Simba: My bond with Elsamere

On September 1, 2026, in the Maasai Mara, Kenya 🇰🇪, the Mara Natural History Center (Mara Life Science Museum) officially opened its doors.For the first time, the Greater Maasai Mara now has a dedicated institution where visitors can systematically explore the region’s history, geography, wildlife and habitats, human origins and migration, as well as Maasai traditions and culture.We extend our sincere gratitude to friends and supporters from all walks of life who have contributed funding, materials, professional expertise, knowledge, and skills to make this vision a reality.We warmly welcome everyone traveling to the Maasai Mara on safari to visit the Center, learn more about this extraordinary landscape, and join us in our efforts to protect the East African grassland ecosystem and conserve wildlife habitats for generations to come.

This study reveals a significant "density inversion" where lion densities in community-managed conservancies (e.g., 24.20 lions/100km² in Olare Motorogi) exceed those in the state-managed National Reserve (~16.5 lions/100km²). While ecological factors like prey biomass and riverine cover remain critical, anthropogenic disturbances are reshaping lion distribution. Specifically, the expansion of permanent tourism camps has caused a displacement effect, forcing lions to abandon prime riverine habitats to avoid human infrastructure and unregulated vehicle traffic.Additionally, the research highlights a "landscape of fear" outside protected areas, where conflict hotspots near pastoral settlements lead to high mortality among young males and skewed sex ratios. Genetic analysis indicates a "North-South" split, warning that fencing and habitat fragmentation threaten population connectivity. To ensure long-term viability, the report recommends science-based spatial planning, strict regulation of tourism facilities, and conflict mitigation strategies such as predator-proof bomas. 本研究揭示了一种显著的“密度倒置”现象：在社区管理的保护地中（例如 Olare Motorogi 的狮子密度为 24.20 只/100 平方公里），狮子密度反而高于国家级自然保护区（约 16.5 只/100 平方公里）。尽管猎物生物量和河岸植被覆盖等生态因素仍然至关重要，但人为干扰正在重塑狮子的空间分布格局。具体而言，永久性旅游营地的扩张产生了“位移效应”，迫使狮子为避开人类基础设施和缺乏规范管理的车辆活动而放弃优质的河岸栖息地。 此外，研究还指出，在保护区之外形成了一种“恐惧景观”，靠近牧民定居点的人兽冲突热点区域导致年轻雄狮死亡率升高，并造成性别比例失衡。遗传分析显示存在“南北分化”趋势，警示围栏建设与栖息地破碎化正威胁种群之间的连通性。为确保种群的长期存续能力，报告建议实施基于科学的空间规划、严格规范旅游设施布局，并推广如防掠食者围栏（捕食者防护牲畜圈）等人兽冲突缓解措施。

Wildlife conservation explorer Simba Qiang Zhuo commemorates his bond with Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton with the utmost respect.

Wildlife conservation explorer Simba Qiang Zhuo shares his story with Elsamere—about freedom, the protection of nature, and respect for the legends.

This is the forward of the book "Maasai Mara Safari Guide", the first professional field guide to the Maasai Mara written by a Chinese Conservation Expert Simba Qiang Zhuo, an explorer and expert member of the IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), this is the first comprehensive, illustrated Chinese-language guidebook detailing the geography, wildlife distribution, field observation techniques, and community-based conservation practices in the Maasai Mara.Simba has lived and worked in the Maasai Mara of northern Maasai Mara for over 15 years. He has studied multiple lion prides, conducted daily patrols, and documented predator behavior and ecological change. All content is based on long-term field research and firsthand data.The forewords are written by:Simon Nkoitoi, Chief Warden of Olkinyei Conservancy and a key leader in community conservation;Jackson Ole Looseyia, host of BBC’s Big Cat Diary and founder of the Mara Repoi Conservancy.They describe this book as “a bridge between cultures, a compass for explorers, and a torch igniting the passion for protection.”With a practical and scientific approach, the guide covers:The geography, climate, vegetation, and ecosystem structure of the Maasai Mara;Distribution and behavioral patterns of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and other predators;Over 100 GPS-tagged locations and navigation advice;Ideal timings and routes for wildlife observation by season and migration period;Emergency field tips for vehicle recovery, animal encounters, and insect bites.As the first Chinese conservationist to live deeply embedded in the African wilderness, Simba’s journey has inspired thousands of Chinese and overseas communities to care about Africa’s wildlife. He initiated impactful efforts like the Mara Wildlife Academy and the Savannah Games, showcasing the growing role of Chinese participation in global conservation.This guide is an essential companion for travelers to East Africa and a valuable resource for schools, museums, and environmental educators. It also stands as a meaningful addition to ecological literature collections.

Simba’s interview with Pastor James and Simon Masago

Summary of Simba’s Wild Notes (May 15, 2025 – Nashulai Conservancy)By Simba Oloshorua Qiang ZhuoAt 19:11 on May 15, 2025, Simba received a call from Ryan reporting lion sightings near the Nashulai Community College. Simba drove out cautiously through difficult terrain to investigate. He met Ryan and Joseph, and together they located two lionesses concealed in the thickets. Nearby, a spotted hyena and a black-backed jackal were also active—signaling a likely hunting attempt on a nearby zebra herd.The lions were within 300 meters of a Maasai homestead. Concerned for both human and lion safety, Simba invited two local Maasai men into the vehicle and later warned others approaching on foot. Their prompt intervention likely prevented a potential human-wildlife conflict.After leaving to avoid disturbing the lions, Simba and his team observed giraffes and Thomson’s gazelles en route back to camp. Suddenly, several motorbikes rushed toward the bush, likely to scare away the lions. Simba quickly returned to calm the situation. Thanks to established trust with local pastoralists, the riders withdrew peacefully.This marked Simba’s first confirmed lion encounter within Nashulai Conservancy. He noted that herbivores may seek proximity to human areas for safety, inadvertently attracting predators like lions. This incident highlights the complexity of predator-prey dynamics and the urgent need for community-based conflict mitigation strategies in shared landscapes.

Simba’s Quest in Nashulai tells the inspiring true story of Simba Oloshorua, a Chinese wildlife conservationist who has spent fifteen years working in the wilds of Kenya. Known for his practical and sometimes hardline approach to habitat protection, Simba is invited by Maasai friend and fellow conservationist Simon Masago to visit the Nashulai Conservancy—a grassroots initiative led entirely by the Maasai people. Initially skeptical of a model that integrates people, livestock, and wildlife in the same landscape, Simba is guided through the conservancy by Ryan, a young Maasai filmmaker. What begins as a reluctant evaluation turns into a profound journey of learning and personal transformation. Through field patrols, fireside conversations, and encounters with wildlife and local families, Simba comes to see a new possibility for African conservation—one based on dignity, inclusion, and trust. By the film’s end, the once-doubtful conservationist joins the Nashulai movement, bridging cultures and ideologies to support a conservation model that could change the future of protected areas worldwide.

On May 3, 2025, Simba Qiang Zhuo and his Maasai brother Simon Masago visited Tangulia Mara Camp to meet with Jackson Ole Looseyia and Dominic Nchoe, where they discussed strategies for advancing community-based conservation models in the Maasai Mara. ​​Simba Qiang Zhuo is a Chinese wildlife conservation explorer and a member expert of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), based in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. As the founder of several conservation organizations, he has devoted over a decade to field-based ecological work, community engagement, and the restoration of wildlife habitats. His extraordinary journey has been documented in numerous international films and features, inspiring Chinese communities around the world to take a more active role in wildlife conservation across Africa.​​Jackson Ole Looseyia is a distinguished Maasai field guide and conservationist based in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. As a co-founder of the Mara Ripoi Conservancy, Mara Siana Camp, and Tangulia Mara Camp, he has played a pivotal role in advancing community-based conservation initiatives in the region. His prominence extends globally through his participation in numerous acclaimed wildlife documentaries, including Big Cat Diary and Planet Earth by the BBC, Big Cat Legend by the Discovery Channel, and African Cats by Disney. Through his dedicated work both in the field and on screen, Looseyia has significantly raised international awareness of the ecological importance of the Maasai Mara and the urgent need to protect its wildlife. ​Here is the story of Jackson Ole Looseyia’s remarkable journey from childhood to becoming a leading conservationist.

Nashulai: The First Maasai Conservancy in the Maasai MaraLaunched in 14 July, 2016 Nashulai is located in the Maasai Mara, Kenya. Notably, it is the first Maasai conservancy in the Maasai Mara to be created, governed and managed by the people whose ancestors have inhabited this beautiful land for centuries, understand it intimately, and have sustained themselves and their herds in harmony with the natural life of this globally important ecosystem. Our private community-run conservancy is a 5000 acre a triangle of land abutting the Mara National Reserve on one side and two other large conservancies on the others, so it is a “keystone” area in the Maasai Mara ecosystem – a critical migratory corridor (from the Serengeti in Tanzania up through the Mara in Kenya) and ancient elephant nursery.