A number of Narok County Government (NGC) rangers have been cut off from the human population due to flooding being witnessed in Maasai Mara Game Reserve that worsened on Friday, May 3.
With no access to food and other basic necessities, the rangers are now dependent on the Mara Elephant Project (MEP) for survival.
MEP which protects elephants and their habitats across the Greater Mara Ecosystem has used airdrops to deliver food to the stuck rangers.
The operation started on Saturday, May 4, when MEP helicopters were deployed to drop off food rations to NCG rangers.
This was on the second day after the rangers had been cut off from their patrol base by the flood waters.
“It is a group effort, but the Mara boasts partners that will stop at nothing to join together and support the Mara's people and wildlife,” MEP spoke of the operation.
Considering the vast Mara forest, MEP has been working with the Kenya Red Cross and Narok County Government to ensure the safety of the rangers.
Additionally, the choppers conducting the airdrops are also being used to rescue campers stuck in the game reserve.
Notably, it was the same choppers that were used on Friday, May 3, to evacuate six camp staff members trapped by flood waters.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has since directed camps located near rivers in game parks and reserves to evacuate.
On Sunday, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura downplayed the severity of flooding in national parks urging tourists to continue signing up for Kenyan safari.
He urged tourists to ignore travel advisories issued by the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland.
