportunity to refresh In the water of the Lake while waiting for early lunch After lunch, boat to Koobi Fora. Navigotion time around two and a half hours depending on weother. At orrival transfer by Museum vehicles to camp. If time permits, late afternoon wolk along beach. Dinner and comping overnight at Koobi Foro. Saturday 22/04 After early breakfost drive towards Karori Escarpment stopping for hominid hunting and birdwotching, returning to Koobi Fora for lunch. Afternoon free - swimming In the lake possible if accompanied. Dinner and overnight at Koobi Fora. Sunday 23/04 After breakfast, cross from Koobi Fora at around 11 a m., expected arrival time at Kalakol is 1:30 p.m. Picnic lunch on the way. Drive to Marich Pass for overnight. Monday 24/04 After breakfost depart for Nairobi. POINTS TO NOTE 1. Participants need to travel light taking into consideration tN€ very limited boat space and ease of transferring between sites. 2. Although precautions will be taken as to participant's safety, the following should be taken into consideration: the journey is long by road, there Is some insecurity in the area and the boat trips are considerable. For these reasons we will require on signing up that all participants sign a waiver as Nature Kenya will not be responsible for any loss or damage thot may occur. 3. As a precaution we odvise thot those without cvocuation insurance should get cover from Flying Doctors. Comping at Molewo Saturday 26 - Sunday 27 February '00 The campsite is situated within the Kigio Wildlife Conservancy, on the banks of the Malewa River, between Naivasha and Silgil. MAP Kigio is a former dairy and beef ranch of 3500 acres, making it possible for us to have extensive guided birdwalks. (There are also opportunities for abseiling @ 1000/- per person and paddle boating @ 2000/- per three persons.) Facilities include hot showers. Firewood is available for cooking. You will need to bring your own tent, food, cooking utensiis and drinking water . Meet on Saturday 26 February at 6:45 a.m. at the National Museums car park for 7:00 a.m. departure. We depart from Malewa on Sunday 27 February at 2:30 p.m. Cost per person: 400/- (same for adult and child) 25 members maximum Book and pay before 15 February ‘00. Tentative costs per person: 17,900/- per person Minivan transport to and from Nairobi per person: 6400/- Minlmum 19 people or trip moy be cancelled. Booking deadline 28 February •QO . Except for tea or lunch to and from Nairobi this includes all meals. Drinks being tec. coffee ond drinking water. Per person sharing at MPFSC Transport by boat on the lake.Transport at Sibiloi N.P. Is in three Koobi Fora Landrovers Supply of mattresses on Central Island. Mattresses and mosquito nets also available at Koobi Fora. Entry and camping fees for Central Island and Sibiloi Notional Parks, (Ensure you carry your membership card for free entry to the Museum site) Public transport available to Kolokol, but likely to take longer. For the entering and boat trips at Lake Turkono we will be retying on Jade Sea Journeys a compony which for ten years now hos been operating safaris on Lake Turkona. Not Inclusive Transport to and from Nairobi Meals enroute from and to Nairobi. Soft and strong drinks. (These can be supplied by the JSJ at an extra cost)