Mara Mobile Veterinary Unit

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Feb 24 2007 | By: admin

The Masai Mara National Reserve was originally a Maasai cattle grazing land. Maasai are a semi-nomadic livestock keepers living on milk, blood and meat product of livestock. These traditional people still live in the areas surrounding the reserve.

Currently, an estimated 7,000 Maasai (Siria clan) and over 20,000 Small East African Zebu cattle live in the immediate vicinity of the reserve. Average number of cattle owned by a Maasai family ranges from 100 to 500 (some even reaching 1000) heads of cattle.

Although livelihood of Maasai community is solely depended on their cattle, there has been no regular veterinary service provided to these communities besides from occasional veterinary workshop by DVO (District Veterinary Officer).

**clearification on spelling**
Maasai - people of Maasai tribe origin, speaker of Maa (Maasai language) — with double ‘a’
Masai Mara - name of the National Reserve (meaning spotted land of Maasai in Maa)– with single ‘a’